On April 26, 2022, Xue Long, the icebreaker, returned to Shanghai after completing China's 38th Antarctic research mission.

It has been 174 days since the first group of China Antarctic scientific expedition team members departed from Shanghai on November 5, 2021 aboard Xue Long. For Ge Yuncong, a PhD student from The School of Oceanography of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the nearly half-year expedition was a wonderful journey that he would never forget.

When Ge Yuncong knew that he had the opportunity to go to the Antarctic, the remoteness and expense made he felt both excited and uneasy. With the help of the research group, he was well prepared for the scientific research.

Across the equator, through the westerlies, the China Antarctic scientific expedition team finally unveiled the mystery of the Antarctic continent. The White Continent is truly an incredible place with its unique beauty. When he saw the first iceberg, the first penguin, and the first seal, Ge Yuncong was thrilled beyond words.

Ge yuncong was responsible for the survey of marine primary productivity, sampling, as well as logistics support for unloading. For the purpose of understanding the distribution and source of dissolved iron in the Southern Ocean, Ge collected clean surface water and aerosols of this area. His work harvested valuable samples and data for scientific research.

During this scientific research, Ge Yuncong faced many difficulties, but fortunately, he always got the help from his colleagues. During this journey, he gained friendship, but also harvested growth. He thought it was meaningful to make his own contribution to the China's Antarctic research career, which made him very proud.