Dispatch 12: Signs of Sea Ice and Another Polar Bear

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J-CAD and polar bear slideshow

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Andrey Proshutinsky

August 31 - September 1, 2003

A polar bear visited us on Saturday evening, August 30th. We did not report this in yesterday’s dispatch because it had already been sent to WHOI.

August 31st was a busy day for JAMSTEC scientists deploying their J-CAD drifting buoy. The rest of the expedition enjoyed bright Arctic sunshine and a short walk around the icebreaker after supper. Unfortunately, heavy fog settled in and everyone, including the JAMSTEC scientists, had to leave the ice floe and return to the ship.

The following morning, September 1, the weather became colder and we encountered our absolute minimum air temperature (-5°). We also observed the formation of new ice at the sea surface.

Despite the chill, the J-CAD buoy deployment continued at 6:00 a.m. and was completed by 12:30 p.m. Presently our coordinates are 76° 16’N and 139° 50’W. We are heading to our next CTD station at 75°N and 140°W. We are scheduled to arrive about 7 p.m.

Last updated: October 7, 2019