Completely surrounded by the Southern Ocean, Antarctica doesn't exactly make it easy to visit. Really, it can only be accessed by means of air or water.
For scientists like us, whose study site is the water off the coast of Antarctica, naturally we will be using a boat as our means of transportation.
But not just any boat.
Crossing the notoriously rough seas of the Drake Passage and breaking through ice sheets can only be done successfully by a large, fully-equipped vessel such as the RV Laurence M. Gould!
This research vessel will not only be our means of transportation to and from Antarctica, but what our team of scientists will call home for four and half weeks.
The Gould is a 230 foot long icebreaker, capable of breaking through a foot of ice while in continuous forward motion. Used by researchers like us from the US National Science Foundation and operated by the Antarctic Support Contract, it can accommodate up to 37 research scientists at one time.
Along with sleeping quarters, a galley (kitchen), and a dining area, the Gould also has a conference room, library, lounge, exercise room, and hot tub.
Yes, a hot tub!
Completed in 1998, the Gould was named in honor of Laurence McKinley Gould, a geologist, educator, and polar explorer in the 1930s.
We can't wait to get aboard and see what excitement the Gould has in store for us as we study the ecology of the organisms living on the Antarctic seafloor! And we hope you are just as excited to follow along!
 |
| RV Laurence M. Gould in Antarctica |
 |
| Breaking through the ice! |
No comments:
Post a Comment