February 20, 2008

Most folks slept late today after the late night party. Then we finished
the work we needed to do at the Palmer lab in time for folks to climb the
glacier behind the station and enjoy the view.



Mid-afternoon we set sail for our first station. We left the way we came,
through the Neumeyer Straight. This time the snow was light and we
gathered on the bow to watch the mountains and glaciers pass by. It was quite a show. We saw penguins, seals and humback whales.





The captain told us we should be on station at about 5:00 am. Folks on
the midnight to noon shift are already in bed. Those of us on the noon to
midnight shift are making labels and giving the gear one last look over.

When we arrive, we will first do a benthic survey with sonar imaging
equipment. We need a relatively flat, muddy area 600m deep for our work.
Then we will send down a CTD (an instrument that measures
conductivity-depth-temperature) with Niskin bottles (water collection at
discrete depths)and a camera. Soon after, we will begin sampling for mud,
animals and phytoplankton. Wish us luck!

Position: 64 degrees 14.350 minutes South, 61 degrees 53.746 minutes West
Speed over ground: 11.2 knots
Heading: 15.0 degrees
Water temp. 1.058 degrees C; Air temp. 1.4 degrees C