Antarctica 2003 expedition left Syracuse N.Y. in a snowstorm on March 9 to begin the long flight to the tip of South America where we would board the RSV (Research Supply Vessel) Laurence M. Gould for transport to Antarctica. Flying from Syracuse to Atlanta then overnight from Atlanta to Santiago, Chile. Clearing customs in Santiago we boarded our LAN Chile flight to Punta Arenas with a stop in Puerto Montt. We left Syracuse at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 9 and arrived at our hotel in Punta Arenas around 3 p.m. on March 10.
After showers and naps we set out to explore the town of Punta Arenas and pay a visit to the ship that would be our home for the next three weeks. It is late summer/early fall in Punta Arenas. The leaves are still green on the trees, cool nights and warm days.
On Tuesday, March 11 we arrived early at the ship to begin unloading and setting up the equipment we would be using. All equipment needs to be secured to the lab tables prior to sailing so nothing is damaged during the crossing of the Drake Passage. As we were setting up our equipment, other scientific equipment on the ship was being tested and it was discovered that one of the critical items of the ship's scientific equipment was malfunctioning and would be unusable during the cruise. Unfortunately, this problem made it impossible for Hamilton College Professor of Geology Eugene Domack to collect long cores of the ocean floor sediments. After much discussion it was decided that Dr. Domack, Emily Bachman (both of Hamilton College), Sean Silva, from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and I (Dave Tewksbury) would return to the U.S. Sarah Doane of Hamilton, Emily Constantine and Assistant Professor of Geology Amy Leventer, both from Colgate, remained on the ship to complete different sample collection with equipment that was not affected. The chief scientist for the expedition is Desert Research Insititute Professor Glenn Berger, whose work was also not affected by the equipment malfunction.
Sara Draucker, Sarah Doane and Emily Constatine will be providing Web updates and images during the cruise.
On Wednesday, March 12 the RSV Gould headed south leaving the main pier at Punta Arenas around 10:30 a.m. We wish them smooth sailing and calm seas as they head south.
Dave Tewksbury
Image captions.
The spectacular strato volcano outside the town of Puerto Montt at the northern edge of Chile's Patagonia region.
Breaks in the clouds allowed spectacular views of the rugged Patagonian mountains and icefields as we continued south from Puerto Montt towards Punta Arenas.
The colorful outskirts of Punta Arenas as seen from the main pier. Note the ski area on the hill slopes outside of town. Green leaves still cover the trees in this late summer/early fall view. Temperature around 60 degrees.
Colorful fishing vessels line the pier in Punta Arenas.
The RSV Gould prepares to cast off lines and to leave Punta Arenas for her voyage south.
