Mutual exchange of knowledge:
Today was a great day - we had visitors from the RRS James Clark Ross. It is a marine research vessel of the British Antarctic Survey. Several people from the vessel visited Palmer Station and many of us were invited onboard.
We learned about the different labs on their ship, some of the great science, and had a tour of the ship’s engine room. I was very impressed with the bathymetry research: the ship uses multiple beams to assess the structure of the ocean floor (see photo - obtained from the British Antarctic Survey website).
It was also great to see how the ship operates internally. The ship has stabilizers also, so it is not as much affected by wave action as our R/V Laurence Gould vessel (the ship we had arrived on).
A day like today was simply great because it is a learning experience for Palmerites (as we call ourselves) and for visitors. It is simply enriching for all. Our marine welcoming committee, consisting of crabeater seals on an ice floe right by our Pier, agreed:
