Here is a quick summary of my first week on the RV Atlantis. I boarded my flight from California to Seattle, WA, early in the morning.
***View from the plane as it descended to Seattle, WA***
Once I landed, I hopped on the bus and headed to Anacortes, (a snappy four-hour ride), and arrived at my hotel. My fellow interns, Grace and Cherisse, and I explored the quaint town and dined at one of the local restaurants.
***Picture of the R/V Atlantis***
The following morning, we boarded the ship and met Allison Heater, an SSSG, our lead during our internship. We were shown to our rooms in the science berthing, also known as “the snake pit.” It sounds scary; however, my room is very very nice. After settling in, we toured the 274 ft vessel, the R/V Atlantis: mess, the many labs…we were introduced to the lead scientist Jennifer Johnson and the rest of the SSSG: Robbie Laird, Chris Grinder, Larry George, and Catie Graver. We continued our exploration of the ship since it would be our home as we make our way to Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
***A-frame test, it lifted 100,000 lbs for 10 minutes***
As we readied to depart Anacortes, we spent the next few days prepping the ship. I helped secure the vessel for sea. Friday morning, I watched our departure on the bridge as we left Anacortes. Soon after leaving port the Chief Mate, PJ, scheduled a safety drill to go over how to use Emergency Escape Breathing Devices, EEBA., and we practiced putting on an immersion suit. The next few days were dedicated to testing/calibrating scientific equipment: the EK 80 and multibeam.
***Test path for the multibeam***