The Finer Things

When looking closely one can see all sorts of interesting interactions. We got to dive at a site that I have not been at for many years. Pearse's Casing (named after John Pearse -who was an early invertebrate ecologist here) used to have a large structure on the seafloor, but alas it has collapsed over the years. However, there is still exciting things to see there. For example, the gooseneck barnacles that are hitching a ride on a seaspider (as shown above). You can see the Cirri (legs used for filter feeding) coming out of a couple of their bodies. Always strange to think that barnacles are crustaceans, not something else.

While I often think of Antarctica as an Echinoderm dominated place, there really are a whole lot of molluscs as well. Like the snail above.

Or this snail, wandering through a field of cnidarians (octocorals) as well as lots of diatoms and hydroids.

But most people's favorite snail form, are nudibranchs are there are numerous cool looking ones here.

I think this one, with the frosted tips, is probably my favorite. So when looking at the small scale, lots of fine scale detail to be lost in, even in a landscape of amazing visibility and ice.

Plume Incoming and a landmark dive.

Every year the dive season starts as soon as we can get here after winter, until a large plankton bloom gets swept under the ice and the visibility drops to the point where we have to stop diving. This always happens around Dec. 10 - but this year it came early.

We thankfully got a brief reprieve from the plankton but the visibility dropped from 100s of feet to much less than that overnight (like the photo above - still good vis but not AMAZING). This does impact our diving and each day we evaluate the situation to make sure we can continue to work.

In some ways it is actually kinda nice - more green hues instead of blue. But it is more ominous than anything else. Always the way things change are a surprise and we did not expect this.

Still - there is soo much pretty stuff to see underwater. Even when it is green instead of blue. For example this Dragon Fish - just hanging out on the ice on the seafloor.

While the point of this dive was Science (as always) it also happened to be Steve Rupp's (dive supervisor) 1500th dive under the ice. All in the name of supporting science for decades.

Thanks Steve! Looking forward to more in the future!

Sharing the science with the North

While with limited internet, our priority as scientists is not only to gather knowledge but share it with the world for our science to lead to action and conservation. From the most curious 10 year olds to international policy fellows, our team hosts Ice to Shore connections where we connect live from Antarctica to share the newest discoveries with everyone!

From its unique political landscape where 58 countries came together to declare Antarctica a place for only peace and science, to a continent where its surrounding oceanic current connects with all of the world's oceans: Even in the most remote place in the world, Antarctica unites us all.

Are you and your group interested in learning about our science live from Antarctica? Contact us to collaborate in the future!