RV Prince Madog PD30/06
Cruise summary report
| Cruise Info. | |
| Ship name (ship code) | RV Prince Madog (74P2) |
| Cruise identifier | PD30/06 |
| Cruise period | 2006-09-24 — 2006-09-29 |
| Status | Completed |
| Port of departure | Menai Bridge, United Kingdom |
| Port of return | Menai Bridge, United Kingdom |
| Purpose | Research |
| Objectives | This report describes a scientific research cruise to Loch Sunart and environs in the west of Scotland in order to support the research proposed within the EU Millennium project (part A). A supplementary programme of sampling (part B) was achieved on the passage back to Menai Bridge to collect samples to support a postgraduate research project (Paul Butler, funded by the Cemlyn Jones Trust). The aims of part A were threefold: 1. to recover samples of seabed sediment from a site within Loch Sunart previously occupied by RV Marion Dufresne in 2004, when CALYPSO giant piston cores and CASQ giant gravity corers were deployed, using box corers, gravity corer and multi-corer; 2. to collect surface water samples from a longitudinal transect along Loch Sunart; 3. to dredge for Arctica islandica (Bivalvia) at sites in and around Loch Sunart in order to start to construct a long Arctica chronology from the west coast of Scotland. The aim of part B was to dredge, if time and conditions allowed, for Arctica islandica (Bivalvia) at previously sampled sites to the west of the Isle of Man (Butler, 2005) which are now known to yield Arctica valves which can be successfully cross-matched.
Parts A1 and A2 were successfully completed with excellent recovery of surface sediment samples via small box corer, gravity corer and multi-corer, and a full set of water samples collected from the loch. Part A3 was less successful with relatively few Arctica recovered. Part B was completed with Arctica specimens recovered from west of the Isle of Man. |
| Chief scientist | James Scourse (University of Wales, Bangor School of Ocean Sciences) |
| Project | EU MILLENNIUM INTEGRATED PROJECT (Framework VI) |
| Coordinating body | University of Wales (Swansea) |
| Cruise report |  (0.24 MB) |
| Ocean/sea areas | |
| General | Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland Irish Sea and St. George's Channel |
| Specific | Loch Sunart, Sound of Mull, Tiree Passage and Irish Sea |
| Track charts | (0.06 MB) |
| Measurements | |
| Physical oceanography | |
| Water bottle stations | Quantity: number of samples = 21 Description: Water bottle stations, 25-27/09/06, Loch Sunart, Sound of Mull |
| Geology and geophysics | |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 4 Description: 4 "Arctica" dredges deployed and recovered on 26/09/06, Site SM Sound of Mull |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 3 Description: 3 "Arctica" dredges deployed and recovered on 27/09/06, Site MD Loch Sunart |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 1 Description: 1 "Arctica" dredge deployed and recovered on 27/09/06, Site TP Tiree Passage |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 2 Description: 2 "Arctica" dredges deployed and recovered on 26/09/06, Site M Sound of Mull |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 5 Description: 5 "Arctica" dredges deployed and recovered on 26/09/06, Site SB Loch Sunart |
| Dredge | Quantity: number of hauls = 7 Description: 7 "Arctica" dredges deployed and recovered on 28/09/06, Site D7 west Isle of Man |
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of deployments = 1 Description: Single multi-core deployment and recovery on 27/09/06, Site M Sound of Mull |
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of deployments = 1 Description: Single gravity core deployed and recovered on 25/09/06, Site MD Loch Sunart |
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of deployments = 1 Description: Single multi-core deployment and recovery on 25/09/06, Site MD Loch Sunart |
| Core - soft bottom | Quantity: number of deployments = 1 Description: Single box core deployment and recovery on 25/09/06, Site MD Loch Sunart |
