The day started with more training to go into the field; specifically training for the Dry Valleys. We learned about proper protocols to follow in case there was an accident, a spill of some kind, and / or an emergency. We reviewed which chemical spill pads could absorb which type of spill. I will tell you all about those differences from the field.
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There are constant reminders around town about the dangers of working and living in this area. This is Observation Hill ("Ob Hill") which is just beside town. The cross at the top (just to the right of the peak) was put up in 1913 to remember the men who perished on Robert Scott's expedition. |
The Diving Begins!
Steve and I chat a few things over before we jump in the hole.
Anyone want to jump in with me?? (The water is 28 degrees Fahrenheit!) |
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This is Steve silhouetted against the sea ice above us. The ice is about 15 feet thick in this particular spot. This was my Antarctic check-out dive. What a beautiful spot to be "tested"! The sea ice is simply incredible to look at - I'm sorry my little "point and shoot" camera just doesn't do it justice! (If you want to see some amazing, professional "under the ice" pictures; check out the work of Nobert Wu and Jim Mastro!)
At the end of the dive, I had to remove the regulator from my mouth and then put it back in and clear it. This is done as part of the test to show that we can perform this task in case we have to switch to our back up regulators. They deliberately wait until the end of the dive so we can prove we can do it even with numb lips. I have done this task thousands of times with no trouble. Steve warned me prior to the dive that it would be harder here than I expected. He was right!!! I really had a hard time getting that regulator back in my mouth! My lips were numb, my jaw was cold and didn't want to open! But, the desire to breath won out and I jammed it back in and cleared! Air is a very good thing! |
This is the dive line coming down from the hole. We are in about 98 feet of water.
(It doesn't look that deep does it? Distances and depths are VERY deceiving!) |
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Check out these sea stars! How many different kinds can you see? The arms of the brownish yellow one are about the same length as from my elbow to the tips of my fingers! It's HUGE! |
| These sponges stood about a foot tall! |
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This is one of the "thickest" sea stars I have ever seen! |
Check out the yellow sponge. Also notice the sea spider in the bottom left corner. This spider is about 8 inches across from "tip to tip"! As big as this one seems, I have seen much bigger. Some of the big ones are up to 1.6 feet from tip to tip! Sea spiders are Arthropods; they are related to both horseshoe crabs and terrestrial arachnids. They eat soft corals, hydroids, and medusae. They are quite prehistoric looking. I will try to get a better photo of one tomorrow.
You can also clearly see the medreporite on the purple sea star (the whitish circle just left of the center). This is the water "intake" seive which draws water into the sea spider to help it walk. The water goes in through the madreporite, then into a ring canal, then through the radial canals out to each arm and finally into the ampulla. The ampulla are quite similar to eye droppers. When muscles squeeze the ampulla, water gets pushed into the the tube foot, causing it to extend out the bottom of the arm, and the sea star marches on! |
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Antarctica 2006 
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