172 km sidescan sonar lines acquired, 598 km of subbottom profiler lines, 177 m (85 stations) of core recovery, 758 thermophysics measurements, 708 gas samples, 478 sediment samples collected for different analyses, 12 students and 10 scientists and supervisors from 9 organizations and institutes, 8 investigation areas, 22 days of expedition, and countless emotions.
For all the participants of the expedition Lake Baikal is not only the deepest basin of fresh water on the planet but indeed a dream that became true. When people mention Baikal they usually say “My dream is to visit Baikal”. For the participants of the expedition Class@Baikal the dream became true with wonderful memories that make you wish to come back again. The offshore part of the expedition is over. Today we are preparing for tomorrow seminars when the participants of the expedition will present the work completed during the cruise. But Baikal is constantly in our mind and the memories, impressions and emotions are overflowing.
Somnolent rainy lull woke up us in the morning. But louring weather and a big desire to sleep 2 minutes extra can’t hinder combative spirit of expedition participants. Tube is gone, the station account started.
According to Dima today was an extremely hot day. According to the thermometer, not so much.
The first full working day of this last leg brought us a lot of amazing surprises. First of all, from the very morning, instead of the usual wake up time at 7:30, I heard a phrase: “Ship time is 7:40, it is time to wake up”, therefore all participants were happy to sleep 10 minutes extra. Rested and pleased from the sunny weather, all participants met for breakfast. Today were served our “old friend ” semolina (i.e. porridge) and scrambled eggs.
The day started unusually quietly. Our research vessel “G. Yu. Vereshchagin” reached Listvyanka during the night. Since we were adjusted to the sound of the constantly working engines of the ship, now the silence makes us feel as deaf. And the absence of the boat swinging also makes us feel strange. After two weeks in the lake you begin to adjust to the unusual conditions. Everybody was enthusiast about our excursion to the Limnological museum, most participants of the second leg were happy to walk for several kilometers to the museum, and the thirst of new knowledge of participants of the third leg dominated on theirs fatigue from the flight.
The 20th of July. Business before pleasure.
At dawn the surface of Lake Baikal is completely calm. The rays of the sun gently spread out over the surface of the water. Also smoothly participants of the expedition took over their duties in the new working day. Laboratory were waiting for new materials and samples, the deck was preparing new gravity cores.
Today we passed through 100 of stations. Exciting work continues, because each core is something new and mysterious and also evidence of scientific theories. When marine geologists had well-coordinated work, geophysics had "fun" watching with sonar for discharging gas focuses at the bottom of the lake.
The first thing I did, when I woke up, I looked in a window. There I saw spots of reflecting lights funny dancing at the hyaline of Baikal. It became clear for me that the day will be hot. After all it turned to be hot in several different senses.