Dispatch 25: Wrapping Up Science Operations

Ashley Arroyo

October 9, 2023

Dispatch 25: Wrapping Up Science Operations

Last night we arrived at the last CTD/Bongo station of the 2023 JOIS/BGOS expedition around 8pm. Since we had been working our way down the “MK Line” (see dispatch 23) onto the continental shelf, this cast was only 50 meters deep, which was the shallowest cast of the cruise! When we arrived on station, there was a beautiful sunset. To celebrate the last rosette cast, an undisclosed member of the science crew, who happens to hold the role of co-chief scientist, played her French horn before we launched the rosette into the water. Since many of us had been begging her to play it since the beginning of the cruise, this was an exciting moment for those of us who were on deck! Once the beautiful French horn playing concluded, the rosette was lowered into the water for one last time. Because the cast was shallow, the rosette was back on deck within minutes, and then sampled. With that, we had finished up with CTD/Bongo operations, and began steaming back to Cambridge Bay.

The transit back to Cambridge Bay (where we will depart the ship on Thursday morning) will take a few days, which means plenty of time to pack up all our science equipment and belongings and take care of bookkeeping items including writing data reports and updating digital data logs. We are working hard to get the bulk of these tasks done today, because the weather specialists onboard made us aware that we will be experiencing large waves – up to 4 meters tall – yikes! Until then, the science members are busy at work attacking different tasks and enjoying our last couple days here on the Louis. Teamwork makes the dream work!