We just reached the Arctic ice! I know my evidence for this is is not that impressive given it is like 1km away and is possibly just a 1m squared bit, but it counts. Later today we’ll be properly iced I think, so I expect to see infinite polar bears and narwhals, for sure.
Thought you’d maybe want a quick view of my daily science life aboard. I don’t want my copepods to warm up too much, so I work in the cold room. It’s 2°C in there, which is actually warmer than outside, but more stable. The sea surface around here is -0.65 °C but it gets a few degrees warmer as you go deeper because of the ocean circulation.
UPDATE
WE ARE PROPERLY IN THE ICE NOW THIS IS SO EXCITING AND MILDLY WORRYING AT THE SAME TIME.
The ice is so AMAZING. It’s apparently soft at the moment but getting harder towards tonight, so I’ll take this chance to give my love to all my family and friends. This ship is not an ice breaker, it’s only ice strengthened. And at the moment every small iceberg we hit I am almost totally sure it’s broken through the hull and we’re going to die. So in my opinion, we’re not going to live through tonight’s sampling. So worth it though. Death in the name of science.
P.s. Had devastating news today that the hash browns they have for breakfast are not vegan, hash brown free life is a dull morning prospect.
Marine Biologist Mayhem 