We're on Station!

Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for: we’re on station! That means science will officially start today! The IcyInverts team is gearing up to deploy our first epibenthic sledge (EBS), but before that happens, other teams on board will be surveying the area with the multibeam and then deploying a heat flow probe (probe driven into sediments by gravity and temperatures within the sediment are measured). A tow cam (to image the sea bottom) and a CTD (measures conductivity, temperature, and depth) are also planned prior to our first EBS, but plans are always evolving based on conditions and opportunities! A tow cam is especially useful prior to deploying the EBS because you get a view of the sea floor to determine if the terrain is suitable for the gear (you don't want large boulders in the way!). These are only a few of the instruments that will be utilized during the cruise, but are incredibly important tools to answer big research questions scientists onboard have.
 
Half of the IcyInverts team has switched over to the night shift (midnight-noon), while the other two scientists will work the day shift (noon-midnight). This allows for 24-hour sampling to ensure that we are making the most of our sampling efforts on the cruise! As a night shift member, I was lucky enough to watch the sunrise this morning with two other scientists on the bridge of the ship. We were in position by 4:30 am, and by 5:00 am, the sky was on fire with orange and pink hues. As hard as I tried to capture the view, a picture wasn’t able to do the moment justice!

Victoria Vandersommen
University of Alaska Anchorage