Dispatches from Sea >>
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| March 2007 |  Laura Preston, educator, UNH/Salem High School, Salem, NH. |
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| April 2007 | |||||||
April 2, 2007
After a fire and emergency drill this morning, Third mate Jen Hickey had us on the deck for instruction on deploying rockets and flares. These would be used if a line was needed to reach someone in the water, or in case of emergency. Everyone listened intently. The fire hoses were also tested for pressure and functionality.
 The crew tests a firehose while the science party looks on above. |
 First Mate, Peter Leonard and Electrician, Ed Grossman oversee the firehose test. |
 Peter Leonard, Ed Grossman, and Chief Engineer, Jeff Little call it a wrap. |
 Jen Hickey shows us a rocket. |
 “Make sure that you tie it to the ship!” |
 Demonstrating the proper technique. |
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 “This is a flare.” |
 The pyrotechnics locker. |
 Lynne Butler looks on during the demonstration. |
 What good listeners we are! |
As Annie said in her first letter home, the food on the ship is wonderful. Steward Larry Jackson and cook Mark Nossiter wield their spices and create international cuisine for us. A favorite of mine so far was the Indian curry spread, although the pizza yesterday was quite tasty!
 Mark Nossiter, hard at work. |
Okay, I digress…back to business.
The geologists finished the sonar map of the eastern half of the ridge today. It shows all sorts of lava flows, fissures, faults and features that haven't been identified previously in this area. They are using this new map to decide what they want to explore more closely with Jason II later this week. Jason II is a submersible that is launched just like the DSL-120A sonar, however it can move about the seafloor with the help of a pilot onboard the ship, collecting rock, biological, and temperature samples along the way. We will be launching Jason II later in the week, so you will get to learn much more about this exciting robotic technology
 Scientists in action. |
 Chris Waters explains a particular point. |
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