Scenic sampling!

Today we sampled the waters close to the western Antarctic Peninsula. We did not find much phytoplankton, but it sure was pretty! And we saw a school of penguins porpoising around, my first of this cruise.

Later in the evening some lucky researchers took the zodiac out to get some samples of sea ice, sea ice algae, and krill that is eating the sea ice algae. This was one of the most beautiful days I have ever experienced in Antarctica! We are so lucky to be able to work in this amazing place! Right now, the moon is shining over the pancake ice that moves in a huge swell that comes all the way from the Drake Passage to here. It is almost too beautiful to go to sleep, but in seven hours my alarm will sound for some more sampling. Probably not as scenic as today, but we’ll take it anyway!