Report 116 -- Wednesday, 18 October, 2000

REPORT 116

DATE: Wednesday, 18 October, 2000

UNIVERSAL TIME: 0500

LOCAL (SHIP) TIME: 1300

AUSTRALIAN EASTERN STANDARD/SUMMER TIME: 1600

POSITION: -57 58.83 106 02.52

HEADING: 257

CURRENT SPEED (KNOTS): 7.2

DISTANCE TO NEXT W AYPOINT (NAUTICAL MILES): 873 to ice edge north of Davis

DISTANCE COVERED LAST 24 HOURS (NAUTICAL MILES): 230

WEATHER CONDITIONS: overcast with frequent snow showers, wind at 31 knots

AIR TEMPERATURE: -2.5 degrees C

SEA TEMPERATURE: 0.2 degrees C

SEA CONDITIONS: rough sea with a short swell

ICE CONDITIONS: nil

REMARKS:

Tracy Rogers et al spoke about the Leopard Seal Program in Tuesday's Talks. The seal team held a planning meeting for all involved with their program. Final of the Darts Doubles Championships held last night with some impressive playing including triple bullseyes!! Onboard observation programs continue. 

Regards

Suzanne and Gordon

Gordon and I had a long recording session with the NGS Television people this afternoon and will finish it tomorrow. So many shots from so many angles!!!! In today's session we talked about the Geobears project and the collaboration Gordon is having with Betty Trummel in the USA, It's so excting we might have a few seconds in the NGS production which will come out of this trip. The production is about Leopard Seals -their behaviours particularly underwater but the whole story includes the trip down and various events which occurred during it. The NGS producer has been particularly fascinated in my story -how I came to be out here, following in the footsteps of Brownie, the learning experience which is coming from this, the link between American and Australian interests in Antarctica and the bond of shared experiences between Gordon and Betty.

Gordon has just finished having one of his candlelight suppers with friends--does this mean anything to anyone out there?

Still no ice or icebergs - Gordon can't remember a trip to the continent when it has been this long without sight of the ice. Gordon says it must be close though, because he has seen some snow petrels and they tend to remain within the broad zone of sea ice. The feel of the seas and swell also suggest to Gordon that we have some influence from sea ice -which tends to dampen down the size of seas and swell.

Must go for now. Need our sleep, more time with the cameras in the morning followed  by a meeting in helicopter operations. Quiz night tomorrow. Preparations for arrival of King Neptune being brewed.