Dec. 16, 2009     Print   PDF

Enlarge image From one side

Enlarge image To the other side

Enlarge image Sky on fire

Enlarge image Charlene likes

Enlarge image Ben catching rainbows

Alison Macdonald

Yesterday morning one might have thought that a baby bird would have been enough excitement, but it was only the beginning. I was outside for about half an hour trying  to take pictures of the rain in the distance while the sun came up. Although I caught some pictures of the petrels swinging on the wind,  I wasn't having a great deal of luck with the sunrise because the bright sun made all the pictures come out dark, so I gave up and went inside.

In the main lab there was excitement at the port side portholes, a rainbow. As many of us who could, those without samples running and not sitting at the console, went out. There was double rainbow stretching from one side of ship to the other, reaching right down to the water on both sides. I wish I had been on the bow with out the ship to obstruct the view, but it was truly spectacular nevertheless and the pictures do not do it justice.

Related Multimedia Ocean rainbow video » View Video (View Video (Media Player) )

Enlarge image Dawn

Enlarge image Double rainbow

Charlene Grall

Almost every day in our journey was sunny, calm and picturesque. We were lulled into thinking that it would continue for the rest of our cruise. Dawn arrived with a gathering storm, fringes of Tropical Storm Mick.  Bands of rain passed over The R/V Melville, drenching the  deployment crew as they sent yet another rosette into the deep.

Almost as an apology for the inconsiderate treatment, the sky presented the ship with a glorious rainbow.  Gasps of incredulity were repeated as people gathered to admire and photograph the technicolor ribbons that rose out of the waves and arced across the sea. Sadly, the rainbow faded, but as scientists and crew  returned to their duties, their dampened spirits were refreshed by the natural beauty of the South Pacific.