Page 5 - Eureka 2011

JEREMY POWELL MICHEL DESJARDINS LOGAN SEAMAN Cover story

Day 09 - Tuesday, February 22 Day 13 - Saturday, February 26
Andrew Macumber: As the day nears Thomas Cullen: It has been an
its end, I find myself sharing jokes with interesting couple of days. We said
team members out on the bow of the farewell to Antarctica and set course for
ship. The cold wind keeps us moving, Tierra del Fuego. The weather reports
but the scenery keeps us outside until were not particularly favourable, with
the sun goes down. A humpback whale talk of a storm in the Drake Passage.
mother and her calf swim by the ship. The On our return trip through the Drake,
moon hangs low in the sky over glacier- the seas were angry. We were sailing
covered mountains. There is nothing into a storm, and eventually the Captain
like this land. And with the second last ordered our course diverted to the east
day coming to an end, the boundless in order to avoid the brunt of the waves.
joy for the next day takes on a sort of Even with that, we were hit with winds
melancholic feel. None of us will want to sustained at 50 knots (gusting to 70) and
leave. But there is still one more day, and waves over 8 m high. From the bridge,
we’ll all make the most of it. one could see the waves crashing over
the bow, and from the lounge (in the aft
Day 10 - Wednesday, February 23 section), people and furniture were falling
left and right. It was certainly exciting,
Logan Seaman: It was our last day in
Antarctica, and it was jam-packed. We and shows the price nature requires of
started with a 6 a.m. landing at Deception those visiting the southern polar regions.
Island, which is an active volcano that Day 14 - Sunday, February 27
buried the most active whale station in
the Antarctic 40 years ago. Only the tops After a wonderful evening of food, music
of the buildings and oil tanks are visible and celebration at Kuar last night, the
above the ash. It was eerie cruising students and staff are all saying goodbye
through the fog looking at the ruins this morning. Many of the participants
and thinking about how busy the port are beginning their journey home today.
once was. After lunch we were ready for
our swim in the Southern Ocean, which
would have been awesome because of Update: Professor Schröder-Adams has
the geothermic hot pools you could dig just announced that due to the success
in the sand. Unfortunately the tide was of the 2011 expedition, she will be
especially high, so there were no hot leading, in collaboration with Students
pools. Because we had already swim- on Ice, another field course to the
suited up we were not about to back Antarctic in February 2013.
down, and dove into the 2 degrees Celsius
water anyway.
Day 11 - Thursday, February 24

We have officially left Antarctic waters
and are on our way home! Students are
staying strong through some sea sickness
and there has been great attendance at
meals and workshops.

Day 12 - Friday, February 25
The seas have calmed significantly since
last night and students and staff are
making the most of their day! Today,
course work is wrapping up and
students are challenged to think about
how they might begin to share their
incredible experiences with their home
communities. The day will close with a
celebration here on the ship!

EUREKA 5