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Impressions


Position am 20.4.2023Current position while writing (diamond shape). We’ve nearly reached the equator. The circles are the positions at previous blog post, the black line is roughly the route we took (base map from Opens external link in new windowggplot2).


Today, you’ll get less text and more pictures. I made a little collection of pictures (and videos).


Building in the port of Guayaquil
Building in the port of Guayaquil where our passports and luggage were checked. Afterwards, we waited for quite some time for our taxi to come pick us up again.


My chamber
My chamber on the "Sonne"

 

densely packed and confusing
Not only the inside of the ship is densely packed and confusing. It takes some time to find your way.


Containers
Containers are waiting to be unpacked.

 

Stickers of previous cruises
Stickers of previous cruises. Ours was not at the board yet when I took the picture.

 

small boats in the harbour
In the port there were some quite small boats going back and forth.

 

Port of Guayaquil disappearing into the darkness.
Port of Guayaquil disappearing into the darkness.

 

small observatory on board
Not the bridge but a small observatory. From here scientists can watch for birds, whales, plastic pieces or whatever they are interested in. None of us are using it (at least not scientifically, we still go up and look for animals).

 

Blick vom Schiff

View from the top of the ship
From the top, you can see how confusing everything seems to be. In the night, the deck is lighted.

 

interesting perspectives on board

interesting perspectives to find for pictures
There are always interesting perspectives to find for pictures.

 

Sunny place for a break
Sunny place for a break. However, the temperatures here, we don’t really use it because it’s just too warm.

 

View to stern
View to stern. You can see one CTD in the foreground and the containers in the back. The crane is holding a pump for trace metal clean samples overboard.

 

View along the side of the ship
View along the side of the ship. On the right side, you can see the two openings where the CTDs can be set into the water.

 

Waiting for the CTD
Waiting for the CTD

 

The main deck is made from wood.
The main deck is made from wood.

 

Everything is neatly put away
Everything is neatly put away so no one will fall and it’s easier to use.

 

Containers
The containers are also tightly secured. Here, you can see again how crowded everything is. This is because we already have containers for the next cruise on board.

 

My lab full of boxes
My lab full of boxes

 

Moth

bird
Animals on board. Only some of them are happy to be photographed from up close.

 

View from my window
View from my window


As my lab does not have any windows, I try to at least go outside during breaks and in the evening. The weather has been calm with some rain from time to time but only very little wind and calm waves. The clouds, the wind and the sun always change the scenery. Nothing but water around us but there is still always something to look at. It is especially nice when any animals show up, however, even without animals its great (on the first picture there are – at least – two birds if you look closely): 

 

Impressionen

Impressionen vom Schiff

Wellen

ruhiges Meer und Wolken darüber

Sonnenuntergang überm Ozean

Auf Deck im Abendlicht

Kran im Gegenlicht

Sonnenuntergang überm Ozean

Sonnenuntergang überm Ozean

 

PTB doctoral student Opens local program for sending emailRieke Schäfer is blogging here directly from the RV "Sonne" on her way west from South America across the Pacific Ocean. 

View from my window. The ship is so quiet that I can hear the water and waves.

 

 

Relaxing at the end of the day with calm waves and a red-footed booby.