Rare expedition in Covid times
Niwa’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa is set to embark on a six-week voyage to Antarctic waters.
It will be one of the few scientific expeditions allowed to the continent since the global outbreak of Covid-19.
The ship was scheduled to leave Wellington on Friday afternoon, but due to last minute certification issues will now launch today at the earliest.
Voyage leader and fisheries scientist Dr Richard O’Driscoll said the voyage would be studying the effectiveness of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area, established in 2017.
‘‘This year we are focused on understanding the key processes that drive the environment and oceanography of the region and assessing the potential impacts of climate change,’’ he said
On board is a team of 40, including 20 science staff, 18 crew, one doctor, and one ice pilot.
The whole crew felt ‘‘incredibly lucky’’, O’Driscoll said, to be setting off considering Covid-19 was stalling expeditions around the world.
All onboard were tested for coronavirus ahead of departure, and an on-board quick testing machine would be used if anyone displayed symptoms.
The crew would be in their ‘‘own little bubble’’, the only potential risk being if they needed to perform a rescue and invite the crew of another ship on board, resulting in an otherwise unnecessary twoweek quarantine on their return to New Zealand.
Scientists would study everything from phytoplankton – microscopic marine algae – to water chemistry and oceanography, sampling fish, and listening for whales.
Niwa principal scientist Dr Matt Pinkerton leads a five-year project called RossRAMP, funded by MBIE, studying the effectiveness of the protected area.
The Antarctic Science Platform is also funding part of the voyage and will look at physical oceanography and phytoplankton, including how iron is used by plankton. The machine for this research was made entirely from plastic to avoid metallic contamination.
Weather and sea ice permitting, Tangaroa will retrieve and redeploy several moorings, which have been in place for two years, and will continue collecting data even when the sea ices over.
Among these were three acoustic sensors recording the sounds of sperm whales. Historically common in the Ross Sea, the aim is to find out more about their recent scarcity in the area.
Specialised ice pilot Evan Solly will be on board to guide Tangaroa through the sea ice, which changes daily. Some of the worst conditions he’d experienced were off Cape Adare; 15-metre swells and wind speeds up to 100 knots.
This would be the 14th Antarctic voyage for Tangaroa, and O’Driscoll’s fourth. ‘‘We are not always close to the coast so scientifically it will be interesting as well as providing for great views.’’
The voyage was originally intended to be an international collaboration. In the absence of scientists from overseas, New Zealand students and scientists were given the opportunity to take part.
For some, it is not just their first trip to Antarctica, but their first time on a sea voyage.
Communicating with family and friends will be done by satellite phone, and the internet connection has improved a lot since O’Driscoll first went down there in 2005.
The boat is loaded with equipment and supplies for six weeks. ‘‘There’s no corner dairy down there.’’