7 July, 1997

Aloha!

I am on the R/V Moana Loa heading toward a research site called ALOHA. We took water samples earlier today by means of a large circular device loaded with large tubes called a rosette. Each tube is rigged so that we can collect water at different depths ranging from about 1000 meters to 5 meters.

After the rosette was deployed and recovered, I assisted in taking water samples for later testing for nutrients in the water and for testing precise slainity. Later I helped filter water through a small filter disk to collect chorophyll. The disk was then carefully placed in a samll capped tube with ethanol, a typed of alcohol. Ethanol dissolves the chlorophyll so that the liquid may be analyzed later. Then the tube is wrapped in aluminum foil and stored in the freezer. Why do you think it has to be wrapped in a light-proof covering?

My shift was short today because of the time of departure. I'll normally be on shift from 3:00am until 3:00pm. Thank goodness I'm an early morning person. I'm afraid that this shift even stretches MY definition of early morning. It is more like the middle of the night!! I think I'd better get to bed early tonight.

Aloha!

Besse Dawson