Wind speed 15 m.s-1   |   Temp air : 5°C   |   Temp water : 16°C   |   Latitude : 46°52’34” S   |   Longitude : 37°51’32” E


Marion is the largest of the two islands of the Prince Edward archipelago. NASA Earth Observatory image created by Jesse Allen, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 team and the United States Geological Survey.
Marion is the largest of the two islands of the Prince Edward archipelago.
NASA Earth Observatory image created by Jesse Allen, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 team and the United States Geological Survey.

7h, du matin, le Treshnikov est enfin ancré au nord-est de l’île de Marion à presque mi-chemin entre Le Cap et les côtes antarctiques. Sur l’héliport, les moteurs hurlent leurs derniers tests. Une accalmie va bientôt permettre les premières navettes pour les équipes qui vont aller prélever différents types d’échantillons sur l’île. À l’eau, les zodiacs sont là, prêts à toute éventualité de sauvetage en cas d’accident.

 

Since 7 o’clock this morning, the Treshnikov is anchored north-east of Marion Island, right off the research station which we will use as a base for the research work to be done on the island. Hard to believe we are more than half way between Cape Town and the Antarctic continent. The helicopters have been bladed and tested and soon the different field parties, organized according to the precise destination on the island and their field of research will head off to collect samples of different sorts. In the water, the zodiacs are patrolling, ready to intervene in case of any problem.

La trentaine de chanceux qui ont eu permission de se rendre sur l’île aujourd’hui, attendent leur tour en enfilant péniblement leurs combinaisons rouges homard requises pour la sécurité du vol.

More than 30 scientists have obtained permits to conduct their research projects on the island. They are waiting their turn to fly onto the island, awkwardly putting on the red safety suits required for the short flight.

Peter Ryan est l’un d’entre eux. Bible vivante d’ornithologie, Sud-Africain responsable du programme sur les Albatros à Marion, il accompagne aujourd’hui comme chef de projet Guiseppe Suaria et Jasmine Lee, jeunes scientifiques respectivement italien et australienne, qui étudient le taux de présence de plastique et micro-plastiques dans les régions australes.

Peter Ryan is one of them. A reference in the world of ornithology, he heads the research program on Albatrosses on Marion Island. Today, his team also consists of Giuseppe Suaria and Jasmine Lee, young scientists from Italy and Australia respectively who work on the presence of plastics and micro-plastics in the Southern Ocean.

l'équipe hélicoptère achèvent ses derniers tests. The helicopters team is finishing the tests.
L’équipe hélicoptère achève ses derniers tests.
The helicopters team is finishing the tests.
Peter Ryan patiente en observant l’ile et sa faune. Peter Ryan is observing the island and it's fauna while waiting.