Kati points out some of the first pieces of floating sea ice sighted on our cruise. Photo by Brett Longworth My name is Kati Gosnell and I’m a graduate student in the Florida State University Oceanography Department, studying chemical oceanography. Currently trucking through my second year in the department, I’m working under the guidance of Dr. William Landing. My focus is in trace metals, so I get to clean a lot of bottles. There is a lot of trace metal action going on in my little world aboard the Research Vessel Roger Revelle. For this research cruise I am helping to sample for iron...

FSU IPY Cruise: Meet FSU Oceanography Post-Doctoral Associate Angela “Angie” Milne On deck of R/V Roger Revelle, against the backdrop of a tabular iceberg, Angie Milne, who suffers in Florida’s heat, enjoys Nature’s finest air conditioning. Photo by Charlene Grall “Hi, I’m Angie Milne, visiting FSU as a post-doctoral associate with Professor Bill Landing.” Angie’s an ocean-connected gal. Growing up in seaside Blackpool, England, Angie says, “I ‘packed in’ a job in the service field of insurance and pensions for the allure of exotic travel. This kindled my environmental interest...

FSU IPY Cruise: Meet Professor of Oceanography Bill Landing CLIVARI6S, Southern Ocean, approaching Antarctica: FSU’s Bill Landing works on deck in the driving sleet of austral summer. Photo by Brett Longworth Hi, again, from your outreach coordinator and the whole FSU Oceanography team. Though we’ve been “off the radar” for some time now, having traded our sea legs for terra firma, our IPY work is far from over. We’ve introduced part of our team and shared some experiences from our ship time collecting samples on the outbound leg of our CLIVARI6S transect, Longitude 30° E, from S. Africa to Anta...

The 8th Polar Day (topic: Polar Oceans) elicited so much interest that it turned into a full week of events that took place across the globe from some likely places such as Edinburgh, Winnipeg and Nuuk to some not so likely places like Brazil & Malaysia. Take a peek at some of the exciting highlights from classrooms, radio stations, field schools and public outreach sessions around the world. Edinburgh, UK: March 14th - 15th The Dynamic Earth science center hosted a hands-on public session with researchers from the Scottish Association for Marine Science who displayed Arctic research footage from recent expeditions. The most popular part of the event was when people got a chance to don the equipment worn by polar scientists. We may have just h...

Transmission Location: At sea, 21 miles south of Punuk Island (sample station NEC2), south of St. Lawrence Island. Lat/Long: 62deg 42 min N/168 deg 38 min W (grid 62.70). Time: 0834. Temperature: 1.0 dgF, Wind: 24 mph from NW. Wind Chill: −22 dgF. Scattered clouds, 30% cover. Sunrise: 9:07 AM, Sunset: 9:22 PM. Ice: New ice, small floes, 1-2ft, high ridges. Note: large group of ~30 walrus on large floe ice edge, in and out of water. Ship’s log by Tom Litwin, scientist profiles by Tom Walker. Flying into Gambell, the Bering sea and Russian Siberian coast beyond. Photo Credit: Tom Litwin This ...

Transmission Location: At sea, 30 miles SW of Southwest Cape, (sample station SEC1.5), St Lawrence Island. Lat/Long: 62deg 49 min N/170 deg 38 min W (grid 62.82). Time: 0915. Temperature: −0.5 dgF, Wind: 17.8 mph from NW. Wind Chill: −22 dgF. Scattered clouds @ 1000ft. Sunrise: 9:15 AM, Sunset: 9:41 PM. Ice: New ice- Nilas/Young-/2-6”. Ship’s log by Tom Litwin, scientist profiles by Tom Walker. Laysan albatross forgage in Bering sea “hot spots”. Photo Credit: Tamara Zeller, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service The desk I’m writing at is actually a chart table in the back corner of th...

Transmission Location: At sea, 30 miles SW of Southwest Cape, (sample station SEC1.5), St Lawrence Island. Lat/Long: 62deg 49 min N/170 deg 38 min W (grid 62.82). Time: 0915. Temperature: −0.5 dgF, Wind: 17.8 mph from NW. Wind Chill: −22 dgF. Scattered clouds @ 1000ft. Sunrise: 9:15 AM, Sunset: 9:41 PM. Ice: New ice- Nilas/Young-/2-6”. Ship’s log by Tom Litwin, scientist profiles by Tom Walker. Think flexibility. This is an important ingredient for travel in the Northern Being Sea. A stickler for events unfolding the way planned could find this to be a very long, nerve-wracking experience. The combined influences of wind, ice, and currents humble even the best laid plans. Fluidity in mind and action serves well those working in the ice. Today is a case in point. ...

Transmission Location: At sea, 46 miles SW of Sikniq Cape (sample station SEC2), St Lawrence Island. Lat/Long: 62deg 12 min N/170 deg 16 min W (grid 62.2). Time: 0925. Temperature: −1.5 dgF, Wind: 19.5 mph from NW. Wind Chill: −19 dgF. Clear skies. Sunrise: 9:41 AM, Sunset: 9:39 PM. Ice: very close pack, new ice ~3ft. thick, big floes. Ship’s log by Tom Litwin, scientist profiles by Tom Walker. USCGC HEALY’S ICEBREAKING BOW, BOSON MATE JIM MERTEN Photo Credit: Tom Litwin I’m standing in the Forward Machine Room where I can put my palm on the inboard side of the Healy’s stem, the most forward part ...

Transmission Location: At sea, 25 miles SW of Northwest Cape, Gambell Village, St Lawrence Island. Lat/Long: 63deg 45.282 min N/171 deg 47.34 min W (grid 63.75). Time: 0915. Temperature: −1.5 dgF, Wind: 19.5 mph from NW. Wind Chill: −19 dgF. Clear skies. Sunrise: 9:41 AM, Sunset: 9:39 PM. Ice: very close pack, new ice ~3ft. thick, big floes. Note: Ravens on ice, St. Lawrence Island clearly visible from Bridge. Reports provided by Tom Litwin and Tom Walker. MOUNTAINS OF ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND’S SOUTH COAST FROM DECK OF USCGS HEALY Photo Credit: Tom Litwin The first sampling station quickly reveals t...

Transmission Location: At sea, 70 miles SW of Southwest Cape, St Lawrence Island Lat/Long: 63.16.2N/173.43.7W. Time: 0900 Temperature: −5.1 dgF, Wind: 7 mph from NW Wind Chill: −22 dgF. Clear skies. Sunrise: 9:47 AM, Sunset: 9:39 PM. Ice: compact sea ice/w leads and lakes. Note: Walrus en route to first station. The Healy left the Gulf of Alaska on March 12, entering Unimak Pass at 2:00 AM. This major navigational route passes between the Aleutian Islands of Unimak and Akun, the gateway between the North Pacific and Bering Sea. Emerging from the pass before dawn, the ship’s navigator set a course that would bring the Healy just east of St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs by 7:30 PM. ...