Status Report – 19 April 2002 (LMG02-03)

From LMG Chief Scientist, Jose Torres to NBP Chief Scientist, Peter Wiebe

Hi Peter,

Since I last updated you, we completed our work in the Crystal Sound area with a series of 2 MOC 1's and 2 MOC 10's in the Matha Strait area, which seems to have a persistent swarm of juvenile and adult krill. The seals are pretty dense up there, reflecting the high concentrations of satellite hits that Jenn and Dan received from their instrumented animals in late winter. Still a lot to eat up there, and a lot of seals to eat it. Jenn had a terrific 3 days up there, her team instrumented four seals and worked up five. We attempted to circumnavigate Laird Island during an acoustic survey of the Hanusse Bay but were unable to do so due to high ice concentrations, so we were unable to return to our hot spot to the south of Laird Island that had such high concentrations of krill last fall. The large "cup" that is formed by Cape Mascart and Shmidt Point is apparently a bottleneck for ice. Our original plan of working our way down Laubeuf from the north by running through Tickle Channel had to be abandoned and we ran around the outside of Adelaide instead. Yesterday we dropped off Chris Denker and Brett Pickering at Avian Island and found a lot of glacial rubble as well as some new pancake cementing it all together. The drop-off went well and from there we began an acoustic survey using the ADCP and HTI all the way up Laubeuf to Day Island which will conclude tonight at about 1700 or so. We are seeing newly forming ice here in addition to bergie bits and growlers. It is a very different situation from last year, when we saw little or no ice throughout this area. Overall everyone is doing well and our instruments are holding together.

Glad you all escaped the fire with a minimum of damage and no injuries and you are already up and running again. Our RPSC team and ship's crew here have been terrific as well. We will be hanging around Day Island tomorrow, and will be running for Rothera for the drop-off either late tomorrow or the next day.

Best to all, Jose