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Cruise - 2009 Dispatches
Calendar
Dispatch 2, September 18, 2009
By Alex Kain
The Louis Moves
At around 8:30 this morning, the engines surged, the water churned,
and the CCGS Louis S.-St. Laurent began a one-month journey through ice-covered seas. Although we're now coasting through the
ocean, the ship doesn't feel much different when it's in motion. The
faint sound of water sloshing against the bow and the occasional
rumble of the hull remind us that we're in motion, but otherwise the
generator's hum sounds throughout the lower hallways the same as it
did yesterday when we were anchored in Coronation Gulf. The hum
sounds like it's coming from an odd hybrid of a leaf blower and a
laser printer.
Shipboard life continues uninterrupted. Researchers are still
unpacking and organizing for tomorrow, when sample gathering and
analysis begins. The entire scientific team convened this morning for
a meeting led by chief scientist Sarah Zimmerman. We discussed the
everyone's preliminary progress and coordinated for the first bit of
field work, tomorrow's deployment of a Conductivity, Temperature, and
Depth monitor (CTD) and plankton nets at the mooring site AG-5, in the
Amundsen Gulf.
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| Chief Scientist Sarah Zimmerman coordinates tomorrow's
deployment of plankton nets and a CTD monitor. |
Just after lunchtime, all scientists and new crew members followed
Derek, the ship's second mate, around the boat for a safety and
familiarization training. Derek explained to everyone the ship's
alarm system. Among other meanings, a sustained blast signifies fire
or man overboard. Seven short blasts followed a sustained blast means
stop whatever you are doing, find a lifejacket, put on something
waterproof and warm, and get to the nearest lifeboat. For practice,
everyone donned a waterproof emergency suit, which, though completely
waterproof and functional, could double as Halloween costumes for
children dressing as moon men. Derek directed everyone to the
lifeboats and explained where to go, should one never happen, in the
event of an emergency. Navigating ice-covered waters presents
manifold risks, but everyone feels secure knowing that the crew of the
Louis are so well prepared for unexpected emergencies.
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| Contrary to popular belief, these people are not on the moon. |
Derek also gave us a thorough tour of the ship, though it remains a
confusing multi-tiered network of hallways and stairwells.
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| Second Mate Derek Magnusson leads scientists and new crew
members around the interior of the Louis.
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Canadian Coast Guard sailors and Arctic oceanographers consider the
CCGS Louis S.-St. Laurent the Queen Mary II of the ice-covered world.
The ship is fully equipped with scientific labs, equipment, and huge
cranes necessary to move all required gear, but it also boasts
amenities more common to cruise liners than research vessels. During
the tour we saw the ship's gym, sauna, and lounge, featuring an HDTV
with a satellite hookup. Above about 79 degrees North, our
destination in about a week, the ship is too far North to pick up a
satellite signal.
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| The ship's gymnasium also doubles as training ground for the
Louis's secret underground fight club.
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Dinner progressed with typical conversation until our emergency
training suddenly became necessary. The alarm blared in a
sustained strident tone. A disaster! What tragedy! What loss! What
cruel, cruel fate! Actually, it was just a drill. As instructed
earlier in the day, we put on life jackets, bundled up, and headed to
the helicopter hangar to await further instruction. Next we went to
our assigned ship stations to prepare for a pretend evacuation.
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| Coast Guard Cadets Ryan and Leanne ablaze in the pretend flames.
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Tomorrow we plan to meet a fuel barge off the coast of Tuktoyaktuk and
fill up the Louis's two million liter gas tank, a task that requires
most of a day. To put that in perspective, 2 million liters of
gasoline weighs 700 metric tons and occupies the same volume as 40,000
Honda Civic gas tanks or 25 residential swimming pools. Once we're
filled up, we're ready to go for the duration of the expedition. In
fact, with a full tank of gas, the Louis can operate at sea for
approximately six months. A fine vessel she is.
All text and photos property of Alex Kain.
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