Into the sea ice Matthew Humphreys, January 18, 2013
I am working as part of the carbonate chemistry team on this cruise, and Eithne talked on this blog about our scientific role a few days ago.
The RRS James Clark Ross is an ice-strengthened ship, so she can cut a path through the floating sea ice found in many parts of the Southern Ocean. I( and all but the heaviest sleepers) found out that we had entered sea ice for the first time on this cruise, late last night. When the pointed end of an advancing 100-metre-long steel ship makes contact with the edge of a metre-thick layer of ice, and proceeds to break it up and run right over it, the rattling vibrations and loud banging of ice on the hull can be felt and heard from everywhere. It’ s a pretty noisy environment to sleep in at the best of times, but this really is something special. Nevertheless, I expect that it’ s probably still better to be on the ship rather than the ice when this happens.
Scientists at the front of the ship looking out at the next wall of sea ice @ Matthew Humphreys
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