Aug. 18, 2016
The past few days I have had many firsts: first day in the Arctic, first time on an oceanographic research cruise and my first time deploying several instruments to measure the Arctic Ocean’s properties and currents.
I arrived in Cambridge Bay on Aug. 15, 2016. While waiting for the Martin Bergmann to return to shore, I curiously wandered through the town. Cambridge Bay has unique beauty: it has no trees only shrubs, rock and vast expanses of rolling hills. In town, I learned about Inuit culture at Arctic Visitor Center. I went to the old stone church which is the last remaining structure of the old town. I also saw the Maud’s shipwreck, which only recently had been partially lifted out of the sea; it was a fascinating sight. Above all I met many interesting people, both local and some sailors passing through the Northwest Passage.
The Martin Bergmann arrived back in Cambridge Bay late on Aug. 16. The next day we resupplied the ship for its necessities and I jumped on board eager to learn about the Arctic Ocean. We set sail on the morning of Aug. 18 heading towards Hat Island in Queen Maud Gulf. The trip to Hat Island was approximately 24 hours, during which I learned how to deploy a UCTD and drifters. UCTD stands for underway conductivity temperature and depth. Drifters follow the currents while transmitting its position. We also deployed a chain primarily containing instruments that measure fluorescence and temperature every 5 meters to get a profile of these variables with depth. All the while ADCP’s have been recording the currents around us. I am also using 4Deep’s submersible digital in-line holographic microscope in order to image microorganisms in the ocean. We also deployed a Rosette/CTD, a bottom grab, a bottom camera, a ring net and more… I am incredibly excited to keep learning more about the equipment and the data we are collecting!
Lina Rotermund
Kitikmeot Sea Science Study (K3S) / Kitikmeoni Imakmiut Ilihauyuhiit 