RV Tangaroa undertook a 45-day voyage to the Southern Ocean and Ross Sea (10 January - 16 February, 2021)
Scientists carried out nine separate objectives to better understand the processes governing this region and the role of the Marine Protected Area (established in December 2017) in protecting this environment. These included surveys of fish species and seabed habitats, ecosystem studies of plankton, oceanographic and atmospheric measurements to improve understanding of climate-related processes, and making observations of whales.
Map of the course of RV Tangaroa taken during the TAN2101 voyage early Jan - 17 Feb 2021
Select anywhere on the red track to see position details and time as well as other vessel information. N.B. Dates and times are in UTC. New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) is 12 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Click on the ship icons for points of interest during the voyage.
2021 - Antarctic voyage blog and background information
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NIWA's Sarah Searson and Jennie Mowatt
If you want to get accurate scientific readings from the icy depths of the Ross Sea, who do you turn to? -
Science update 3 from Richard O’Driscoll
Day 20 and we are now more than halfway through the Ross Sea Life in a Changing Climate (ReLiCC) 2021 voyage on RV Tangaroa. -
Voyage update 3 from Evan Solly, Ice Pilot
Numerous sightings of minke whales today while target identification mid-water trawls were being made on krill and fish layers beneath Tangaroa. -
Message in a bottle: Alexander Hayward, marine biogeochemist
Sitting in the library of the R.V. Tangaroa, I’m contemplating the (almost) three weeks spent at sea. From the nauseating swell of the ferocious fifties to the mornings when I’ve woken to beautiful vistas of Antarctic mountains. -
Science update 2 from Richard O’Driscoll
Day 13 of the Ross Sea Life in a Changing Climate (ReLiCC) 2021 voyage on RV Tangaroa finds us close to Cape Adare on the tip of the Antarctic continent. We’ve had a busy and icy week. -
Voyage update 2 from Evan Solly, Ice Pilot
Tue 19th: At 00:00 this morning we came across an extremely large tabular iceberg. It was easily picked up on the ship’s radar but due to the foggy conditions was only visible at a range of 1.7 miles. -
Navigating the "ice bridge"
Marissa Judkins is second mate on RV Tangaroa. Watch her navigating through the "ice bridge" in Antarctica's Ross Sea for the first time. -
Science update 1 from Richard O’Driscoll, Voyage Leader
We have officially entered Antarctic waters! Five days after leaving Wellington on the Ross Sea Life in a Changing Climate (ReLiCC) 2021 voyage. -
Voyage update 1 from Evan Solly, Ice Pilot
Ice Pilot Evan Solly gives an update from the first week on-board NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa as they embark on a six-week voyage to Antarctica. -
Message in a bottle: Dr Jenny Visser
This is now my eighth voyage to Antarctica on Tangaroa. While my medical skills have been called on many occasions, my daily consultation rate at sea is low. So, I fill my time with other activities including getting involved in the science if needed. -
Scientists on the trail of elusive sperm whales
Feature story21 December 2020Acoustic monitoring of sperm whales -
NIWA heads to Antarctica for critical climate, ocean research
Media release08 January 2021NIWA’s flagship research vessel Tangaroa leaves soon on a six-week voyage to Antarctica, making it one of the few full scientific expeditions to the continent since the global outbreak of COVID-19.