05.02.2013 (Tuesday). Still into the
ice. Foggy weather with very light snow falls in the morning. I have recovered
from the virus; I am still coughing, but less than two days ago. We got more
pelagic amphipods, as Vibilia antarctica, from the planktonologists. I also take a picture of a truly
beautiful planktonic worm (Tomopteris
carpenteri) taken in their plankton net. In the evening, the weather is
cloudy but dry. I go out for the first
time in four days. It is bitterly cold. The ice coverage is very important, the
ice mostly consisting of very wide flat and not especially thick ice sheets.
When the Polarstern goes through these icesheets, extensively long cracks
radiate from the point of penetration of the ship. Snow petrels are flying
above the ice behind the ship. I go astern to take pictures of them. These
beautiful birds are not easy to photograph as they fly fast and usually remain
at some distance of the ship. Moreover, as they are entirely snow white, their
mimetism with the ice is remarkable.
Cracks in the ice radiating from the ship.
Snow petrel.
Photographying small specimens.
The pelagic polychaete worm Tomopteris carpenteri (100 mm long).
The hyperiid amphipod Vibilia antarctica (10 mm long). The genus Vibilia can be easily recognizes by its short and very thick first antennae.
(Cédric)
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