What I Came Here to Do
My internal compass guides me to water. Perhaps this is why I have formed such a deep connection to scuba diving and ocean exploration. This summer, I traveled to the Arctic to participate in a Citizen Scientist Expedition. An enthusiastic team of women, The Seabirds, were onboard and welcomed volunteers to join their hydrophone studies in the icy cold waters surrounding Svalbard and Greenland. The land of the midnight sun.
Proper preparation included the donning of three layers of undergarments, wool socks, head to toe waterproof gear, boots, heated gloves, polarized shades, life jacket and camera. After making my way to the platform, I was ushered onto a steep gangway that was loosely tethered to a rubber zodiac about twenty feet below. Safely traversing the aluminum steps required a little bit of balance and a whole lot of prayer. Yes, I contemplated the craziness of this whole scenario. But I said to myself, “Get in the zodiac. This is what you came here to do!” Entering and exiting a zodiac comes with a few challenges when ice and waves are slapping against the hull. Thankfully, laughter is very contagious when cruising the pack ice. It’s a time when friendships are formed, worries melt away, and the elements seem a little less harsh.
To no surprise, the experiences I cherished the most were the quiet moments and listening for sounds that may otherwise gone unnoticed. The wind blowing through the fjords, the squishing noises that muck boots make, and the subtle crackling of an iceberg. The sound of bubbles escaping my snorkel and the weird sounds generated by wet neoprene. But best of all was listening for gentle echoes in the deep blue. Buckling pack ice, calving glaciers, colliding icebergs, and clicks from marine animals in the distance. Silent water afforded time for my imagination to manifest visions of incredible creatures hiding below. Polar expeditions are essential for fostering the ongoing needs of blue planet research and education. I’m not sure where my next expedition will take me, but I know it will be epic!
