Monday 18 February 2008 à 13:40
The log ends but the adventure continues!
Nadia Améziane
Nearly everyone on the missions has returned. Still this site will not stop.
Sunday 17 February 2008 à 13:36
Arrived in safe harbor!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
Land is in sight! The pilot boards the ship at 8 o’clock. We arrive on time, such punctuality! We are happy. At last, we can telephone our families after so long an absence.
Saturday 16 February 2008 à 13:35
Last hours at sea!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
We are all very excited today! Tension rules the ship. We should arrive in Hobart tomorrow morning at 8h.
Saturday 16 February 2008 à 12:02
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 46° 47.4 S
- Longitude : 147° 01.53 E
Heading : 006
Current speed : 15.6 knots
Friday 15 February 2008 à 16:11
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 51° 38.5 S
- Longitude : 146° 02.3 E
Heading : 006
Current speed : 15 knots
Friday 15 February 2008 à 14:47
A veritable floating laboratory!
Philippe Koubbi. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(written with Patrice Pruvost)
As you know from preceding dispatches, the Umitaka Maru is a veritable floating laboratory. At each station, all the scientists on board wait impatiently for the samples to get at the materiel needed for their research.
Friday 15 February 2008 à 12:01
One last visit with the Umitaka Maru!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
We have good weather today. It is almost warm, with a temperature near 7°C. It is really nice to be able to open the portholes and let in fresh air. The end of the crossing will come soon.
Thursday 14 February 2008 à 12:12
Watch out for swells!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
The day is calm. We are now well into the Southern Ocean. We are moving at 15 knots. Starting in the middle of the night, the sea was hitting us abeam. The waves hitting the side of the ship made us roll from one side to the other.
Thursday 14 February 2008 à 10:59
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 57° 13.7 S
- Longitude : 144° 54.6 E
Heading : 006
Current speed : 14 knots
Wednesday 13 February 2008 à 12:08
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
The "Fish Team" of the Umitaka Maru wishes you a happy Valentine’s Day. We are delighted at the idea of soon being back with our families after six weeks of being so far away from them. Despite the superb places we have enjoyed during our campaigns, we remember that our families are taking care of daily life at home.
Wednesday 13 February 2008 à 10:46
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 62° 47.3 S
- Longitude : 143° 35.15 E
Heading : 006
Current speed : 15 knots
Tuesday 12 February 2008 à 11:46
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 65° 30.2 S
- Longitude : 143° 01.5 E
Heading : on station
Current speed : on station
Tuesday 12 February 2008 à 11:10
Return to deep water!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
There is no doubt! This time we have crossed the hydrological front that separates the waters of the continental plateau from those of the open sea. Albatrosses fly around the ship. Some species among them nest on the subAntarctic islands.
Monday 11 February 2008 à 15:43
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 66° 00.1 S
- Longitude :142° 57.3 E
Heading : on station
Current speed : on station
Monday 11 February 2008 à 10:51
Last sunset in Antarctica!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
Today is our next-to-last day of work. Tomorrow we will resume the trip north. Today has been calm but really laborious.
Sunday 10 February 2008 à 13:09
Cultural Exchange!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
Today is Sunday. No fish, no larvae, no fish eggs for breakfast but two pieces of toast, cheese and bacon!
Saturday 9 February 2008 à 15:40
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 66° 48.6 S
- Longitude :144° 31.4 E
Heading : 135
Current speed : 10 knots
Saturday 9 February 2008 à 13:06
First pancakes !
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
We arrive at the furthest south position of the trip. We are near Mertz glacier, which must measure nearly 200 km long. Every year, huge blocks of ice detach from it forming icebergs that drift off.
Saturday 9 February 2008 à 13:00
How to survive in cold water
Philippe Koubbi. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(Written By Eric Tavernier)
The polar regions are marked by strong seasonal variability: summer is short, with a lot of light, warming surface waters and massive primary production (phytoplankton); winter is characterized by months-long darkness and little food.
Friday 8 February 2008 à 12:54
The Krill
Philippe Koubbi. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(By Graham Hosie of the Australian Antarctic Division, CEAMARC program leader)
This group is common in all marine systems. There are five abundant species in Antarctic and Southern Ocean waters.
Friday 8 February 2008 à 12:47
The water freezes!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
The cold has settled in now. Last night it was -10°C. This morning, the temperature fell 4° from the night before. We are all cold.
Friday 8 February 2008 à 11:17
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 66° 17.4 S
- Longitude :142° 43.2 E
Heading : on station
Current speed : on station
Thursday 7 February 2008 à 12:41
Eclipse of the sun!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
The good weather has been with us since yesterday. We thoroughly enjoy the magnificent spectacle offered us by the Antarctic continent with its immaculate white ice cap and floating icebergs.
Thursday 7 February 2008 à 12:37
Antarctic herring!
Philippe Koubbi. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(Written with Patrice Pruvost)
The larval phase of teleost fish is a development stage of prime importance for populations because of its sensitivity to environmental changes such as climate or food fluctuations on which their survival depends.
Thursday 7 February 2008 à 11:28
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 66° 23.9 S
- Longitude :140° 43.5 E
Current speed : 10 knots
Heading : 090
Wednesday 6 February 2008 à 15:22
Let the sun shine!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
We have spent an extra day at anchor to do the calibrations we were not able to do before because of the bad weather that raged yesterday and last night.
Wednesday 6 February 2008 à 14:31
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 66° 39.2 S
- Longitude :140° 00.8 E
At anchor one mile north of Dumont d`Urville
Heading : at Anchor
Current speed : at Anchor (knots)
Tuesday 5 February 2008 à 14:12
Moments of anguish!
Philippe Koubbi. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(Excerpt from the log of Jean-Henri Hecq)
09h30. We are approaching the DDU base. There is excitement on board! They have unrolled the red carpet at the entrance to ship. The cadets come ask us how to pronounce "bonjour," "bienvenue á bord," "bonjour mademoiselle," "enchanté de vous recevoir" in order to greet the French on the Umitaka Maru. We sail at 2 knots in the icebergs. The maneuver is dangerous with the stormy sea, violent wind and snow and visibility of scarcely 200m.
Tuesday 5 February 2008 à 14:06
On land!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
We are delighted to be able to get off the ship for a few hours at the Dumont D'Urville (DDU) base. We are taking advantage of a stop to calibrate an experimental echosounder.
Tuesday 5 February 2008 à 13:54
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : -66° 39.0 S
- Longitude : 139° 59.3 E
At anchor one mile north of Dumont d`Urville
Heading : at Anchor
Current speed : at Anchor (knots)
Monday 4 February 2008 à 14:00
Foul weather for working!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
When my watch begins, at four o’clock in the morning, I am stunned to find the deck covered with snow. The wind rose during the night. Now the wind speed is greater than 30 knots. We have the impression that it is going to grow stronger still.
Monday 4 February 2008 à 12:27
A visit to the microscopic world!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(written by Jean-Henri Hecq)
Hello. I am Jean-Henri Hecq. I am a specialist in zooplankton, particularly that of the Mediterranean (in Corsica) and the Antarctic. I am carrying out my research at the University of Liège in Belgium.
Monday 4 February 2008 à 11:15
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 65° 59.2 S
- Longitude :139° 39.1 E
Heading : on station
Current speed : on station
Sunday 3 February 2008 à 17:49
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude : - 65° 28.9 S
- Longitude :139° 51.7 E
Heading : on station
Current speed : on station
Sunday 3 February 2008 à 12:11
A moment of celebration!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
Our Sunday ritual is now a moment of celebration!
We have a western breakfast with fruit juice, bread, cheese, bacon and above all coffee! We are beginning to miss the coffee a bit, especially me since I am not really good with green tea!
Saturday 2 February 2008 à 12:04
First iceberg!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
Today, we see our first iceberg!
Saturday 2 February 2008 à 10:24
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the ice breaker:
- Latitude : -64° 59.9 S
- Longitude : 140° 00.1 E
Heading : on Station
Current speed : on Station kts (knots)
Friday 1 February 2008 à 14:50
Superb, enigmatic signs!
Patrice Pruvost. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
We are in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of nowhere! We have been surrounded by ocean for several days now! Still, each day on the ship seems very different from the one before. Certainly this feeling comes from the changes in light, in weather and in the sea.
Friday 1 February 2008 à 13:54
Did you say “mesopelagic”?
Philippe Koubbi. Correspondent aboard the Umitaka Maru
(written with Patrice Pruvost)
Understanding the role of mesopelagic and bathypelagic species in the Southern Ocean is vital to understanding the transfer of organic material from the surface to the depths of the ocean.
Friday 1 February 2008 à 10:18
Data for the Umitaka Maru
Graham Hosie (CEAMARC Leader) and Takashi Ishimaru (Voyage Leader)
Position of the icebreaker :
- Latitude :-64° 01.6 S
- Longitude : 140° 01.0 E
Current speed : on Station knots
