Sailing the Southern Ocean – a scientific odyssey
Sailing the Southern Ocean – a scientific
odyssey
NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa sets off for a six-week voyage to Antarctica in February. Six of those aboard explain what they’re doing, what they’re worried about and the one thing they wouldn’t be without.
DAVE
BOWDEN
What’s your role?
I’m the
voyage leader, which is primarily a logistics and
co-ordination role. We have 10 research objectives on this
voyage and my job is to make sure they all achieve what they
need to and that there’s enough space and people on board
to make that happens.
What are the
challenges?
One of the biggest is allocating
enough time for each project to gather enough data to
achieve the research objectives. It’s a serious juggling
act which needs a very efficient crystal ball. We want to
squeeze in as much as possible but we know before we even
get to Antarctica that the weather, ice conditions and sea
state will be against us at some point.
How do you
overcome those challenges?
We make a best-case
scenario plan but know that at some point something will get
dropped because of the weather. We don’t factor in too
much contingency time but we are conservative with our
estimates on how long it takes to get to places or deploy
equipment.
What’s your biggest fear with the
voyage?
I don’t really have any apart from
general anxiety about doing the job well and leaving
something behind on shore that’s important to
us.
What will you take with you that isn’t
science related?
My guitar. I’m not a great
guitarist but I thoroughly enjoy it as a way to relax. You
can collapse to your cabin after a watch and sit there for
10-15 minutes and play a few things.
SADIE MILLS
What’s your role?
I am a
marine biology technician and NIWA’s Invertebrate
Collection manager so I am responsible for identifying
benthic animals on our deep-towed imaging system (DTIS)
camera, and leading the curation and preservation of any
marine invertebrates that are collected. I am also
responsible for chemical health and safety onboard, and
completing the biosecurity import documentation for all of
the samples we will be importing back into New
Zealand.
What are the challenges?
The
biggest challenge is making sure that all the samples we
want to import back into New Zealand are properly
documented, which means making sure all of our paperwork is
in order. Every seawater filter paper and every sea star or
crab that we collect must be properly accounted for before
inspection when we come back into port
How do you
overcome those challenges?
I make sure that all
of the scientists onboard give me their sample lists as soon
as we finish our work in the Ross Sea, and leave plenty of
time to double check all the numbers on our long sailing
back to New Zealand.
What’s your biggest or
concern with the voyage?
My biggest fear is
forgetting to pack something that I need to do the job. Once
the ship leaves the port we aren’t going to turn around
because someone forgot to pack a pair of scissors or their
toothbrush!
What will you take with you that
isn’t related to your job?
I will be taking
some wool, knitting needles and a crochet hook. A friend
gave me a book of patterns to make sea creatures out of wool
a few years ago and I have never mastered the art of making
them I would like to try and learn how to do that in my
down-time.
EVAN SOLLY
What’s your
role?
My role as Master of the Tangaroa is to
ensure the safety of the ship, her personnel onboard
including all voyagers, to protect the environment from the
ship and protect the company’s interest while maintaining
full compliance with the mandatory maritime regulations and
government legislation.
What are the
challenges?
Given the previous response, help to
ensure that the clients obtain a positive result in their
scientific endeavours onboard.
How do you
overcome those challenges?
By maintaining a
positive rapport with the clients, good communication with
respect for all involved and effective prior
preparation.
What’s your biggest concern
with the voyage?
The unforgiving nature of the
Antarctic environment and the remote location from
assistance.
What will you take with you that
isn’t related to your job?
Music and light
reading material.
MOIRA DECIMA
What’s your role?
I’m in charge
of the zooplankton sampling so that involves sampling for
biomass, composition, and using DNA methods to look at the
plankton food web. I’ll also be taking measurements to
look at the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the
ocean.
What are the
challenges?
Temperature will be a big challenge.
I’ve never worked in sub-zero temperatures before and
there are a lot of logistics you have to think about like
chemicals freezing, nets potentially freezing and breaking,
hosing down things and water freezing. Temperature also
affects movements – I’m told you’re much slower at
doing everything. Another challenge is being away at sea for
six weeks - it’s a long time.
How do you overcome those
challenges?
I’m anticipating there will be a
lot of different things I will have to adapt to. Though
I’m used to doing things in a certain way, if I see it’s
not working I’ll need to stop and reassess.
What’s your biggest concern with the
voyage?
Too much ice so we can’t get as close
as we need to be to be able to sample well within the Ross
Sea and the marine protected area. Also, I have a lot of
logistical things to do before we leave and I’m concerned
about getting those done in time.
What will
you take with you that isn’t related to your
job?
My journal – I write it whenever I feel
like it. There are times when it’s densely packed and
times when I don’t write so much. I don’t really
document, it’s more about how I feel, thoughts I might
have.
JENNY VISSER
What’s
your role?
I’m the voyage doctor, responsible
for the health of everyone while they’re on board.
Everyone needs medical clearance before leaving and the
chances of a serious emergency is remote. However, we have a
hospital on board and while I’ve been on these kinds of
voyages before, I’m busy reacquainting myself with
everything that’s there and working out what we
need.
What are the challenges?
I
suffer dreadful motion sickness for the first three days so
need a bit of time to acclimatise.
Medically, it’s
making sure you’re prepared. I make sure I have contact
details for specialists, including a dentist and ensuring
you have the essential bit of equipment to increase
someone’s survival if needed.
How do you
overcome those challenges?
These days it is far
easier to communicate with someone back in New Zealand.
It’s a little less remote than it used to be and we could
manage to send a photo or video to a specialist if we needed
to. Otherwise, you have to do the best you can with what
you have.
What’s your biggest concern with the
voyage?
The remoteness. No matter how much gear
you have, you can’t anticipate everything and I can’t do
it on my own. That’s why we use time on the way down to do
first aid training which is a good opportunity for the crew
to train using the equipment. We come up with scenarios and
practise those and I write protocols of what to do in
different situations. We get the chef to save some pigskin
and on the way back I hold a suturing workshop. That’s
always fun.
What will you take with you that
isn’t related to your job?
Lots and lots and
lots of books and my camera. Also I’ve got a year’s
worth of unsorted photos on my laptop that I hope to get
to.
MIKE HARVEY
What’s your
role?
I’m an atmospheric scientist leading a
team of four taking atmospheric observations investigating
the interactions between aerosols and cloud formation over
the Southern Ocean. I’ll be overseeing a range of
instruments and testing methods.
What are the
challenges?
It’s a pretty challenging
environment and I’m not anticipating that everything will
work. We are hoping to characterise cloud properties in that
region in situ. We have one or two bits of new kit, and some
new ideas so we have to do some extra planning for those. We
will also be flying a tethered helikite from the ship about
1000m up to measure aerosol profiles. This has only been
done once before.
How do you overcome those
challenges?
Part of the preparation is having
back-ups or alternatives for things if something fails or
doesn’t work so all is not lost. We also need to ensure
we have all the consumables we need, like helium and other
gases for our instruments.
What’s your biggest
fear with the voyage?
I don’t know if I really
have a fear – I try to have relatively modest objectives
although this time we’re trying a lot of new stuff. We
have to do it, that’s the game - so I guess I’m
concerned to make sure we have several ways of doing the
same thing.
What will you take with you that
isn’t science related?
My bird field guide.
I’m by no means an expert but I like observing them and
seeing if I can identify them. Also, they’ll be some books
and a bit of music in my luggage.