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Logbook
August 24, 1998

Contents:

NOAA ship Ron Brown arrived in Newport, OR at 0800PST. The ship had been scheduled for 1400PST departure but was delayed until tomorrow. A few minor problems with some of the scientific water sampling equipment for the ROV needed repair. Engineers from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory met the ship and are working on the gear. Ship is scheduled to depart at 0900PST 8/25/98.

Scientists are busy finding their way around the large ship, stowing their gear and meeting each other.

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August 24, 1700 hours

Delayed departure. Not unexpected, and I suppose something of a relief as I had time to make up my bunk before the rock and roll commences. I am bunking in with the navigation officer. This is a good idea because I will presumably always be able to find out where I am. We have already discussed El Nino, La Nina, and the hurricane Bonnie. The learning curve is going to be pretty steep for the teacher on this trip.

I have spent 30 years teaching young people about the ocean. I have, as they say, learned to "talk the talk." Now we'll see if I can learn to "walk the walk." From my upper bunk mattress to the ceiling measures roughly 24 inches. It took me ten minutes to figure out how I was going to drag my 6' 8", 280 lb. frame into that space, another ten minutes to figure out how to get back out in one piece. I have yet to find a ten yard stretch of the ship where I can walk without ducking some overhead object. Computers and wires are everywhere. Everything must be lashed down in case of rough weather. Miles of stout twine would be a good first estimate. Out on the aft deck sits the ROPOS. We have five technicians on board just to keep this remotely operated vehicle happy, and right now it's not happy. That is why we are still in port. You will be hearing more about ROPOS as we get underway and I have time to talk with the scientists on board about how this device operates.

I am facing row after row of IBM computers. The Old Mac-man is having fun just trying to figure out how to open and close documents. There is that learning curve again. I suspect that is what this trip is really all about. We are all going to learn new skills and discover new things about the ocean and ourselves. We are going where many scientists have gone before, but hoping to see what no one has ever seen before. I hope you will join us here over the next 28 days to find out what new discoveries await us 300 miles off the coast. I will do my best to document and interpret the processes and the discoveries each day.

I talked to one of the scientists who will be testing the chemistry of waters taken direct from the hot water vents at Axial Volcano. Others are setting up labs to study the organisms that live in and around the vents. The ship's board says departure at 0900, bound for Esquimault (Victoria) arriving at 0800 on September 24. ROPOS is just now being put into the water for a quick systems check at the dock. This is going to be a very busy and exciting month.

Welcome aboard to those schools that have already indicated and interest in voyaging with us. The Oceanography Club at North Marion High School in Oregon (last year's National Ocean Science Bowl winners in the state of Oregon), Ms. Dru Clarke's crew in Manhattan, Kansas, and a middle school in Hawaii that just started school today. Let us hear from your school with questions about the real ocean and the research that is being done aboard the R/V Ronald Brown. Bon Voyage.

Gene Williamson

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