Blizzard!

The PAM detected dolphins and sperm whales at the shelf break as we came over the Grand Banks at night. The visual survey didn't produce much yesterday morning as we steamed over the banks (120m deep only) despite the excellent visibility. Three dolphins were spotted briefly but not identified to species level (most likely white-beaked given that the water is only 1C!).

There were many auks (razorbill, poss. Brunnich's guillemot, little auk), fulmar, kittiwake, glaucous gull, lesser black-backed gull and a single eider heading south.

'The Narrows', St. John's, Newfoundland.

Cetacean and Seabird Team on the quayside at snowy St. John's: (left to right) Conor Ryan, Emily Wilson (birdyologist), Alessandro Pierini.

We picked up our pilot at around 1500 and sailed through 'The Narrows' into St. John's in a blizzard. It is an amazing harbour, very sheltered and dotted with wooden houses on steep cliffs. We hit the town for a few drinks but it was very quiet following the heavy snow and considering it was a Sunday night. Just packing our gear now to leave the ship. I'll post some pictures of St. John's later. We are flying home and will return on the 3 March to carry out the return leg from St. John's to Cork... hopefully the weather gods will be kinder on the way home.

Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America. As seen from Signal Hill, St. John's.

Larophiles' Paradise

48N 47W, Air 1.5C, Sea 5C, wind 22 knots, depth 2000m.

Today started off with gales and a large swell but the conditions improved slowly as the day progressed. We are heading along north of the Grand Banks but are still off the shelf over the abyssal plain. The sea temperature plummeted from 13C to just 4 or 5C today as we went from the warm Gulf Stream to the Labrador Current.

Snow Clouds at Dusk

 There were no cetaceans seen but the seabird activity was much higher than previous days, particularly for gulls: Glaucous gull, kittiwake, herring gull, lesser black-backed gull . There were many auks too: razorbill (c.100), little auk (or 'dovekie' as they're known in Canada (c.50), puffin and possible guillemot.

Immature Glaucous Gull

The hydrophone has just been deployed, just in time for us to enter Canadian waters (in about 30nm or so) and for crossing the shelf-break tonight which will bring us up onto the famously productive Grand Banks. No acoustic detections so far but we are getting a good clean signal. Fingers crossed for some cetacean sightings tomorrow for our last day of the survey. Current ETA for St. John's is 1600 tomorrow.

Crew deploying the hydrophone on its 200m long cable. It is deployed from the beam to avoid the noise of the ship's wake.

Some of today's salty trivia from the bridge - A vessel is making way, but is not underway, how is this possible?!

Signs of Life!

Gales, Air temp 2C, Sea temp 13C, snow showers, position 400nm west of Newfoundland.

Despite being in the deepest water yet this trip (4500m) there were more signs of life today (Friday) than in days gone-by. We had a convoy of fulmars (even a dark phase, not quite 'blue' though) and kittiwakes following the ship. A few puffins were spotted battling the spin-drift also.Two cetacean sightings were made of 3 pilot whales and 8 common dolphins, none too particularly interested in bow-riding - hardly surprising given the unpredictable slamming of the bow. The swell has died a little bit now (although still above 4m) make life on board far more comfortable. We haven't been able to deploy the hydrophone or get to the crow's nest since the Irish EEZ four days ago. As we approach the Flemish Cap and the Canadian coast we are hopeful for some more settled conditions and some different, more cold-hardy fauna - little auks ("Dovekies") and some white-beaked dolphins perhaps.

Squalls and Gulls

49N, 35W. Wind 35kn, Air 11C, water 11C.

Force 9

After a sleepless night for many (except Emily who slept soundly!) given the high swell (average of 9m) and winds (gusts of 76knot, F12), a respite in the weather was a welcome sight this afternoon. The sea state improved although the swell stayed high. Myself, Emily and Alessandro carried out visual surveys for cetaceans and birds from the bridge. There was a pod of 12 pilot whales (including 2 calves) seen about 200m from the ship this morning, followed by many kittiwakes, a juvenile lesser-black backed gull and a juvenile glaucous gull. The glaucous gull provided some entertainment as it chose to land on the most exposed part of the deck...

A few puffins were also seen, donning their winter plumage, as if they'd been in a coal bunker: a sooty face and a dull beak, no comparison to their bold summer colours. Fulmars were more abundant today by comparison with previous days.

The temperature is fluctuating a lot going from 2C to 13C in only 3 hours with a snow shower this morning - a little taste of things to come I reckon. We are still in the influence of the North Atlantic Drift, but it will be interesting to see if the fauna changes as we enter the cold Labrador Current in the coming days. Now I'm  off to bed to cling on to the mattress for a few hours.

View from the bridge looking ahead!

Half-way

49N 31W, Wind 45kn (gusts 65kn), swell 8m. Sea 12C, air 7C, sleet and hail in squalls.

After a heavy pounding last night, there was no respite today but the ship is handling it well. Emily conducted bird surveys during daylight hours producing sightings of 3 (rather nervous-looking) puffins and about 50 kittiwakes. I carried out cetacean surveys all day from the bridge (on the off-chance we'd run over one... that's the only way you'd spot them in this weather). Apart from one phantom/imaginary fin, there were no sightings of cetaceans. We saw one lemonade bottle easting at about 12 knots and a spyhopping beach bucket (lesser-spotted). Thanks to Tayto and Bill Bailey for tonights entertainment. Pictures of weather to follow...

Mind the potholes

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650nm North of the Azores, 700nm west of Ireland, 1000 nm east of Newfoundland. Wind F8, gusting F10, swell 6-7m. Sea temperature 12.3C, Air, 7C.

Bow of Celtic Explorer hitting a trough

We awoke this morning to a similar sea to yesterday. The hydrophone wasn't put in the water given the rough conditions, however visual surveys for cetaceans and seabirds were carried out from the bridge. A single pod of 6 pilot whales was seen over a seamount. Kittiwakes and puffins were observed by Emily. While the conditions were not conducive to seawatching, the overall impression is that there is not much megafauna in this area. Some marks were seen at 150m on the EK60 and the plankton layer is extensive and can be seen undergoing the largest migration on earth (in terms of biomass) every day as darkness falls.

We are entering the Mid Atlantic Ridge area and spent the day crossing over steep-sided sea-mounts in the Faraday Fracture Zone. Hopefully we will pass the Faraday Sea Mount during daylight hours as we are keen to carry out observations as the sea floor jumps from 3000m to just 600m, forcing up-welling which gives a boost in productivity and hence in the abundance of predators such as birds and cetaceans.