JWACS2002 stations (total 375/ Sep. 29)
(1) Louis S. St-Laurent (red circle)
Large: CTD or CTD/Rosette
Small: XCTD
33 CTD or CTD/Rosette stations
74 XCTD stations in the Western Arctic
24 XCTD stations in the Labrador-Baffin
73 XBT stations in the Labrador-Baffin
Ê(2) Mirai (green circle)
Large: CTD or CTD/Rosette
114 CTD or CTD/Rosette stations
Small: XCTD
15 XCTD stations
********
Diamond shape stations are planned ones after September 29. These stations
are not included the total number.
********


Ê(3) Sir Wilfrid Laurier northbound leg (cyan circle)
Large (only): CTD
42 CTD or CTD/Rosette stations

US-SBI&CBL stations (total 297)
(4) Healy/spring (magenta triangle ^-shaped)
40 stations
(5) Healy/summer (magenta triangle v-shaped)
68 stations
(6) Polar Star/SBI mooring cruise (magenta square)
90 stations
(7) Polar Star/Chukchi Boarderland (yellow)
+: CTD or CTD/Rosette, x: XCTD
99 CTD stations, 30 XCTD
Capt. David Snider
Ice Pilot, R/V Mirai

03 October - After reaching furthest north for R/V Mirai, Lat 76_24.4N 162_23.4W, believed to be a furthest north record for a non-icebreaking research ship in the Western Arctic, Captain Snider and Chief Scientist Dr. Koji Shimada confer on ice conditions.

The last week of JWACS 2002 onboard R/V Mirai is now upon us.  We are now well and fully southbound, having completed an ambitious program west bound from the Mackenzie River, across the North Slope, the Northwind Ridge and Chukchi Plateau. 
 
On 03 October, R/V Mirai achieved somewhat of an historical first, making a "Furthest North" for a non-icebreaking research ship in the Western Arctic.  At approximately 1830 UTC the vessel reached Latitude 72_24.4N, Longitude 162_23.4W.  Atypical open water conditions in that area of the Arctic Ocean permitted the achievement.  Further progress northward was blocked by rapidly growing new ice.  After reaching her furthest north, R/V Mirai headed south to clear the developing ice then completed a series of observations westward on the Chukchi Plateau along Latitude 76N carrying on an E/W line commenced by Louis S. St. Laurent earlier in the JWACS 2002 program.  Valuable data was obtained in areas that previously had been blanks in the observation sheets.
 
Over the next week R/V Mirai will be leaving the Arctic ice behind.  More CTD/R observations are planned, but the hectic pace maintained up to the end of this week is over.  Gear is being slowly stowed away for landing ashore and transfer to CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier on her arrival at Dutch Harbor 10 October.  With luck we may be able to make up for a missed rendezvous with CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and meet them in Dutch Harbor. 
 
Cheers
D.
 
Capt. David Snider
Ice Pilot, R/V Mirai
 
snider@mirai.jamstec.go.jp