14 September, Arctic Ocean, N82.5 E05.1

Over the past week, it has become increasingly clear that we have entered the frozen season here in the north. There is no longer any open water between the ice floes; instead, a layer of newly formed ice has appeared. This can take many forms: sometimes it is plastic and bends with the waves without breaking, sometimes it is thin sheets that, when they collide, create a kind of zipper pattern. But sometimes it is just a gray layer of frozen slush. The polar bears we passed the other day can now walk from floe to floe without having to swim. They are excellent swimmers, of course, but the water is a bit cold!

The weather has been somewhat better, but we also feel the frozen season in the air temperatures, which dropped to -10°C on some days – and even lower when the fog and low clouds lift and the sun comes out. When it is foggy, which is quite often, it is a little milder than when the sun shines. But in the fog we also accumulate quite a lot of frost, both on the ship and on the instruments. We have continued with a few scientific stations to collect water, sea ice, and sediment, and to fly out with the helicopter to take samples. However, the main task this week has been to map the seafloor with sonar for the project Polar Connect, which aims to lay a fiber-optic cable across the Arctic Ocean.

The organized part of the Research School is now mostly completed. The last lectures were held last weekend, and this week we had the final group presentations. The students reported on a synthesis paper about the ecosystem in the central Arctic that they had read. They did a fantastic and thorough job, and it feels like we are all part of a collective learning process every time we sit down to discuss.

The students are now working on their individual reports, which they must submit for examination. On the events front, we held a talent show on Thursday – entirely voluntary, of course – with several performances of music and poetry: serious, thought-provoking, and fun in a delightful mix with friends. Everyone won first prize. On Saturday we had a farewell dinner. There is always one, and even though we don’t part ways until Friday, it is better to have it before we head out into open water, where Oden has a tendency to roll quite a bit. We also always dress up a little for the Saturday dinner to mark the passing of a week. This Saturday was extra special, with white tablecloths, speeches, and the awarding of expedition certificates.

Text by: Michael Tjernström, ECS Program Coordinator