All Blog Posts from Tech Talk

It really only bothered me because I detest olives, especially when they're passed off as "seal eyes." Give me a break. But if given the choice, I would probably do the initiation all over again, particularly the part where the "sergeant at arms" invited me to participate in Daniel's hazing. Probably the first and last time I'll crack eggs on a correspondent's head.

The creepiest part: being blindfolded - very hostage crisis and very disorienting on a seriously big ship. Kneeling before King Neptune and his "hag wife" was deeply humiliating, and "kissing the feet of the queen" was really "kissing a can of herring," or something comparable. I of course couldn't tell.

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Paul, the helicopter pilot, took us for a ride today, and it was literally unbelievable. The icebergs are gigantic, beautiful, and pretty much candy for Mark. We aggressively scanned the horizon for one flat and strong enough to land on (a calving iceberg is problematic, and could kill you) and were successful.

The downside: we forgot to bring an axe, some on board were expecting iceberg ice, they are upset, and we are unpopular, presently.

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LABRADOR SEA, OFF THE COAST OF GREENLAND – I've mentioned the over-eating tendency onboard, and along with that comes the oversleeping. (Or maybe it's just catching up from years of lost sleep.) I'm not convinced the excess food and slumber are related, but I am certain that all of us have slept longer and more soundly than we have in a long time.

We stopped for several hours today while the scientists conducted their research, gathered samples and lowered the rosette and other instruments. It's a clearer day, and we seem to have dodged any inclement weather in the immediate area but there's apparently still a possibility of rough waters ahead.

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Today we all – the Captain included – participated in an experiment literally involving messages in bottles. I loved it. Eddy Carmack, a senior scientist on the trip, has been doing this for years and finds that about 1 in 25 make into somebody's hands. Where they end up helps examine changes in current and circulation patterns. Everyone took varying degrees of running starts and jettisoned their bottles overboard. Some have better throwing arms than others.

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CBS News producer Chloe Arensberg is traveling with Daniel Sieberg and cameraman Mark LaGanga to the arctic.

We're crossing into the Labrador Sea, and I'm finally getting my head around some of the science involved. Specifically the use of bongo nets – bongo because they look like bongo drums – and I appreciate the simplicity. They collect zooplankton, scientists map its DNA and look at its nutrient make-up. It all matters because it's a crucial component of the food chain. The first official research station is tomorrow – for now it's been practice, fixing broken equipment, general panic, etc.

I had literally no idea that iceberg ice is a huge commodity, that people – specifically the Japanese – pay thousands of dollars for it, that others use it to make vodka, and that un-named coast guard members hack it off, bring it home, and scam tourists with it.

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CBS News producer Chloe Arensberg is traveling with Daniel Sieberg and cameraman Mark LaGanga to the arctic.

I've just now been told that I've been using the men's washroom, and that this should probably stop. This is clearly embarrassing. But I've yet to come across anything gender specific, this boat is 120 meters long, and getting lost is, well, what I do. Because of my gender/helplessness, I've been given one of the nicest cabins. I would describe Daniel (our correspondent) and Mark's (our cameraman) response as: not gracious.

We left Dartmouth around 10 this morning to little fanfare – some local media, but that's about it. It took literally forever to leave the harbor, with some assistance from a Canadian naval tugboat. Mark repeatedly called the tiny vessel their "destroyer" and is apparently disinterested in making friends, at least ones loyal to the Canadian Navy.

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STRAIT OF BELLE ISLE -- First "small" iceberg spotted off the port side of the ship. My dad referred to it as a "growler," likely one that broke off further north and may have run aground near shore. It'll slowly just melt away. Hard to know just how big it is, especially beneath the surface.

We're in the Strait of Belle Isle after some mechanical delays onboard the ship that held us up for a few hours. Nestled in between Newfoundland and Labrador. Very cool to see ice and imagine what's coming. We've just completed a video blog of a ship tour that should be up soon, and tomorrow I'll write some more about each science discipline that's onboard. Stay tuned!