Katie MacIntosh had always dreamed of visiting Antarctica, but her first experience on the continent didn’t go as expected.
She opted to snorkel from her zodiac to shore, only to discover that her wetsuit was leaking.
“There was a mix of physical discomfort, but also the internal emotion of setting foot on a continent that very few will ever visit… especially women, particularly women working in science. Not many have been there. So it was quite an emotional day for me,” she reminisced with a chuckle.
This was just one of the many moments encountered by three geoscientists from Nova Scotia during a month-long research voyage to Antarctica.
A group of two dozen female experts from various countries embarked on the journey, organized by Sea Women Expeditions, to research the impacts of climate change.
Three geoscientists from Nova Scotia are back after a month-long expedition in Antarctica, researching the effects of climate change. And now that they’re home, they want to share what they saw with as many people as possible. The CBC’s Carolyn Ray reports.
Coincidentally, three out of the four leaders of the underwater robotics initiative were from Nova Scotia, a testament to the province’s strong presence in oceanographic research.
“For explorers and ocean scientists, it’s a dream come true,” expressed MacIntosh, a marine geomatics engineer originally from Antigonish now based in London, England.
Tasked with planning and overseeing the technology on the expedition, she added, “Being part of an all-female team and conducting scientific work successfully in such a remote, challenging environment, and deploying equipment in a place where it’s rarely seen, was truly remarkable for me.”
The team spent weeks conducting underwater research through scuba diving and snorkeling activities.
They observed leopard seal behaviors, examined whale remains, and mapped glaciers. Amid their serious scientific endeavors, they also aimed to represent their homeland by deploying robotic equipment from a zodiac while playing Maritime music through a speaker.
“We had a daily ‘kitchen party’ on our zodiac, bringing our Maritime essence with us down south,” quipped Heather Pearce, hailing from Chester.
Pearce, a geoscientist consultant at WSP Canada, was responsible for diving near glaciers to gather data on benthic marine life — organisms residing close to the seabed.
“Descending into the water after leaving the boat was a moment I will cherish,” she shared.
