Ocean Station PAPA; N 50, W 145

We have spent the last few days collecting water at Station PAPA, which sits on an offshore transect line used for oceanographic research for decades.

This station is located in a part of the northern Pacific ocean that has abnormally low levels of plankton growth. While nitrogen and phosphorus are high enough to support greater numbers of plankton, there is very little iron in these waters for large parts of the year. This is thought to be the major reason for the lack of plankton growth.

Many researchers on board are interested in studying the idea of “iron limitation” of plankton in these high nutrient, low carbon (HNLC) areas, and the ways that plankton might have adapted to deal with low levels of iron.

While the area is of great scientific interest, there really isn’t too much to see out here. There is a pod of Dall’s propoises that appears once a day or so – no pics, sorry, those buggers are fast. The best I can get is a splash in the frame that looks very much like the other waves.

The sea is pretty flat and blue and not that exciting, which is a good thing, as the weather here can turn nasty very quickly. I am greatful that we have seen the sun at least twice in the four days we have been here. Some of the first – time cruisers are longing for a storm at sea, but I’ll pass.