Today was my first dive at Arrival Heights, another location very close to McMurdo. Like the Jetty, it was a breathtaking location to dive. We checked out some massive sponges, then moved our way up to the shallows where the juvenile Trematomus bernacchii (bernies) hide in the anchor ice. The main objective of the dive was to practice collection, which was very nice to have because it is difficult to catch those suckers!
When we first got into the shallow shelf, there was a massive school of hundreds, if not thousands of bernies that were seemingly begging to be caught. Of course, as soon as we approached they darted into the crevices in the anchor ice to hide. They are quite fast for small fish! Once you scare them out of the ice, you have to quickly catch them with a small aquarium net. You also have to ensure that you don't catch the shards of ice with the fish to prevent the fish from freezing. Once you catch a few, you then have to transfer them into a very high-tech collection bag (aka a plastic bag with duct tape). Hopefully when you open the bag to let the new ones in, the others don't swim out. All of this is in 28°F water with giant dexterity-less lobster gloves and frozen hands (despite the giant gloves). And, of course, you are also managing your buoyancy, bottom time, air pressure, etc. and keeping an eye on your buddy and the location of the dive hole at the same time. It's quite the challenge, but it is rewarding to be able to collect the fish that we spend so much time studying. And when we're not focused on collecting, it's quite the treat to just observe them in their natural habitat. The opportunity to watch them has already given me valuable information for designing current and future experiments; it's a great reminder to never forget the importance of simple observation in formulating research questions. We were also lucky enough to have a Weddell seal say hello during our dive! As awkward as they seem on land, they are truly majestic under water. It was humbling to have such a huge animal swim around you and curiously look at you. They are not aggressive, but their size alone definitely makes you pause. Overall, it was another fantastic dive. I'm still in shock that I am lucky enough to get to dive here as part of my research. Looking forward to more dives soon. Thank you Steve Rupp for the fantastic photos!
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After dreaming about it every night for months, I have now officially dove under the Antarctic sea ice! Above is a picture of my first time about to go through the hole (there will be pictures of actually under the ice coming soon). I feel really lucky to have the opportunity to dive here as part of my research and I'm thankful for all of the support and encouragement from my advisor, teammates, friends, and family along the way. This truly feels is a dream come true!
The first dive was a check out dive to review emergency procedures and get a general orientation to diving under the ice, the second dive was to collect critters for the touch tank, and the third dive was my first time at collecting juvenile fish for our experiments. It was quite the challenge to net the fish wearing dry gloves, but I'm looking forward to improving my technique as time goes on. I don't feel that I have the words to truly describe what it is like under the ice. Diving through the hole is like teleporting yourself to another planet. At one moment you're sitting in a toasty dive hut, surrounded by teammates and laughter, and at the next moment you're plunged into a frigid, dark, quiet abyss. You're suddenly under an ice ceiling that is multiple feet think and you know that the only way to return back to the world you belong in is through the hole you plopped through. The ice ceiling is cracked at its edges, allowing light to illuminate like bright veins running through the ice. The vein-cracks are a reminder at how alive the ceiling is above you; that it is a dynamic part of the moving environment surround you. I'm already dreaming of the next dive. Pictures: Me (in blue) about to dive into the hole for the first time (left); Me and my first batch of juvenile fish caught under the ice (right) We have officially made it to Antarctica! Our flight got in late last night and we hit the ground running this morning unpacking equipment and setting up our CO2 system. We made a huge amount of progress which feels awesome! We should *hopefully* be able to turn it on tomorrow. It will take a few days after that once the CO2 levels stabilize in the tanks, which can be a challenging and stressful process due to the amount of delicate (and expensive) equipment involved. But, we are one step closer!
Now, it's time to settle in, unpack, and get a good night of sleep. Photos: Milica, Anne, Mandy, and Andrew about to board the flight (top left); the inside of the C-17 (top right); Milica in front of the C-17 after landing on the ice at night (bottom left); the experimental acclimation system being set up (bottom right). |
AuthorHey it's me, Mandy! I'd love to share my adventures, scientific (and other) thoughts with you here. Thanks for visiting! ArchivesCategories |