Marine Science students cruise aboard the SA Agulhas II

Marine Science students were left awestruck after they took part in two recent research cruises aboard the South African polar research vessel, the SA Agulhas II.

Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences Senior Lecturer, Dr David Walker, said the SA Agulhas II is South Africa's world class icebreaker that is used for both research and for supplying "our bases on Antarctica and oceanic islands". The two research cruises were as follows:

SEAmester V, an oceanographic research and training voyage, is held every year and is open to postgraduate students from all South African universities that have a marine or aquatic interest. Walker added that the bonus to the cruise this year was that it went to Marion Island in the Southern Ocean. "This was undertaken by me and three Marine Science Advanced Diploma students, Amanda Buthelezi, Nicole Kieswetter and Onika Mabalabala.

"I accompanied the cruise as a lecturer and was responsible for giving lectures on oceanic phytoplankton productivity, and [I] was involved in a multi-disciplinary research project investigating an eddy on the edge of the Agulhas Bank."

The second cruise was SCALE 22, a research voyage to the Marginal Ice Zone of the Southern Ocean by three Marine Science Postgraduate Diploma students, Aldean Esau, Venecia van Balla and Benediction Maholobela. The students worked on projects in conjunction with a team from the University of Cape Town and their role was to take phytoplankton samples and measure chlorophyll in the open ocean as well as from ice cores.

The students were immersed in oceanographic work as part of a multi-disciplinary and international team. "In this, they gained invaluable personal and professional experience," Walker enthused.

Sharing her personal experience, Advanced Diploma in Marine Science student Nicole Kieswetter said: "A whirlwind of emotions hit me as I set foot on the mighty SA Agulhas II that Monday morning; it has been a lifelong dream to work on one of these vessels. Seeing Marion Island has also been one of my dreams, but I would have never thought that I would combine these two things into one trip."

She's grateful to have been given this opportunity. "I met the most amazing people and learnt so much (even though the working hours are sometimes crazy)." This experience has opened her eyes to the true nature of the ocean and possible future career opportunities.

Another student, Onika Mabalabala, said being part of SEAmester V, going to Marion Island and being on the SA Agulhas II research vessel was amazing. "This trip has made me appreciate the sea more. It is one thing to learn about the ocean, but to experience it is something else. I am grateful to have been part of the cruise, I have learnt a lot of new things and met new people who work on different fields of oceanography and some of which I had no idea existed."

Another student, Amanda Buthelezi, said being on the SA Agulhas II for SEAmester V was an amazing experience like no other. She was part of the ASCA science team which focused on chlorophyll-a and phytoplankton.

Another student Nkateko Maholobela, said from the trip he got to engage with people who are experts in the field of Ocean research. The different kinds of research which were conducted during the cruise made him realise that there is more to ocean research than he had imagined. "Not only did the cruise inspire me to study further but I have also benefited greatly in terms of working with different people in the research world and using different instruments and types of equipment."

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