Dispatch 1: Departure
Birgit Rogalla
September 5, 2020
Dispatch 1: Departure
Welcome to the 2020 Joint Ocean Ice study (JOIS) dispatches!
On Thursday, 15 scientists from within Canada and 57 Coast Guard crew members joined the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent in the harbor of Saint John's, Newfoundland. While the ship was resupplied and refueled (fuelling a ship this large takes 1.5 days!), the laboratory space set ups were started, equipment unpacked, and we all got tested for Covid-19. Today, in the last light of day and with a belly full of diesel fuel, we set off along the Newfoundland coast.
We are relieved and excited that the expedition has started and that we will continue the time series of observations that started way back in 2003.
However, things do look different with Covid-19 and we will miss our colleagues from outside of Canada who aren't able to join this year.
With its twisting hallways and incredibly friendly crew, the Louis will be our home for the next six weeks as we transit through the Northwest Passage into the Beaufort Sea to collect observations. As the days get shorter, we'll retrace our path back to Saint John's. Follow along as we share stories about the science, the ship, our surroundings, life on board, and more!
