Jose Xavier (with Ricardo Matias)
Latitude: 57.00 S
Longitude: 42.07 W

After the farewell from Signy Island, we started collecting samples from a wide range of research equipment, so that the research teams can get answers to their science questions. We have used CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth recorder) that provide information about the properties of the water. This is quite important as marine animals are quite related to temperature and other elements within the oceans. Consequently we can start knowing which species live, and which conditions animals prefer. During one day we used the scientific nets RMT8 (Rectangular Midwater Trawl with 8m2) and BONGO to catch small zooplâncton (i.e. small marine organisms), including Antarctic krill Euphausia superba, an important element of the Antarctic marine food web. Finally we deployed and recovered a sediment trap, everything in 24 hours!!!! Full day of science!!!
 
All of this could not be achieved without a great team. Onboard of the RRS James Clark Ross, there are 31 scientists and 29 crew, from 16 different countries. We have colleagues from the UK logically and also from South Africa, Germany, Argentina, Australia, Chile, USA, France, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Czech Republic, Ukraine and of course, Portugal. All the work is done as a team. Under the command of the Captain Graham Chapman and the Principal Science Officer Sophie Fielding, the professionalism, enthusiasm and competence shines everyday. We do need everyone´s cooperation and understanding to achieve our research goals. This sense of altruism has been transmitted for generations  on work ethics in the UK, as well illustrated in the biographies of explorers such as Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton or Edward Wilson. And all this effort an dedication has to be transmitted and understood by all. Each sample collected in the Antarctic requires so much time, effort, resilience and resources from numerous people during days, weeks, months or even years. Thank you to all crew and science team of the British Antarctic Survey cruise JR19001!!!!

José Xavier e Ricardo Matias, 24 NOV 2019, Antártida
​Latitude: 60.42 S
Longitude: 45 34 W

A primeira vez que se chega á Antártida nunca mais se esquece. É certamente uma sensação de descoberta que descobridores e exploradores como Fernão de Magalhães, Ernest Shackleton ou James Cook tiveram... eu tenho a sensação que sim. O repentino ar a ficar mais frio, os primeiros albatrozes no ar, os primeiros icebergues, os primeiros pinguins ao vivo. E reviver essas sensações com alguém que as está a sentir pela primeira vez, é muito gratificante, pois me relembra das minhas mesmas sensações em 1999, aquando da primeira expedição. “Olha o albatroz de sobrancelha cinzenta!!!!” dizia-me o Ricardo com uma voz de excitação num destes dias sobre uma das aves marinhas mais comuns nesta área a voar calmamente entre as ondas. Ou a Roberta Johnson (A nossa colega Australiana) sobre icebergues: “Aquele é lindo!!!”. Como já vi milhares destas aves nas expedições passadas, a minha excitação era mais contida, mas fez-me relembrar como é importante manter os olhos da curiosidade bem abertos para voltar a reviver estas sensações sem cair na armadilha do passado. Tudo isto vai contribuir para tornar cada expedição, uma experiência única, com memórias para o resto da vida.

​Antes de começarmos a recolher amostras, teremos fazer a “first call” (querendo dizer a “primeira chamada”) a várias estações da British Antarctic Survey. A “first call” é a primeira vez que o navio vai a essa estação naquele ano, após o Inverno Austral, para reabastecer a base cientifica. A primeira será a Base cientifica de Ilha de Signy (Ilhas Orcadas do Sul), cujo nome é referente à esposa do caçador de baleais norueguês Peter Sorlie, Signy Therese. A estação de Signy começou em 1947 com caça há baleia nos anos 1920´s, sendo hoje considerada uma área importante para aves. A chegada foi excelente, sem vento, céu quase limpo e um sol magnífico. Os cientistas passaram a maioria do tempo entre o topo do navio (a que chamamos “Monkey Island”) e a proa do navio, a comentar as cores e o tamanho dos icebergues, entre conhecer o que cada um faz cientificamente.  O fim do dia permitiu ver as montanhas gigantes da Coronation Island e os vários glaciares. Houve momentos que permitiu ver o nevoeiro a descer nas suas encostas ao fim da tarde...lindíssimo. No dia seguinte, tipicamente na Antártida, o tempo mudou drasticamente com muita neve e ventos fortes, que fez com que os trabalhos não avançassem. O que fazer? Esperar...

You will always remember the first time you arrive in Antarctica. It is certainly a feeling of discovery that explorers like Fernão de Magalhães, Ernest Shackleton or James Cook had in their times…I have certainly felt it! The air starts to get colder, the first icebergs, the first Antarctic penguins. Re-living these sensations with someone that is experiencing Antarctica for the first time is very gratifying, as it reminds me of my first time, in 1999. I heard Ricardo Matias saying “Look at the black-browed albatross!!!” or Roberta Johnson (our Australia colleague) expressing her feelings about an iceberg “This one is beautiful!!!” As I have seen plenty of them, my excitement was initially more contained, but it reminded me how important is to keep those eyes of curiosity wide open and avoid falling into the trap of experiences of the past. Every little experience here will make this expedition unique, with memories for the rest of our lives…so, if there is anything happening, everyone is there to witness it J
 
Before start collecting samples for our research program, we have to do the “first call” to various stations of the British Antarctic Survey. The first call is the first time that the ship goes to a research station after an Austral Winter, to re-store stocks of food and equipment, and people. The first stop is at Signy Island (South Orkneys), name given by the Norwegian whaler Petter Sorlie honoring his wife, Signy Therese. The Signy Research Station started in 1947, with whaling occurring in the 1920´s, being considered today as an IBA (Important Bird Area). The arrival was excellent with no wind, almost clear skies and a sun. The scientists spent more of their time between “Monkey Island” (the top of the ship) and the bow, commenting of the different sizes and shapes of the huge amount of icebergs, while taking the opportunity to discuss their own research projects. The end of the day allowed to see the nice mountains of Coronation Island and its beautiful glaciers. There were moments that allowed to see the fog going down the mountains like a professional skier would do…beautiful. The next day, typically for Antarctic, the weather changed with lots of strong snow and gale winds, that did not allow our work to progress. What to do? Waiting…. Lucky enough, on the next day, the good weather came back, and we went ashore to help those staying at Signy Research Station. We shuffled snow, transported food and equipment, a true team work. Everyone, from the ship crew (Captain Gerry, Simon, Alan, Paula, Sam, Henry, ...), to the scientists, are amazing and so nice. Time flown so fast. With everyone helping, everything was done quickly.

​It was great to be in firm land, even if for a few hours... And yes, there are still daily science meetings, always to keep all the science team informed about the most recent information of the science plan of the cruise…
Still offshore Signy Island…but not for longJ

​To go to the Antarctic, we have to go a long trip!!!! We left “home” at 8am to the British Antarctic Survey HQ and went to Madrid from Heathrow Airport at 5pm, then to Santiago of Chile and finally to Punta Arenas, that stays at the south of Chile. We arrived at the Hotel at around 7pm of the following day. It took us 40 hours in total!!! When we landed in Punta Arenas, we saw pacific protesters close to the Airport that were protesting about costs of living and inequality in Chile. However, in the middle of town, we had the opportunity to witness stronger evidence of the protesters, which agreed by the guidance of not going out at night. Punta Arenas is a city of 150 000 habitants, situated in the Magellan Strait and it is one of the main cities used by tourists to go to the Antarctic. Fernão de Magalhães (Hernando/Fernando de Magallanes – in Spanish or Fernand Magellan – In English) was in Punta Arenas in 1520 on his quest (so that the Strait has its name) in reaching the Ocean to the West, which he called “Pacific”. This is because it happened in a quiet day. The connection of Fernão de Magalhães with Punta Arenas, and Chile in general, is very strong. So much so that there is a statue of Fernão de Magalhães in the main square of Punta Arenas. Moreover, the region is called Región de Magallanes and there is an University called Universidad de Magallanes. This year (2019), we are celebrating the 500 years of the circumnavigation of the World by the expedition of Fernão de Magalhães, acknowledging the amazing and visionary explorer, particularly in Portugal, Spain and Chile. I had the privilege to accept an invitation to give a presentation at the Universidad de Magallanes while in Punta Arenas, about our recent scientific results on Antarctic research, recognizing its importance to the rest of the world, and celebrating Magalhães for everything he had done.  We spent 2 days in Punta Arenas in meetings about our science plans for the coming weeks, to start preparing the laboratories and the equipment necessary. Now, onboard of the RRS James Clark Ross, we are on our way to Signy Island (South Orkneys) in the cold waters of the Antarctic. As soon as we got onboard, we had a group of introductory lectures to the ship and its rules of security, health and safety. Everything is taken very seriously as we are in one of the most isolated regions in the world, and actions are made under a minimum risk of accidents. Therefore, to avoid being seasick, I already taken my seasick pill!!!!!

José Xavier e Ricardo Matias

dia 5 Novembro 2019: Estar a escrever nas nuvens é real!! Estamos já a bordo de um avião que nós levará até Inglaterra para uma expedição cientifica à Antártida. A saída de Coimbra foi bem cedo, por volta das 6 da manhã. Houve a sorte de a família Matias se disponibilizar a levar-nos ao aeroporto do Porto para que fosse mais fácil lidar com tanta bagagem: 2 malas de porão, 3 mochilas. Parecíamos um rancho!! Na verdade, poderíamos ir bastante mais pesados, pois o equipamento que iremos vestir já foi em Agosto, já a bordo do Royal Research Ship James Clark Ross. ​É a primeira expedição de Ricardo Matias e a minha 10 expedição. O entusiasmo está no ar. Em conversa com uma amiga que encontrou no aeroporto, o Ricardo confidenciava que era-lhe difícil descrever o que iria viver nestas próximas semanas pois tudo será sempre diferente dos livros, das revistas, de tudo o que a net diz e dos documentários que já viu desde criança. Agora é a sua vez de sentir ao vivo o quanto é especular fazer ciência Antártica.

O objetivo principal do projeto é compreender se as lulas, em diferentes águas do Oceano Antártico e nas regiões adjacentes, possuem as “armas” genéticas para lidar com um ambiente a aquecer. Cientificamente falando, queremos descobrir quais os genes que as lulas possuem para sobreviver no Oceano Antártico e que proteínas poderão produzir caso as águas aqueçam. Também iremos estudar a poluição nos peixes, em particular microplásticos em peixes lanterna, algo ainda não estudado. Como estes peixes vivem em áreas pouco poluídas, será que os iremos encontrar, tal como aconteceu nos pinguins? (ler Bessa et al. (2019) Scientific Reports 9: 14191).​ 10 Novembro 2019: Já a escrever de Cambridge...  ​foi possível já testemunhar esta cidade universitária, em que se respira conhecimento. Possui uma energia própria e isso notou-se nestes dias. Tivemos de “visitar” a estátua de Charles Darwin em Christ´s College, pois ela reflecte de quando o Charles Darwin era jovem. Várias reuniões na British Antarctic Survey, incluindo com os estudantes José Abreu e José Queirós, fez com que estes dias passassem a voar. ​Já estamos prontos. Partida para breve!