le petit-déj'. Je vais ensuite rejoindre Thibaut, Franck et Maxime à la
passerelle pour les observations des oiseaux marins. Nous observons
ces charmantes bestioles et nous les comptons à raison de 10 minutes
par heure. L'un de nous surveille un quart de cercle qui part de la
proue et fait un angle de 90°C sur tribord. Il note alors les oiseaux
qui passent dans un rayon de 300 mètres du bateau. Puis à la fin des
10 minutes, il va à la poupe compter ce que l'on appelle les espèces
suiveuses. Un autre de nous note pendant ce temps différents
paramètres sur le bateau (son activité, sa vitesse et sa direction),
sur la météo, et les conditions en général (température de l'eau, de
l'air, force et direction du vent, précipitation, couvert nuageux...),
obtenus sur les différents écrans de contrôle de la passerelle. Pour
nous, c'est souvent la première fois que l'on a la chance d'observer
ces oiseaux du grand sud. Nous sommes passés d'un assemblage d'oiseaux subtropicaux comme le paille-en-queue à des espèces subantarctiques.
Au fur et à mesure de notre progression vers le sud, nous avons
commencé à voir pétrels, albatros, puis prions, pétrels géants,
pétrels plongeurs et skuas. Pendant ces comptages, nous notons
également la présence de mammifères marins s'il y en a. A la Réunion,
nous avions eu la chance de voir des baleines à bosse sauter d'assez
près, et quelques cachalots mais d'un peu plus loin. Depuis, les
observations de cétacés ont été assez pauvres: tout juste quelques
rorquals de loin.
11 h, une annonce retentit: « Votre attention s'il vous plaît, premier
service du déjeuner, bon appétit ». C'est l'heure pour ceux qui sont
du premier service comme moi de descendre déjeuner (et il faut avouer
que l'on mange très bien!). Après, nous reprenons notre poste à la
passerelle pour aller voir et compter les piafs (puisque nous devons
le faire du lever au coucher du soleil). Pendant les 50 minutes
séparant les observations, nous nous occupons à différentes activités:
séances photos, trier les photos, bouquiner, faire des petites siestes
à tour de rôle, regarder des films et présentations...
En milieu de journée, nous rentrons en station (nous nous arrêtons)
pour les manips océanographiques. Il s'agit par exemple, d'envoyer des
rosettes CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth) à l'eau qui servent à
échantillonner la colonne d'eau ainsi qu'à mesurer différents
paramètres physico-chimiques de la masse d'eau grâce à différents
capteurs embarqués. Différents programmes traitent différentes
problématiques. Pour n'en citer qu'une, l'un d'entre eux quantifie
certains éléments radioactifs naturels, ce qui permet de connaître
l'âge des masses d'eau rencontrées.
Vers 18 heures a lieu la dernière observation du jour; le coucher de
soleil a lieu dans l'heure. Seulement quand il fait trop noir pour
voir les oiseaux nous quittons la passerelle pour aller faire un peu
de sport. Les calles étant vides pendant les campagnes
océanographiques (lors des rotations « normales » on y entrepose les
malles et containers), un terrain de badminton a été installé, et il y
a également un terrain de basket. Nous jouons généralement quelques
matchs avant d'aller manger. Certains d'entre nous préfèrent la salle
de sport où il y a un tapis pour courir, deux vélos, un rameur et un
banc de muscu. Après une douche rapide, c'est déjà l'heure de manger.
L'annonce est diffusée: « Votre attention s'il vous plaît, deuxième
service du dîner, bon appétit! ». Nous allons manger puis généralement
la soirée se poursuit au bar. Certains optent pour les parties animées
de babyfoot, d'autres pour de plus calmes parties de tarot ou autres
jeux de cartes. De temps en temps, il y a également des projections de
films dans la salle de conférence. Il est maintenant minuit, je
rejoins ma cabine et vais me coucher, bercée par les vagues.
7.30 am, the alarm clock rings and I wake up. I go get breakfast
downstairs before joining Thibaut, Franck and Maxime on the bridge
where we observe marine birds. We ID and count them during 10 minutes
every hour. One of us watches birds in a quarter of a circle going
from the bow of the boat to the starboard side and writes down
all the birds found in a 300-meter radius. At the end of the 10
minutes, one goes to the stern of the boat to count the species
following the ship. In the meantime, another one of us writes down
different parameters regarding the ship (its activity, speed, and
direction), the weather and general conditions (air and water
temperatures, wind strength and direction, precipitation, cloud
cover...), that we can find on different screens on the bridge. For us,
it's often the first time we're lucky enough to observe some if not
most of the bird species we see. We went from a subtropical bird
assemblage, to a subantarctic one. As we go south, we begun to see
different species of petrels, and then albatrosses, then prions, giant
petrels, diving petrels and skuas. During those counting sessions, we
also record the presence of marine mammals. In Reunion Island, we got
really lucky as we observed humpback whales jumping out of the water,
pretty close to us. We also saw some spermwhales farther away. Ever
since this moment, the observations of cetaceans have been scarced. We
only saw a few whales (rorquals) that were quite far away.
11 am, one can hear the announcement inviting us to go get lunch:
«Your attention please, first lunch service, enjoy your meal! ». I
have to admit, the food here is really good! After lunch, we go back
to the bridge and resume our bird counts (since it needs to be done
from sunrise to sunset). During the 50 minutes lefts after the count,
we have different activites: photo sessions when birds are close
enough, sorting out our photos, reading, taking naps, watching movies...
At mid-day, the boat stops. It's time for the oceanographs on board to
get their work done. They send CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth
recorders) rosettes, for instance, to sample the water column at
different depths and measure at the same time a bunch of parameters.
Different programmes study various problematics. To quote only one of them,
some scientists quantify natural radioactive elements, which allows
them to know the age of the water masses encountered.
Around 6 pm, the last observation of the day takes place and sunset
happens within an hour. When it's too dark to see anything, we leave
the bridge to go get some exercise. The holds being empty during the
oceanographic cruises (usually, during « normal » trips, they are full
of boxes and containers), a badminton court had been set up. There is also a
basketball court. We play a few games before dinner. Some of us like
going to the fitness « center » better where there are bikes, a
conveyor belt to run, and body-building machines. After a quick
shower, it's already time to eat. We hear the usual announcement:
« Your attention please, second dinner service, enjoy your meal! » We
usually eat and end up at the bar. Some play table football and some
play cards. From time to time there are movies to watch in the video
room as well. It's now midnight, I go back to my cabin and go to bed
rocked by the waves.
downstairs before joining Thibaut, Franck and Maxime on the bridge
where we observe marine birds. We ID and count them during 10 minutes
every hour. One of us watches birds in a quarter of a circle going
from the bow of the boat to the starboard side and writes down
all the birds found in a 300-meter radius. At the end of the 10
minutes, one goes to the stern of the boat to count the species
following the ship. In the meantime, another one of us writes down
different parameters regarding the ship (its activity, speed, and
direction), the weather and general conditions (air and water
temperatures, wind strength and direction, precipitation, cloud
cover...), that we can find on different screens on the bridge. For us,
it's often the first time we're lucky enough to observe some if not
most of the bird species we see. We went from a subtropical bird
assemblage, to a subantarctic one. As we go south, we begun to see
different species of petrels, and then albatrosses, then prions, giant
petrels, diving petrels and skuas. During those counting sessions, we
also record the presence of marine mammals. In Reunion Island, we got
really lucky as we observed humpback whales jumping out of the water,
pretty close to us. We also saw some spermwhales farther away. Ever
since this moment, the observations of cetaceans have been scarced. We
only saw a few whales (rorquals) that were quite far away.
11 am, one can hear the announcement inviting us to go get lunch:
«Your attention please, first lunch service, enjoy your meal! ». I
have to admit, the food here is really good! After lunch, we go back
to the bridge and resume our bird counts (since it needs to be done
from sunrise to sunset). During the 50 minutes lefts after the count,
we have different activites: photo sessions when birds are close
enough, sorting out our photos, reading, taking naps, watching movies...
At mid-day, the boat stops. It's time for the oceanographs on board to
get their work done. They send CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth
recorders) rosettes, for instance, to sample the water column at
different depths and measure at the same time a bunch of parameters.
Different programmes study various problematics. To quote only one of them,
some scientists quantify natural radioactive elements, which allows
them to know the age of the water masses encountered.
Around 6 pm, the last observation of the day takes place and sunset
happens within an hour. When it's too dark to see anything, we leave
the bridge to go get some exercise. The holds being empty during the
oceanographic cruises (usually, during « normal » trips, they are full
of boxes and containers), a badminton court had been set up. There is also a
basketball court. We play a few games before dinner. Some of us like
going to the fitness « center » better where there are bikes, a
conveyor belt to run, and body-building machines. After a quick
shower, it's already time to eat. We hear the usual announcement:
« Your attention please, second dinner service, enjoy your meal! » We
usually eat and end up at the bar. Some play table football and some
play cards. From time to time there are movies to watch in the video
room as well. It's now midnight, I go back to my cabin and go to bed
rocked by the waves.
Le Marion à quai à la Réunion / The Marion in the harbor, in Reunion Island
Grand albatros / Wandering albatros
Sur le Marion / On the Marion
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