Mindset Adventures With Saz

We have set sail! It's great to be back on the JCR. Over the last two years I have met most of the crew during Rothera reliefs where they delivered our freshies and cargo, I also more recently saw them in Monte Video. Between that and knowing a few of the scientists from working with them at Rothera I have already fully settled in and am getting at great vibe about this cruise!! I am one of the only scientists that is using the water pump system to do a few filtrations on the way up to Tromso. After Tromso we pick up the rest of the scientists and start our sampling regime up through the Barents Sea. Communications  are going to be very limited at most of the stations in the Arctic so sorry if I am not able to do many updates but here is a link to the communications officer that has secret ways to keep his website up to date, he posts almost every day! http://www.gm0hcq.com/jcr_update.htm One of the great scientists Dr Sian Henley who is not only a colleague ...

Tomorrow I board the British Antarctic Survey's Royal Research Vessel the James Clark Ross at Southampton where we will set sail for the Barents Sea up into the Arctic circle. I really can't believe I've got this job and now that I've had a break even if short and sweet I feel ready for the next adventure. Hopefully I will see a polar bear... The research that I will be involved with is very interesting, I am employed by The Scottish Marine association  (SAMS) as an Arctic Technician. I will be assisting on the DIAPOD research project, the link to this is on my previous blog post if you would like more information. I will hopefully have good enough Internet to keep up my blog as since I've been home I've met so many of you lovely people that keep up to date with my blog and I had some lovely feedback for which I am grateful as it kept me sane (kind of) during my 18 months down south. My next blog will be from the ship! Eek.

What an incredible 18 months. I can't believe I am home. I am very happy to see my family and excited to catch up with everyone! Yesterday I attempted to park my car, as soon as I pulled into the space my brother Dan was like ohhh no you've messed it up already, he couldn't be more accurate as it took me about 5 minutes to try and park the car blocking the Usk carpark...my brother almost walked off it was so embarrassing...I won't even talk about what happened in the shop after that! I have had such an incredible experience. I have learnt so much from climbing to diving to cooking, medical training, fire training, supervising, dive coxing - thank you to everyone who has taught and mentored me along the way! Made some amazing friends and shared some incredible experiences that will stay with me in memories and the thousands of photos that I have finally sorted through! Being home I am already sneezing from my cat and the lush green grass. I have been astounded...

  On every ship that crosses the line (the equator), there is an initiation for a sailor's first time crossing the line. It was though that this tradition may have originated to boost  morale, or have been created as a test that sailors capable of handling long rough times at sea.         What actually happened was that we had a massive water fight and had to run and hide from the ships crew, when we were captured and our charges read out.   We all prepared for the battle.     My charge was,  ''The accused is charged with having an outrageously noisy laugh- akin to a herd of braying animals or a donkey in distress! Laughter is supposed to be seen as music to the ears. The prosecution therefore seeks a court injunction of the accused to desist from the following forms of laughing; guffawing; snorting; sniggering; chortling; cackling and tittering, so that the Ship's company of his majest...

So my time in Monte Video was great, except I did forget to mention that I got a sickness bug, mild food poisoning and I spent a lot of money! So when we left Monte it was great to get back to the sea...except for the first 2 days there was a storm which made me seasick, now I am fully used to the RRS Shackelton's corkscrewing motion!  The first day back to sea we left the RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) in Monte Video, the JCR was moored alongside us as BAS were interviewing for the new ship whilst most of the crews were changing over in Monte, the JCR is the second ship that BAS use for polar research.  The first thing we did when we left port was to do a lifeboat drill, I was allowed to assist with this. This was very valuable training, as to see how a lifeboat operates was not only interesting but can save lives...one recommendation the sea survival training does not tell you that I would recommend is to take some ear plugs!!  Ou...