Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 23:08:14 +0000 From: "Coronesi, Stephanie" Subject: Message 11 19:16 (2002.01.17) 66 Degrees 10.453' South Latitude 70 Degrees 38.625' West Longitude (Bellingshausen Sea) Air Temp: 0.8 Degrees C SST (Sea Surface Temperature): 1.2 C Wind Speed: 10 knots 160 Degrees Air Pressure: 974.4 mBar Hi Everyone! Well, we've just received word that we should be feeling the effects of another storm this evening into tomorrow. Yee HA! ;) We have to be super careful that everything is secured, especially in the lab where there are all sorts of glass objects, chemicals, and expensive equipment. The first few days on the ship (starting before we even left Punta Arenas) were spent nailing things down and tying bungee cords and string around all of the lab equipment to keep it stationary in stormy seas. It's funny, I've kind of gotten used to compensating for the roll of the ship. One thing I haven't mastered yet though is drinking liquids. I have spilled fruit punch flavored Hi-C down the front of my white shirt twice now. I try to stick to water and 7UP and other things that won't leave a mark. I need an official Laurence M. Gould bib. This morning I received a question from Carrie "Tree" one of my former students at MVRCS. She wanted to know if it's possible to make phone calls from the ship. It is possible, but from what I've heard it costs like $5 a minute, so I don't think many people use the phone. Communication via email is pretty dependable from here, and it sure gets plenty of use. Right after the two daily email transfers the computers in the electronic lab and the lounge are packed! I'd like to make a correction to my answer in message 9 about hot springs. I just found out that there are indeed hot springs on Deception Island, which is just south of King George island, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were more elsewhere. Thanks to Rich and Andy for the info! Today is a pretty big day for us on the ship. There are about a dozen of us who have never crossed the Antarctic Circle before, and we're due to cross sometime this evening. Next week there will be a crossing ceremony and the newbies are all expected to get together and perform a skit for King Neptune and his court. For the past couple of weeks we have been receiving email from the King and we've been sending him email tributes and offering trinkets to encourage his mercy during the crossing ceremony. We won't know who's playing King Neptune until we actually get to the ceremony, and it's up to him to decide just how tormented we will be. I've heard some interesting stories about past ceremonies, but it's a highly secretive operation and that's about all of the information I have right now. I will keep you updated as details become available. Tomorrow (Friday) is a big day for the birders and their helpers. Two teams of three are being dropped off at Avian Island to run their observations on the penguins who live there. I'll be sure to give you the details of their trip when they get back. We should be arriving at Rothera, a British base, on Saturday. From what I understand, about twenty British scientists come on board for the day and about fifteen of us get to go ashore and spend the day exploring the grounds at Rothera. Everyone goes ashore at night for a sort of welcome dinner too. Rich was among the group that got to visit Rothera last October, and he really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, there was a fire that started in a lab a couple of days later in which one of the main buildings was burned down. Can you imagine how frightening that must have been for those on base to have to fight a fire and try to save whatever they could in such isolated conditions? Everyone's kind of holding their breath to see how much has changed and how much was lost at the base since the last LTER visit. So there are a busy couple of days ahead, and hopefully the weather will be somewhat co-operative! There's snow outside today; huge, fat wet flakes - very pretty. Still no whales, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed as we head south. I've attached a fun picture of me and Rich at the top of the Palmer Glacier. I'll throw some more science atcha tomorrow. ;) With big smiles from the land of King Neptune! -Steph (Miss C)