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Shipshape on Land and at Sea

August 17, 2018

These colorful straps and ropes—or lines, as they are known on a ship—were photographed hanging outside the rigging van of John Kemp aboard the research vessel Neil Armstrong. Kemp, who leads WHOI’s Mooring Operations & Engineering Group, knows that order is important to the success of any scientific endeavor. Order is all the more important at sea, where the unexpected is the norm, and knowing the location of critical gear can be essential to keeping scientific equipment and personnel safe from harm. “There are risks to everything,” Kemp says. “But if you are well-planned, follow established procedures, and have good equipment, the risk is low.” (Photo by Heather Furey, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)