Field work diary
4th August 2017We started the project, when group of four (Jan Marcin Węsławski, Lech Kotwicki, Miłosz Kotwicki and Bartłomiej Górski) was delivered with the s/y Eltanin to the east coast of Prins Karl Forlandet at Tistelodden at 04.00 am. We have collected the first sample of litoral amphipods on the east coast at the rocks covered with fucoids and barnacles. After crossing the island from east to west and walking along the west coast North, we have covered 15 km and set the camp at Ravlodden. The west coast was littered with plastic – from small fragments, cosmetics containers, fishing gear remains, large sheets of foil to huge fragments of fishing trawls. Large colony (36 animals) of common seals was spotted at Hornes and group of 6 seals was observed 1 km south from the camp site at Ravlodden. Ringed plovers, sandpipers, eiders, barnacle and pinkfooted geese and reindeers were observed along the way. Pair of loons was observed in large lagoon at the camp site. During that day intertidal samples nr 1 to 4 were collected. We have set the routine for the polar bear guard (20.00 – 06.00). To allow all of us at least 6h of sleep, the watch was set as ABCDA, 2 hours each, the A- person during his second term was responsible for the preparation of boiling water to the thermoses of the team. The walking routine was set as 1 h of march with 15 minutes break, and 30 mins break was used for the light meal preparation after the second hour of march. Five hours of march allowed us to cover between 13 and 16 km daily, considering heavy 18+ kg backpack per person, this was an effective time use.
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5th August
During that day, we have covered 13 km from Ravlodden to Ossianbekken. Coast was littered with plastic as the day before, we have found 4 large boundles of fishing nets with reindeer antlers entagled – apparently antlers were detached from the living animals as no remains of the bodies were found. Fresh blueshell (Mytilus edulis) was found on the storm ridge. Samples nr 5 and 6 collected.
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6th August
From Ossianbekken to Skjerness, 13 km, coast evenly litered with macroplastic, single blueshells along the way, animals as day before. North of Steinkobben colony of 30 seals, another 15 at Skjerness. Remains of a large whale (with skin and flesh) at Utness. Sasmples nr 7 and 8 collected.
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7th August
From Skjernes to Skurvodden to 14 km covered, dead walrus 6 km north of Skurvodden. Litter and animals as days before. Samples 9 and 10 collected.
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13 km covered from Skurvodden to Hornflya (south of Stormneset). Colony of 20 seals at Vernodden. Samples 11, 12 and 13 collected.
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9th August
From Hornflya to Fuglehuken, 10 km, sample nr 14 collected, liter, animals and blueshells as before. We join the other group left at the hut by r/v Oceania (Adam Wajrak, Nuria Selva Fernandez, Lech Stempniewicz) who collected samples along the NE corner of the Island.
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10th August
Short walk (8km) from the hut at Fuglehuken to McVitiepynten, sample nr 15 collected. Double colony of 30 and 32 seals north from the hut. Several blue shells including newly dead on the peninsula, one in eider execreta, and one crushed by the glaucous gull.
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11th August r/v Oceania collect us from the hut and delivered to Longyearbyen.
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