9 July 2016 What Do You Do When You Aren't Sciencing?

I have been asked what we do between science stations. Although we mustn't lose focus of the primary goal of this expedition - collecting and processing data - there is a lot to do when we are not on station. Wednesdays and Saturdays are "Field Days" - everyone pitches in to clean the ship. We are responsible for tidying our cabins and adjoining bathrooms, and we each contribute to the group effort of cleaning the shared science spaces. Mops, brooms, scrub brushes, and vacuum cleaners are equipment for which I need no additional training! The USCGC Healy recycles, and cleaning days are also trash days.

One of the students on board led a yoga class today, and there is a cross fit class each day. A couple of small gyms, laundry, checking email, learning about each person's research, and reading occupy down time. My favorite, watching for birds and mammals from the bridge, is also popular. Meals are a time to gather, and those who work in the galley prepare some very tasty food each day.

My First Polar Bear

Yesterday evening we received a page that a polar bear had been sighted. This is a pretty special event even for seasoned Arctic scientists. We were able to watch the polar bear for several minutes, and I even got a photo. The sun was bright, there was glare from the ice, and I was clicking blindly hoping I would get something. In the midst of photos of sky, clouds, ice, and the ship's deck one photo showed the bear!

This morning it was fun to watch birds eating Arctic cod that were churned up as the boat passed through ice. It is sometimes even possible to see the fish in ice melt pools.

Q and A

Can you identify the object on the ice in this mystery photo?

Answer from last Q: "Pinniped" means fin or flipper-footed, and the term is used to describe marine mammals that have both front and hind flippers.