Hello again from the night shift. This is our last night onboard, we are doing a few last transects looking for some more internal waves. There was one spotted last night, so hopefully we will see a few more before our time is up. Due to the quick turn-a-round that the boat and crew has to make (to make way for next week’s cruise that starts Monday), we will get into port this morning and start the unloading process.
I just thought I would leave what I have learned from this process. First, ORGANIZATION. Not only of yourself and your research (there are things I wished I had brought on this cruise), but of the daily cruise plan, event logs, meal times, etc. I think Chief Scientists Ana and Kim did a fantastic job juggling all the research needs of the science team as well as keeping the bridge and crew informed of changes along the way. Even the best laid cruise plan will need changing, so I would think the second thing that I took away from this experience is that you need to have a certain level of calmness to be a Chief Scientist. Things will go wrong, winches will leak hydrolic fluid, someone may get seasick, but if you approach these issues with a level of calmness and flexibility it really keeps the anxiety level of everyone on the ship calm. Finally, I think communicating with the science and ship crew is integral to a successful cruise.
I have really enjoyed my time here on the R/V Pt. Sur. I am excited to get back to my laboratory and analyze the samples that I collected here. Also, I am really thankful for the knowledge I have gained and the colleagues I have met. Lastly, I just want to say a really big THANK YOU to the crew of the R/V Pt. Sur, the crew has gone above and beyond to help all of us out in conducting our science, and we all really appreciate it.
Last, here is a beautiful view from the bow of the ship, taken yesterday afternoon.
