28 January, 2000

Ahoy!

Greetings! I am back on board the L.M. Gould headed towards Punta Arenas, Chile. Palmer town folks crowded the front of station for heartfelt goodbyes. We exchanges pledges to look one another up if

we were, "ever in the neighborhood!" Until then, I will miss them. They were all wonderful contributors to a incredible experience.

Those of us leaving stood on the deck and waved as the line handlers released the last rope holding us to Palmer Station. As we steamed away, 3 fellows made the traditional jump in to the cold waters.

The day couldn't have been more beautiful. The sun was bright and warm , and the winds were calm. We recieved to a real treat as we took a path through Neumayer Stait. We were treated to a spectacular diplay of mountains covered with ice, enormous glaciers, and huge sculpted icebergs. Several of us huddled up in a zodiac that was

on deck and watched . After about 2 hours, the clouds rolled in and the weather changed. It became too cold to stay so we went inside.

Yesterday, I received my shrunk coffee cup. Megan Duffy, a recent graduate from Cornell University, and lab tech on the Gould, remembered to make me one. They lowered a zipped pouch full of 20oz size foam cups along with a the CTD rosette. The sampling depth for the CTD sampling is approximately 3200 meters, where the pressure is about 4000-5000psi. This is just an estimate, but it is nonetheless, it is a whole lot of pressure. It forces the air out of the foam

cups and a tiny version of the cup is what comes up. I got an extra one to put in the "ice chest."

I watched a couple of movies today. Actually, I slept through a couple of movies today . The medicine I am taking for sea sickness makes me very sleepy, so I not very productive.

Until tomorrow!

-Mimi