As you might be able to tell, I am about a day behind in my journaling so I thought this would be a perfect time to really explain my "typical" day. One of the hardest parts of explaining a classic day is knowing when to start, because I go to bed when most people are getting up, soooo I will start at six o'clock in the morning and give you a glimpse into a typical twenty four hours.
I have always hated making the bed, now I can just close the curtains.
06:00 Between six and seven in the morning we will have completed our scientific sampling station so I go to bed. There is no fanfare, I collapse!
11:00 The alarm usually rings by eleven, I head down for my breakfast/lunch (today I had chicken nuggets and fries, I know I have a lot of running to catch up on)
Washing down the nets with salt water for any additional copepods.
12:00 Alexei finally trusts me so I take the day shift of deploying, retrieving and collecting the samples from the calvet. Yesterday I did approximately five stations, each 1.5 hours apart. Today I had the calvet stations and managed to squeeze in observing a casualty drill in the "bow thruster void." This was a training drill, flooding in the compartment with an injury. After watching the drill I returned to the back deck for another calvet.
Notice the size of the hatch, not an easy rescue for an injured person.
17:00 Dinner, even if I am not hungry no way will I miss this social experience. After dinner Alexei returns and I get work on my journals, talking with scientists interviewing the crew, learning more about how this amazing vessel works. (might squeeze a trip to aloft con to visit with Gary)
20:00 A trip to the mess deck reveals a heated game of trivial pursuit, though my journal is incomplete I sit in for an hour.
22:00 My head is falling over, I need a nap, off to my room for a two hour refresher.
23:00 If interested, Mid-Rats are being offered, our fourth meal of the day.
00:00 Is that my alarm, yes, time to check when the MOCNESS will deploy, night time fishing. As most of Alexei's team left a week ago I am actually needed, it feels great. While waiting to deploy I again try to work on my journal, and squeeze in a game of cribbage.
After the sampling tow and the work of processing samples begins.
03:30 We get the deploy signal, and start to fish with the MOCNESS. Remember we are fishing for micro-zooplankton, so no big fish at all. Some evenings the tow is late and we do not begin the station until after four.
06:00 If I am lucky back to bed. There is something to be said for not missing anything and it has been very important to me that I see everything. This is a once in a life time experience, to miss even a single moment would be a moment lost. Oh and I pretty much always skip breakfast at seven, I am unconscious by then. And showering, I will hold off on that story.
Just another wonderful sight from the HEALY.
Quote of the Day: Ocean: A body of water occupying two-thirds of a world made for man ~ who has no gills. Ambrose Bierce
FOR MY STUDENTS: It is summer, what has been your busiest day, why?