All Aboard! on Seamester IV (1-11 July 2019)

Associate Professors from Michaelis, Jean Brundrit and Svea Josephy and Michaelis alumnus Alex Oelofse, joined the adventure of Seamester IV in the July vacation. Seamester, organized by UCT’s Head of Oceanography, Professor Isabelle Ansorge and Tahlia Henry, introduces marine science as an applied and cross-disciplinary field to students. Its long‐term vision is aimed at building capacity within the marine sciences by co‐ordinating cross‐disciplinary research projects through a highly innovative programme. In Seamester postgraduate students combine theoretical classroom learning with the application of this knowledge through ship-based and hands-on research. The state‐of‐the‐art research vessel, SA Agulhas II, provided the ideal teaching and research platform for Seamester.  

Ansorge has over the years added more and more emphasis on the “art stream” which this year included Photography, Journal making, Microscopic photography, video and translating science into everyday writing. The art stream allows for an interdisciplinary space for Science and Art and for students to express their creativity and to have some fun. The art stream culminated in an exhibition where the students showed off their art work.

Other learning experiences included deck work, micro biology, star gazing, releasing of weather balloons, visits to the bridge and engine room, dissections, ocean floor dredges, netting marine plastics and lectures on weather, practicing medicine in Antarctica, physical oceanography, tall ships, space weather, nautical tattoos and astronomy. We released a mini boat and sent out a message in a bottle. And we experienced some wild weather and big waves.

There was also time to eat well, barbeque on board, play volleyball, fussball, darts, cards, games and to have a great party.

The Seamester cruise was an extraordinary experience for us as teachers, students and photographers.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-07-09-swell-times-as-seamester-team-weathers-massive-storm/

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-07-04-seagoing-students-keep-abreast-of-current-trends/

https://seamester.co.za