January 28, 2004
R/V Atlantis leaves San Diego
Voyage 11, Leg 7 of R/V Atlantis left San Diego at Noon, January 28. We are headed, south at a speed of about 12 knots in calm seas, towards the East Pacific Rise (EPR) to work in the area between 9° 30’N and 9° 50’N. The transit is scheduled to take a little less than 6 days during which time we will be testing equipment and fine-tuning the scientific program to be carried out at the EPR by the various scientists on board. We will present brief summaries of the science objectives for the various programs in the next few days.
R/V Atlantis at the dock in San Diego.
Maurice Tivey, Hans Schouten and Ian Ridley at the starboard rail as we steam out of San Diego.
The
science party on the 02 deck as the ship leaves
San Diego harbor.
The R/V Atlantis has a fine crew who work very hard to support the work of the scientists. Consequently, a first order of business involved the science party meeting with the captain and officers to discuss ship procedures, followed by a required safety drill. During normal ship operations such drills are performed every week.
Rick Bean, the 3rd
Mate shows Adam Soule how to put on his survival suite. Also called a
'Gumby' suit because it makes you look like the cartoon character.
The science party includes biologists, marine volcanologists, geophysicists and geochemists, so the science program involves a wide range of experiments and activities. The trip southward allows the science group to become familiar, not only with the diversity of scientific activities planned, but also personally with each other. Presently, we are sailing along the Pacific coastline of the Baja Peninsular and have been treated to the sight of a pod of California Gray whales migrating south to their breeding areas along the Baja coast.
As
San Diego fades into the distance, the Alvin operations group builds the
weights that allow Alvin to descend to the seafloor. The scientists pitch
in and help build the weights.
Check in tomorrow for more about what we are doing and where we are.
The Scientific Party includes:
1.
Wolfgang Bach - WHOI
2. Stace Beaulieu - WHOI
3. Kang Ding - U. Minn.
4. Javier Escartin - U. Paris - IPGP
5. Vicki Ferrini - SUNY Stony Brook
6. Dan Fornari- WHOI - Co-Chief Scientist
7. Dionysis Foustoukos - U. Minn.
8. John Maclennan - U. Edinburgh
9. Antoine Page - Portland State
10. Mike Perfit- U. Florida
11. Ryan Perfit - U. Florida
12. W. Ian Ridley- USGS
13. Yuri Rzhanov - U. New Hampshire
14. Cara Santelli- WHOI
15. Hans Schouten- WHOI - Chief Scientist
16. Jeff Seewald - WHOI
17. Bill Seyfried - U. Minn. - Co-Chief Scientist
18. Ken Sims- WHOI
19. Adam Soule - WHOI
20. Maurice Tivey- WHOI - Co-Chief Scientist
21. Rhian Waller- WHOI
22. Clare Williams - WHOI
23. Canjun Yang - U. Minn.