Journals 2006/2007

Cyndy Martin
Portland High School, Portland, Maine

"STAR Project NOAA R/V McArthur II" July 28 - August 26, 2006

Journal Index: September 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 August 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9            10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16            17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23            24 - 25 - 26

August 17, 2006
Wave over the flying bridge!

Lat: 14° 55.4' N
Long: 133° 21.4' W
Skies: PC
Wind: 21 kts, 070 deg T
Seas: waves = 3-4', swells = 5-6'
Course: 320 deg T
Speed: 10 kts
Distance in 24 hrs: 208 nm
Sea temp: 27.4 deg C
Distance from land: 1029 WSW of Clarion Is

Well the sun finally blessed us with it's presence, so took advantage of it by napping in the lounge chair up on the flying bridge. So I'm resting peacefully when I'm suddenly awoken by a deluge of water washing over me! We took a wave over the bow that managed to find it's way 45' up in the air, over the canopy and onto me. Totally soaked and a good laugh!

It was a bad day for the canon SuperShot; yesterday I took it from the dry lab, which has a temp of 58 deg F, to the outside, and of course it did what my glasses usually do (even though it was in the case!), and the lenses fogged up. I gave it a few minutes to defog, and proceeded to take 8 or 10 pics over the next few hrs. This morning: nothing! Can't even get it to come on. After all the hours I've been spending in the dry lab at the computers entering behavior data, reading research papers, and emailing, wrapped up in a big wool blanket and a heavy fleece, I guess I should have known. Anyway, I can just toss my $600 camera right over the side (which I of course won't do, since it's mostly plastic).

I'm realizing I've said nothing about waste from the ship. Once each day the sewage is pumped overboard, as well as all biodegradable waste (food, paper, etc.) All plastics are carefully sorted from the waste stream, to be properly disposed of once reaching shore. Yin (one of the mammal observers) has been faithfully recycling all returnables, to be redeemed in Honolulu.

This plankton will make a delicious midnight snack!