Here, some glaciers end on land, while others plunge directly into the sea — bringing with them both ice and challenges.
We’ve already completed eight sampling stations, each lasting between 2 and 6 hours, depending on the weather, the amount of ice, and the depth of the fjord — sometimes reaching as deep as 500 meters below the surface.
Scientists and crew members — including Caroline Bouchard, researcher at Université Laval — work around the clock, taking shifts to operate the vessel and carry out the scientific protocols.
Yesterday, as we entered a fjord south of Nuugaatsiaq around 1 a.m., the sea ice thickened rapidly, slowing us down.
We had to cancel the innermost station, which had become inaccessible.
Still, in the midst of drifting ice, low mist, and golden light on the horizon, we managed to complete two stations surrounded by ice — a suspended, almost surreal moment.
Every day at sea brings its share of surprises and wonder, in the heart of an Arctic that is both magnificent and fragile.
Photo credit: Richard Mardens
