Days and days
The science group planned this cruise over the course of the past 2-3 years. The science consists of gathering items from the ocean (mainly diatoms) by using sophisticated contraptions that go over the side of the boat. The contraptions get lowered to various depths at a series of defined stations. These stations are numbered 1-14, going south to north along latitude 170 west. We started collecting at station three, then headed south to station one. Not sure what happened to station two (I must have been asleep) but a couple of days ago we steamed north for 12 hours to reach station four. Then we immediately turned around, having done no science, and headed back to where we came from. The weather is too bad to do the science.
We have been ‘hiding out’ down south waiting for the storm to pass. Here’s a pretty picture of what we have been avoiding. The red part is bad. The black box indicates approximately where we are. The storm is passing to the east.
This is probably distressing to the scientists, since they have to get all the samples and time is short. They had calculated some cushion for weather, but we already burned a day of that waiting to cross the Drake passage. For me, it feels like I’ve reached the age of 250 years while waiting here. Time drags when nothing is happening. We are out of the ice so the only scenery is the ocean. We are in 18-20’ seas, we are not sitting still.
Before we left the ice, the mate Trevor called me to tell me that the view was spectacular. Up to the bridge I went. Climbing to the bridge is a trek up an interior staircase. Opening the door brings the whole stunning view. The sun had been up for a couple of hours and the light was crisp. The horizon filled with shining brilliant ice floes on the deep dark water.
I do love the ice.