7 December 2009 [Video] SCINI Open House

Journal

This week will be a crazy, long week filled with what I affectionately call the "cram and jam." Today the divers will be diving out at Turtle Rock, just south of Cape Evans...as the skua flies anyways. Tuesday we're back out to Bratina to put SCINI down the seal hole we found weeks ago and to do a little specimen collection-more about that later! Wednesday is a diving day at Little Razorback, just north of Turtle Rock. Thursday will be spent at Granite Harbor, and because it's so far away, we'll be helo'ed out to the continent. And lastly, Friday, our last day of field work, finds us out at Cape Royds!! Cape Royds is a huge penguin colony that is just bustling with activity. And, if all goes well, we'll deploy SCINI right off the sea ice edge. We were fortunate enough to behold the sea ice edge a few weeks ago when we were being helo'ed back from an all day trip out on the ice shelf. Spectacular!!

Ahoy! Open Water!! — At this point in time, the open sea was about 25 miles from McMurdo!

Big Changes Ahead! — The sea ice edge was a spectacular site from the helo! I felt like I was in a National Geographic show!

Will This Be The Year?!?! — Open water hasn't reached McMurdo in 10 years, but there are many who think that this will be the year!!

The rest of the time will find us packing, cleaning and returning things until we leave on Wednesday, December 16th.

In spite of this busy end of season schedule, we held a SCINI Open House for the community yesterday and had not only grand weather but a wonderful turnout as well!! This was an opportunity for anyone to see SCINI up close and even fly her around under the ice at the jetty. There will be a video forthcoming in which several people talk about their ROV piloting experience, so stay tuned. I'll process it as soon as I can! Many people commented on their surprise at seeing all the life and color under the ice! It still amazes me as well.