Blog post
First tests with SUIT ice net succesfull
Now the weather is still good, some devices are tested which will be used later during the WHISKY expedition to Antarctica.
Photo: The last preparations before SUIT goes into the water: Michiel and Fokje install the electronic measuring devices that are prepared by Carmen, followed by a camera crew.
Testing of the equipment
Weather conditions permitting, our days of sailing towards South Georgia are used for tests of the equipment, including the SUIT of the ICEFLUX team. The original plan was to do that today, the 23rd of August. But when weather forecasts indicated strongly increasing winds for today, at yesterday breakfast we were asked if we could be rescheduled to a day earlier. The planning of a ship in the unpredictable waters of the Southern Ocean must be flexible!
Check working procedures and materials
This journey has a strong SUIT team, that was ready for the job. So yesterday morning our (new) SUIT was put in the water to step by step test all details of the working procedures and materials. In spite of our complicated methods that ensure that the towing cable remains under the (here imaginary) sea ice, the whole test went smoothly. Many of the deck crew had no earlier experience with SUIT but rapidly and expertly picked up the necessary work. Compliments to the crew!
Followed by a film crew
Scientists on board are followed closely by the camera team that is documenting the research on this Polarstern voyage. If it had been possible, they would have crawled into our SUIT net. It will not be easy on this trip to take photograph without the big grey furry hamster of the microphone-rod somewhere in the picture!
Jan Andries van Franeker