Return-Path: robin.ross@lmg.polar.org
Date: Sat, 19 Jan 2002 10:20:01 +0800

LMG02-01 Palmer LTER Weekly Synopsis 2 (11 - 19 January 2002)

Hi y'all,

Duck and Bill have been following parts of this saga from station as 
the ice this summer has impacted our access to various areas, but I 
suspect there might be more general interest.

We finished the 500.* line early on Jan 13, with the high density 
scheduled to begin at 0500 Jan 14.  We still had net tows to do in 
the Palmer Basin region (for linking the diet samples and the prey 
available in the foraging area), but there was a bit of time to 
attempt some 'inside north stations'.  Chris was very efficient in 
picking up and re deploying the sediment trap!  We ran for the 
Grandidier, and found 10/10 ice along the 550.* line right around 
550.040.  As we progressed through that ice, we broke into a clear 
area where we did a station.  What was interesting is that the ice in 
this region looked as if new ice was forming.  There were a few floes 
with snow on it glued together with small pancakes about 3 ft in 
diameter.  We also saw the same fluoroescence profile we had been 
seeing on the 600.* and 500.* lines - with a deep chl max in addition 
to the more normal shallow one.

The next station was supposed to be 598.015 - in the Lemaire.  The 
Captain opted to go out the 550.* and back in French Passage to 
attempt to reach that station.  We ran into 10/10 ice right at the 
mouth of French Passage - and it was floes, not pancakes.  We kept on 
going, but started to have trouble with the sea ice chest filling up 
with snow and slush, and the seawater system failing.  Those with 
experiments were starting to have second thoughts!  Although the 
scenery is gorgeous back in there.  We looked at the entrance to the 
Lemaire from where we would have made our turn - and it was totally 
blocked with growlers and bergy bits.  (The JCR had not gotten 
through the month before either.)  The discussion with Captain Robert 
was not very long!  and we went back out to sample outside the ice 
edge.  Wendy did ask for (and receive) the opportunity to stop the 
ship and sample for the brownest part of the sea ice.  Pete 'netted' 
her a bucket-sized chunk with a birder net.

Unfortunately the bird observing visibility was rotten the morning of 
14 Jan, so we went to plan B, and headed south during the rough 
weather.  It was going to be a weather day anyway, and we spent it in 
transit - very small crowd at lunch, better at dinner.  We are hoping 
to do the HD grid on our return to the Palmer area in about 8 days.

Today we attempted the Avian Island landing for diet samples of the 
Adelies there.  The ice was again 10/10, with small floes surrounded 
and loosely glued together with brash covered with snow.  It was so 
thick that the penguins could run across it without falling through. 
In addition to the ice making zodiac traffic impossible, both Avian 
and Ginger were surrounded by smallish bergs (volkswagon and small 
house size) that made landing look very questionable even if we had 
managed to get the zodiac there.  Right now we are just south of 
200.-040, having offloaded a zodiac full of diet samplers in the 
Faure Islands (pronounced 'for' according to our resident French 
woman).  They have only seen one bird so far, but there are lots of 
small islands that they will be searching.

Then tomorrow, our day with the BAS folks.  They had sort of hoped we 
would stay the night, allowing a REAL party, but the schedule just 
does not allow that.  So we will cast off about midnight.  As Randy 
said, with the new rules on how much alcohol can be imbibed prior to 
getting on board, maybe a shorter party is a good idea....

from points south,
Robin