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With only five days to go until we reach Mawson, training, planning, and briefings are in full swing. Field training continues today with expeditioners learning their ropes and knots. Our nine Watercraft Operators will meet with the AIVIQ deck team to discuss crane operations and the lifting of IRBs. Tonight, Sam will deliver an Operations Overview brief to all expeditioners.
It is also a busy time for science, with most of our projects taking place in the next few days. Yesterday, a second ARGO float was deployed and Felix delivered a brief on sea ice observations. This sea ice observation project requires a team of volunteers to observe and monitor the sea ice every hour from 0600-2400.
Depending on the amount of ice we pass through, observations may go over several days. As I write, preparations are underway to deploy a whale mooring. This mooring, otherwise known as a Moored Acoustic Recorder, weighs approximately 200kg. It will sink to the bottom and continuously record underwater noises until it is recovered (hopefully next season). These moorings provide valuable data on the presence and habitat of recovering and endangered whale species.
In addition to operational planning and science, it has been a busy time socially. Last night, Mawson plumber Ryan hosted a quiz night. Five teams of six battled their way through four rounds of questions, with the winning team scraping through by a very small margin. The loyal attendees of the Deck of Cards workout met again today, as they have done almost every day for the last two weeks. Expeditioners have also been enjoying the chance to go outside and enjoy the fresh breeze.
REGARDS: Sam and Anthony
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.