Land!
After being cleared for customs, the science groups were allowed off the ship late last night.
Antarctic-2009-shiplife
Pilot boats
A pilot boat approached the ship in the afternoon and transferred a pilot from the small vessel onto the ship.
Portable laboratories
When it was built in 1992, the Nathaniel B. Palmer was designed to accommodate a wide range of scientific research.
Stability
As we cross through the roughest water yet on the cruise, science groups made sure to prepare equipment and themselves for the stormy Drake Passage.
Engine room procedures
The engine room, located below the main deck and below the water line, houses the engines, generators, freshwater distillers, wastewater processing, and other essential ship machinery.
Inner workings
Four 3,000-hp diesel engines power the 93.9-meter-long ship. The Palmer typically runs on two engines in open water, though some activities, such as breaking heavy ice or maneuvering into port, require more or less engine output.
Drinking water
As part of being self-contained, the Palmer generates its own fresh drinking water from seawater.
Wastewater and plumbing
Our first introduction to the wastewater system on the Palmer was the extremely loud flush of the ship’s toilets.
Rushing to be ready for the cruise
Visiting Antarctic waters is a rare opportunity; for weeks in advance, the science team prepared for the upcoming two-month hiatus from ordinary life in various ways.
Preserving perishables
When the cruise began, each meal included a salad bar stocked with fresh pineapple, carrots, mango, avocado, melon slices, radishes, and a variety of greens.
Life in the Southern Ocean
Today we moved into an area that is rich with icebergs and rich with life.
What does it take to be an icebreaker?
This photo, taken while the Palmer was in dry dock, shows the ship’s massive propellers and rudders, which are protected from backing into ice by an ice knife above.
Support staff
Land-based involvement in this cruise has been invaluable, but this post will focus on those who are on the cruise with us. The onboard support staff from RPSC accommodate the science that needs to be done while considering the realities of being at sea.
Multiple hats
The number of science crew the Palmer can accommodate is fewer than the number of positions available for the science teams. Some people wear multiple hats, participating with multiple science groups or lending a hand where needed.
Bringing a little bit of home
Forty days is a long time to be away from home; people onboard had to leave husbands, wives, children, and friends behind. We have been at sea for 26 days now, but many people are still comforted by mementos from home.
Venturing outdoors
Preparing to go outside of the ship’s heated interior takes a considerable amount of time. Most indoor areas are heated to 20ºC or higher, while outside temperatures are typically around 0ºC.
Long workdays and long vacations
Support staff from Raytheon Polar Services Corporation (RPSC) help scientists with the ship’s logistics, science equipment, chemicals, labs, computers, and electronics.
Planning the science
Ben Twining and Maria Vernet study data plots to plan their sampling schedules.
A hundred photos during a flicker of sunlight
This afternoon was full of photo opportunities as the Palmer steamed through a strip of ocean called “iceberg alley” for its multitude of icebergs.
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About MBARI
Research programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) encompass the entire ocean, from the surface waters to the deep seafloor, and from the coastal zone to the open sea. The need to understand the ocean in all its complexity and variability drives MBARI's research and development efforts.