Diving into Delaware seagrass

As he snorkeled around the West Antarctic Peninsula, University of Delaware doctoral student TreVaughn Ellis was a bit bummed that he couldn't scuba dive. But having only gotten his drysuit certification a month before, Ellis was placated with an analogy: It's like learning to ride a tricycle and then wanting to compete in the X Games.

Ellis traveled to Antarctica in January to sample and examine the microbiome of Antarctic brown algae as part of a research expedition aboard the Motor Vessel Ortelius.

All the collections he made were done using snorkeling methods with the assistance of advanced drysuit divers.

"Snorkeling in Antarctica was incredible. I was astonished at the color and vibrancy that existed underwater," Ellis said. "The water was a different kind of cold, and while my face was the only part of my drysuit exposed, I immediately felt pins and needles as it froze and went numb after only a few minutes. Fighting the freeze, surge and dodging ice floats made the collections even more of an adventure."