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 :
... and a link to the student focused version by Eric Molina
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!
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| Photo credit for selfie: Simon Schmidt |
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| The Arctic Marine Biology team with Module Leader Janne Soreide plus scientific crew |
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