Day 25: Back to Science in the Baffin Bay

Coordinates: 64.50 N 58.56 W

Our location off Baffin Island.

Our location off Baffin Island.

Finally, a scientific station – Baffin Bay One! The Amundsen was humming with activity yesterday as everyone, in parallel, worked on their research. The station started at 4:00 am and finished at 10:00pm, and there was work to do before and after, so many people were up for more than 24 hours, working on any number of things – trace metal casts, high volume pumps, primary productivity casts, CTD profiles, aerosol sampling… The fish team found lots of copepods and a large jellyfish. Clara finished the first incubation of her ocean acidification experiment. Trace metal concentrations were analyzed – apparently, the instrument for analyzing zinc is running very well, so Dave stayed up analyzing zinc for 24 hours. A thousand other small and large things were done, and everyone was excited to finally, after such a long break, be doing the scientific research they had planned and prepared for, months and years ago, in offices and labs and late-night coffeeshops across the country.

Bongo nets, sampling for copepods and larger animals, being pulled on deck

Bongo nets, sampling for copepods and larger animals, being pulled on deck

Marine sews bags for incubation experiments.

Marine sews bags for incubation experiments.

A filter full of copepods.

A filter full of copepods.

Dave peers from the bubble at the world outside

Dave peers from the bubble at the world outside

Nina demonstrates proper bottle handling technique.

Nina demonstrates proper bottle handling technique.

Dave's clean hand.

Dave’s clean hand.

Meanwhile, quietly, we’ve crossed the Arctic circle. Neptune has been laying low for a bit – probably all the science – but we’ve heard the return of the cackling on the radio, so he’s still out there – maybe we’ll see him tonight.

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