After a year of planning and organizing we come closer to the final date of departure for the research expedition POS519. While everybody is packing gifts for Christmas, we are packing our container which will go on board the R/V POSEIDON on January 2018 heading to Las Palmas. In Las Palmas we will start our expedition to the Mauritanian upwelling region off the coast of West Africa. In the last days, the labs of the GEOMAR have been busy preparing materials for the sampling program on board. Instruments, tools and chemicals had to be packed for the upcoming cruise. In the early morning hours everything was stored safely in our truck, brought from our labs on the west shore of Kiel to the east shore and is now safely and seaworthy stored in our container. The R/V POSEIDON will head to Las Palmas on the 8th of January.

Damian and Melf are packing the container for the research expedition POS519 (Credit: Lisa Hoffmann, CC BY-NC-ND)

But what is the scientific reason for this cruise? What are the topics that are going to be explored? This blog will document the research expedition POS519 on board the research vessel R/V POSEIDON. The cruise takes place from 22. January 2018 to 11. February 2018 and sails from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain to Mindelo, Cap Verde.

Boxes full of material for the research expedition POS519 (Credit: Lisa Hoffmann, CC BY-NC-ND)