Still Cold

It can be really frustrating trying to get any work done in the conditions
that we are dealing with. It can take as much as 10 hours to go only 5
miles, depending on the ice conditions. And we have to do out sampling in
predetermined places, because we are trying to get an idea of how things
change over time, and we can only do that by sampling the same place
repeatedly. So we have to get to the same spot. Other things mess us up,
also. Trying to make a space in the ice to drop our equipment through,
only to have the ice drift near and close it halfway through a station.
Drifting too far off the station. The ice is surprisingly mobile, even
though it looks like it is standing still. We can be locked in between
floes and still be traveling with the ice sheet between .3 and .7 knots.
At least we don't have to deal with all the stuff going on during the day.
Helicopter operations cause all activity to stop while they are taking
off or landing, because no one can be on deck while the helo is taking off
or landing. Ice core stations, zooplankton tows, extra grabs for people
who like to work during daylight, and ice liberty mess with everyone's
plans. Ice liberty is like recess on the ice for anyone that wants to get
off the ship and play on the ice. I was sleeping, so I missed it. All
this makes for some really slow progress sometimes. Yesterday, it took 14
hours to complete a single station. Normally we can do one in two hours.
And it wasn't even cold enough to have problems with the equipment
freezing. That's why we need to be up here for such a long time.
In the next day or so, we should be experiencing a short time warp, also
known as the international date line. They say the first time can give
you headaches, but I think that's just something they tell the new
recruits.

As for the eider, NO, it did not poop on the poop deck, Kari. And
critters we find on the bottom, three or four species of clams, some
snails, crabs, a few species of sea stars, polychaete worms, and some
amphipods. Occasionally we catch a slow fish in the grabs also. I will
post pictures of some of the critters when I get back.

Cold and slow,
Steve