Journal entry, 19 Jun 2002: It snowed this morning. Flakes propelled by high winds rocketed across our decks like a hail of ivory bullets. Last evening (though of course it's never really night here) the winds built to 60 knots, nearly a hurricane.

All night we wallowed in the trough, while thuggish waves exploded against our bow in geysers of gauzy sea spray.

Science is at a standstill. Using ubiquitous ocean contaminants like freon and radioactive iodine as tracers, Knorr's scientists are mapping the Gulf Stream's path. They hope that by understanding the behavior of currents they may understand its effects on climate. And by understanding why currents change, they may advise governments on how best to adapt to the earth's changing climate.

We just motored past a dead Minke whale. It was floating belly-up, and ravenous seagulls were gouging chunks of flesh from its carcass. The wounds gaped like toothless mouths. In the distance, rising sharply from the Greenland Sea, the graceful, snow encrusted volcano Jan Mayer. It looked like Mt. Fuji.