Ten days after deployment, we sampled water in the 12 plots and obtained small sediment cores in the tracer plots. With a four-person dive team, we were able to sample all of the 180 water samples and 48 small sediment cores in one day. The tracer sediment cores were placed meticulously to understand how the olivine/tracer is moving within a 30×30 cm area. We were also able to collect a few more large sediment cores to determine the epifaunal community. While the divers stayed busy bubbling away, Lennart stayed just as active and measured 180 pH samples! Luckily the wind was nice to him and was calm while he stayed sitting in his very comfortable camping chair. We noticed that the Ag-lime is still visible after 10 days, however, the olivine is no longer visible – even the tracer is hardly visible! There is clearly movement on the sediment with the increase in organisms that we are seeing – potentially due to a spring bloom. Also, we’re getting better at navigating around our site and only got lost about once or twice 🙂 

Marianne.P