Information
Comments
It is interesting how our voyage on the way home is so different than the one from Hobart to Mawson. On the southbound leg we only sailed in open ocean with some growlers and bergy bits and seeing a lot of icebergs, floating and grounded and reasonably smooth seas. Between Mawson and Davis we sailed through new ice and ex fast ice and once again saw many bergs including quite a few jade bergs with their beautiful array of colours. Listening to the ship crunch through ice is a sound that very few are lucky to hear.
Since leaving Davis we sailed through ice of varying types, grease, pancake, pack and yesterday afternoon we were more in open ocean but still seeing icebergs. I looked out of the mess window and it looked like we were travelling in fog but when I arrived at the bridge it was snowing quite heavily and the blue ship we are travelling on was white.
Our seas are a bit rougher than previously experienced on this voyage. The snow is falling again. The wind is 40 knots gusting 45 knots and when you see more whitecaps on the top of the waves than blue sea you know it is not the most pleasant of conditions. Having said that the Aiviq is rolling a little but travelling quite comfortably having settled into a soothing pattern with only the occasion big roll.
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are everchanging remarkable places and it is amazing how the weather dictates so much of what we are experiencing.
The DVL and Aiviq crew have just deployed the last of the seven argo floats on board. Another objective ticked off our Voyage Brief.
Another hour lost yesterday with our clocks going forward by 1 hour. We are now 3 hours behind Hobart time.
Cheers
Leanne & Matt
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.