Sea ice geophysicist Melinda Webster is blogging from the RV Polarstern, an icebreaker ship locked in Arctic sea ice for the MOSAiC expedition. Webster will use MOSAiC data as a blueprint to evaluate and extend the seasonal capability of data from NASA’s ICESat-2 satellite for sea ice research.
June 9, 2020
On Monday June 8, we finally left Isfjorden for the Arctic ice pack.
Before that, leg 4 scientists and crew waited about 2-3 weeks aboard the Maria S. Merian and Sonne, which positioned themselves just outside of the mouth of Isfjorden (a fjord in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard). Why? Norway was closed due to COVID-19, and MOSAiC eliminated possible COVID-19 exposure to scientists and crew by keeping us on board. So, we became accustomed to the nice view of Isfjorden, had numerous science meetings, held indoor sports competitions, and took opportunities every day to look for whales passing by.
But why wait 2-3 weeks more after spending two weeks in quarantine on land? It turns out, the Polarstern was making slow progress through thick sea ice. While a thick, compacted sea-ice cover helps its odds for surviving the summer melt season, it’s difficult for icebreakers to navigate through, and sometimes requires backing and ramming to break through the most consolidated areas.
In the wee hours of June 4, we spotted the Polarstern on the horizon. All three ships traveled together into Isfjorden and Adventfjorden to begin cargo, fuel, and personnel operations that morning. Our “handover” would soon begin, which entailed leg 3 scientists sharing as much information as possible with us for locating gear, instrument repair, measurement preparations, data processing, decision-making, reporting, and general life on board. Outside of these technical details, it was simply a joyful time to be with our colleagues after they had spent about four months in the field. We brought them fresh fruit as a treat.
Friday and Saturday were moving days. The crews did a phenomenal job with the logistical operations. The Sonne, which had our atmospheric science team and many crew, saddled up alongside Polarstern to shift cargo, luggage, and personnel across via a gangway and cranes.
On Saturday, it was the Merian’s turn to go alongside Polarstern to carry out the same procedures with the remaining science teams, crew, and cargo. Going on board Polarstern felt immense. Even though it’s slightly larger than the Merian and Sonne, it feels enormous on the inside with passageways snaking through one another. There are numerous labs and containers, and multiple saloons and mess halls.
On Monday, we said bittersweet goodbyes. All three ships left the fjord together, with Maria S. Merianin the lead, followed by Sonne, and, bringing up the end, the Polarstern. Beyond Isfjorden, the ships signaled their horns as a final farewell to one another. The Polarstern steamed ahead while the Maria S. Merian and Sonne turned southward back to Bremerhaven. Although we left in partly sunny skies, the forecast for the evening predicted rough seas and strong winds for the following waypoints of all three ships.