Long duration station

25/2
So a lot has happened in a very short time since my last post.
After another successful qPCR run (where we had hits on UCYNB throughout the water column) together with the physical parameters it was decided that we make our first long duration station (LD) here at our third short duration station (SD). Why this was the case is not simple, not in the slightest, our data just played one part in it. For the LD to be successful it has to have a propper eddie and the right currents that won't send us off track as soon as the mooring is put down. Even though we are far out at sea, 6 days of drifting during the LD could also take us dangerously close to either a barrier reef or a sea mound.
There is also a guy back in France that analyses satellite imagery and providing us with information on ideal sampling conditions concerning e.g. surface chlorophyll concentrations and currents. The most ideal location based on that data, provided by the guy in France, would be some distance to the east. However the currents there could possibly set us on a course nortward on our 6 day drift of LD and that would take us into Vanatu waters. Apparently France and Vanatu is currently having a diplomatic crisis and since L'Atalante sails under French flag we are not allowed in Vanatu waters. I did not expect this to be a hindrance for research vessels in the year of 2015...

So the LD is decided. Luckily we did at least detect a few cells of diatom diazotroph associations (DDA) per liter of surface water using microscopy, which means I'm running my incubation experiments.
To prepare for this LD mooring though the ship had to do several zig-zagging maneuvers and measure physical parameters to scout and continuously observe the area of our LD, all the while comming back to one central location in the chosen eddie. This took an entire day, which gave us ample opportunity to theoretically prepare our collaborative experiments.
It is essentially my samples for my PhD thesis but I'm collaborating with a group of French scientists who will measure the bulk for all of us on that particular experiment.
In practice I will be adding several nutrients in high concentrations in 2.5 liter bottles and later spike them with 15N2 and 13C-bicarb to finally let them incubate for 24 hours. I hope to see if the DDAs are limited by any of these nutrients.

The evening before the start of sampling for the first LD (yes, we will actually start the LD at midnight and I've been assigned to the 03.00 CTD, zzzzzzzz!) there was a humble gathering on front deck with free drinks, celebrating the birthday of one of the French scientists, which also turned out to be a nice social event out of the labs for everyone.
Before finalizing the preparations for my early morning sampling I went up on front deck again, in the darkness this time, to just have a bit of calm looking at the starry sky. I didn't see much at first, but as my eyes adjusted to the dark of night, only slightly lit up by an unusually bright moon (at least in my opinion), an amazing nightsky revealed itself. It reminded me so much of clear winter nights back home, however, I've probably never felt smaller or more humbled by the sheer vastness of it all. I think the reason why was because of the neverending and slightly dim horizon all around together with the rocking of the ship. It all made the sky look painted in place, as if I was staring up from the central bottom of a tropical snow globe. If it wasn't for the fact that I need to go to bed, I could have stayed there, watching the sky and the reflection of the moon in the still ocean for hours, while reflecting on the purpose of it all.