Leaving Svalbard...

Hi everyone, Matt here for my final post...

Once the field reports from the sea-ice sampling in Van Mijenfjorden and the research cruise around Spitsbergen were completed, there were a lot of goodbyes to good people. We had shared intense experiences during field-work and studies and on our own expeditions into the Arctic Wilderness. With a large student and research community, it was going to be difficult to see everyone.

The Student Council came to the rescue. They chartered 2 boats for an end of season party cruise to the Russian town of Barentsberg. We were lucky with the weather and were able to wear t-shirts in the heat of the Midnight Sun as the DJ kept us dancing to the rhythm as we bounced along the waves. In Barentsberg itself we went to the local brewery for what have to be the worst ales I’ve ever tried to drink, but this pales into insignificance because along the way we saw seabirds, a Minke whale, a fin whale and even a small blue whale!

As for our own Marine Biology team, we had a “Pot luck” evening. This involves everyone cooking and bringing a dish and having a buffet-style meal. With 18 of us cooking our favourites (and some cod and halibut by-catch from our sampling trawls on the cruise) the meal was great. We showed our photos and videos and then climbed out onto the roof to enjoy the sunshine and talk about the past and the future.

For my own departure the weather was astonishing. The sky was clear blue (almost unheard of in Svalbard at this time of the year) and the views from the plane as my friend Kristin and I flew to Oslo were magnificent. Kristin had booked the window seat, so she got my camera and gets the photo credits here! Over the years I’ve seen some extraordinary views from plane windows, but flying over an Arctic island that I’ve invested so much time and energy in studying and exploring was the most special. After so long living on an island of snow, ice and rocks, it was lovely to fly over Norway and see trees as the mountains give way to the forests of the south on my way back to England's green and pleasant land.

Time to prepare for our dissertation projects and plan the next adventure…

Photo credit: Kristin Sundby

Photo credit: Kristin Sundby

Photo credit: Kristin Sundby

Photo credit: Kristin Sundby

Photo credit: Kristin Sundby

Arctic Marine Biology 6 day research cruise

Hi everyone, Matt here!

Holger and I put 4 months of theory and technical skills into practice a couple of weeks ago on the AB202 Arctic Marine Biology Cruise. We sampled and analysed local physical oceanography, phytoplankton (algae), zooplankton (things like krill), benthos (the stuff on the sea floor), fish and ice cores and we’ve learned some useful things that can stimulate further research. 

Here's a link to my own trip video for non-scientists :

Matthew's Cruise Video

... and a link to the student focused version by Eric Molina

Eric Molina's Cruise Video

The itinerary was extraordinary. As side trips, we visited one of the world’s most northerly science communities at Ny Alesund (Kongsfjorden) and a former Russia mining settlement (Pyramiden) on the way back. We also worked with the Coastguard on a helicopter rescue training exercise (nice to see they know what they’re doing).

The scenery was breathtaking as we headed up the west coast, round the northernmost point of Spitsbergen and down the east coast to the ice station, stopping at the sampling sites shown in the map below.

With 24 hour sunlight and long working days, I spent the time I was scheduled to be sleeping on deck or on the bridge enjoying the view rather than miss the views and the wildlife. At Moffen Island we saw a herd of walrus and one swam by the ship. We also saw seals and whales. The constant company of the seabirds was lovely too, with puffins amongst other charismatic visitors.

The highlights for me would have to be breaking through the ice at 3am en route to 80 degrees north as the fog and clouds gradually lifted and the sun broke though to reveal jagged mountains iced with snow, sailing through beautiful Smeerenburgfjorden and visiting the enormous glaciers near Pyramiden.

Incredibly, snorkelling was one of the sampling techniques we used for the shallow coastal environment. We had dry-suits and neoprene hoods, but try to imagine holding your unprotected face in waters at roughly 0°C to stare at the kelp and assess the seaweed community. Cold? Intensely. Fun? Absolutely!

As the same cruise runs over coming years, our data will contribute to the overall picture of Svalbard waters and the impacts of climate change over time.

Not sure why Holger was hiding behind me in the group photo - he's usually the scene-stealer in my pictures!

Photo credit for selfie: Simon Schmidt

The Arctic Marine Biology team with Module Leader Janne Soreide plus scientific crew