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We came out of the pack ice yesterday afternoon and our speed shot up to around thirteen knots. Instead of spotting the occasional seal hauled out on the ice we began to see humpback whales. Despite being open ocean the conditions were remarkable calm, the swell being moderated by the not too distant ice. At around midmorning this morning we passed back into the pack. As well as the scenery we are privileged to witness some exciting science. Onboard are an international team who collected lake water samples from the Vestfold Hills around Davis. Now they are in the labs on the ship analysing these samples to gain information that will lead to decoding the DNA of the lake organisms. We heard a presentation last night that showed how this work will link in to a global DNA decoding study with a huge range of potential practical applications. Its heartening to think that the water sampling drums that the crew worked so hard to get on and off the ship could be part of science that leads towards sustainable energy generation or advances in medical science.
Map
A map showing Australia and Antarctica. The map shows the journey of one voyage that has occured in the season, with each route highlighted in a distinct colour.