22 October 2019 #MOSAiC Expedition Update

#MOSAiC Expedition Update 22 October 2019

Today we traveled far enough south to see the sun rise above the horizon! People poured out onto the deck after lunch and we were treated to a beautiful sunrise that lit up the clouds. As the sun rose a little higher, it illuminated salt spray from the large swells and reflected off the water. It was great and people were so happy! An hour or so later, the clouds obscured the sun and soon after it set. But we saw the sun!

We also saw a number of birds such as fulmars and gills flying around the ship. There were some small alcids (diving birds) as well. We don’t have a bird ID book onboard, but there is a basic half page picture ID guide attached to the IceWatch information. After consulting it, we think we are seeing either Razorbill Aukes or Brunniches Guillemots. Hopefully tomorrow we will get a better look at their bill and head shape.

It was lovely to see the sun and big waves. Fittingly, the Russian words of the day this evening were sontse or sun and volny or waves.

Bill Schmoker: "Northern fulmars employ stiff-winged dynamic soaring to cover a lot of territory without much muscular effort." Aboard the USCGC Healy in the southern Bering Sea. 58.40°N, 175.89°W. Photo by Bill Schmoker (PolarTREC 2015), Courtesy of ARCUS.