Dispatch 1: All Aboard!
Ashley Arroyo (Yale University)
August 30, 2024
21:10 UTC, 68.54°N 107.11°W
Conditions:
- Mostly sunny
- 0% sea ice cover
- 7 °C
- Winds 25.2 knots westerly
- Sunrise: 29-Aug-2024 05:18:46 -06
- Sunset: 29-Aug-2024 21:01:48 -06
- Day length: 15 hours 43 min 3 sec
Today marks our first full day on the Louis S. St-Laurent, and the beginning of the 2024 BGOS/JOIS expedition! Most of the science crew landed in Cambridge Bay yesterday afternoon, and then were transported onto the ship via helicopter. Once aboard, we began to tackle the large task of unpacking – computers, equipment, clothes – you name it. In addition to unpacking, lots of us were helping to set up the lab spaces we will be relying on for data entry, preparation, and analysis over the next month, including labs dedicated to analyzing chlorophyll, nutrients, bacteria, alkalinity, and much more!
Today, we are continuing to prepare by setting up and testing lab and science equipment (including the CTD rosette, computers, and analysis systems), going over procedures and safety protocols, and familiarizing everyone with the ship. In fact, all members of the science crew were taken on a “Walk of Life,” which was a tour of the ship led by the Louis’ third mate, Kate. On this tour, Kate explained and showed all of us what to do in the case of emergencies including the location of our muster stations, life jackets, and flashlights. After supper, we had a fire drill where we put our new knowledge to the test by gathering in our muster locations and reporting to our respective lifeboats.
We are currently in transit at a speed of ~16 knots, to our first science station which is in Amundsen Gulf. Once we arrive tomorrow afternoon, we will officially kick off science operations with our first CTD (Conductivity-Temperature-Depth) cast tomorrow!
