91B0FBB4-04A9-D5D7-16F0F3976AA697ED
C9A22247-E776-B892-2D807E7555171534
12/31/01  0300 hrs.
63 06 S
57 07 W
+1 C, 18 knot winds, -11 C wind chill
Spectacular full moon rise around 0130 this morning.

Happy New Year's Eve Day The Julian calendar on the ship shows it's day 365, the last day of 2001. When we come on watch tonight we will be filling in the day as 001 on all our paperwork.

After passing Deception Island on 12/28 we arrived at the mouth of Admiralty Bay on King George Island later that day. The next two days were spent working in the waters of Admiralty Bay.

The warmer and moister climate of King George Island, relative to the Antarctic Peninsula, results in greater sediment input into the ocean due to both increased melting of the glaciers during the summer season and runoff resulting directly from occasional rain storms. Visually the water has a pale green color caused by sunlight reflected off the suspended sediment. Stations were established in Admiralty Bay near the glacier fronts, on the flanks of the deep central channel and at the mouth of the bay. At all these stations water samples were collected at various depths using the CTDT rosette along with grab samples, triple cores and Kasten cores. These samples along with others collected in Lester Cove, and the outer reaches of Brialmont Cove will be used by Dr. Glenn Berger to test the usability of an age dating technique called InfraRed Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) to provide dates on the actual burial age of mineral grains incorporated in the marine sediments.

While working in Admiralty Bay a radio call from the Polish research station at Arctowski Base was received inviting us to come and visit. Around 3 in the afternoon zodiacs were lowered over the side for the short ride from the ship to the station.

Arctowski Base sits on a low, flat, snow free area between a glacier on one side and rugged snow covered peaks on the other. The majority of the work at the station revolves around penguin population dynamics, with the nearby penguin rookery the major study site. The rookery itself is a SSSI, Site of Special Scientific Interest, and is not open to anyone other than the researchers. The penguins pay little attention to the numerous signs posted and groups of 3 or 4 could be found all over the rocky beaches that surround the base much to the delight of all the camera-carrying visitors. Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie penguins could be seen.

Science and support staff at Arctowski routinely spend a year at the base and visitors are welcomed on a regular basis. The main building's interior is finished entirely in wood and decorated with photographs of past station members, scenes of the station at various times of the year and numerous photos, banners and memorabilia from past visiting groups made a lasting impression.  In the main dining/ social area we were warmly welcomed with baked cookies and cakes. Arctowski's greenhouses provide the station with fresh vegetables during the summer season. The Lonely Planet guidebook to Antarctica states that  Arctowski's hospitality is legendary, making it a prime stop for tour ships. In 1992-93, 33 tour ships stopped at Arctowski sometimes at a rate of three ships a day. With a history like this, our group of 20 or so must have seemed like family.

We presented the station's chief scientist with a few mementos from the ship, thanked the entire staff  for their hospitality and headed back to the Palmer. A few minutes later we were underway. As we sailed out of Admiralty Bay a tour ship passed us headed in toward Arctowski.

Currently we are headed south again, towards the Antarctic Sound and Erebus and Terror Gulf. Additional bottom mapping will define some interesting structures found earlier in the trip and coring operations will begin later this afternoon. The weather remains beautiful, clear sky and sunshine but the temperature has been dropping now -1C and a -14 C wind chill.

Thanks again to our hosts at Arctowski Base.

Cheers,

Dave



(Click image for larger version.) Photo caption: Arctowski Base on Point Thomas, King George Island. The bright yellow building just right of center is the main base building and contains sleeping quarters, dining/social area and via interconnected buildings research lab space. Out buildings hold equipment and other materials. A safety shelter a distance away provides emergency shelter and supplies in case a fire were to destroy the main buildings. Fire is the greatest concern at all Antarctic bases.


(Click image for larger version.) Photo caption: 1200 foot high mountains less than 2 miles away form a spectacular backdrop as a zodiac inflatable boat takes passengers towards Arctowski Base.


(Click image for larger version.) Photo caption:  An Adelie penguin hustles past a second Adelie and a Chinstrap penguin as it heads for it's nest in the penguin rookery on a hillside just south of  Arctowski Base. Nathaniel B. Palmer waits offshore for the shore party to return.

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