Sailing Orders and Cruise report from SEAmester and Agulhas System Climate Array (ASCA) Scientific Cruise on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 063, June 2024

Abstract

The SEAmester and Agulhas System Climate Array (ASCA) Scientific Cruise was conducted on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 063 (~10 days) in June 2024. The cruise departed Cape Town to survey the ASCA transect (~34°S) off Port Elizabeth in the South West Indian Ocean. The objective of SEAmester cruise was to undertake the ASCA transect across the Agulhas Current and sample the 20 CTD stations done previously. In addition, SEAmester shallow (200 m) CTD training stations would take place each day at 10am and 4pm for the students. Due to the change of plans requested of the SEAmester team to assist with a medical evacuation from Marion Island, the science team opted to instead study a trapped lee-eddy-cyclonic eddy formed due to an early retroflection of the Agulhas Current. The timing of the cruise provided a unique opportunity to study a phenomenon rarely occurring, and the placement allowed for both deep-sea underway sampling and student hands-on work when weather allowed for the medical evacuation from Marion Island.