Forty-five days at sea, and we’re back in Dutch Harbor, at least for a couple of days. It feels like yesterday we set sail for the Arctic. A month and a half have gone by in a blink of an eye. Yet the last week has not been as exciting as the weeks prior. Some days are just less memorable than others. We had dropped off the majority of the science party at Nome, mostly due to the fact that Nome has a bigger airport than Dutch Harbor. After that we remained adrift in the coastal regions of Nome. Due to the typhoon that was in the North Pacific this week, the command of the Healy had decided to wait out the storm in the safety of Norton Sound. Norton Sound is certainly a scenic place to be; with views of snow-covered mountains on the horizon. It felt so much different than the Arctic Ocean that we’ve sailed for the last six weeks. While the color of the water in the Arctic was a dark blue color, almost black, Norton Sound had a green, almost malachite color to the water. My speculation is the green color is due to the runoff of nutrients from the Yukon river on the south side of the sound. The nutrient rich water is also the reason why we had to turn off the underway water sampling systems, as it would clog up the instruments. The three days at Norton Sound were some of the best weather we had, clear skies and gentle land breeze. The effects of the typhoon were felt ever so slightly, with waves breaking against the bow. I really liked to stand in the forecastle and watch the wall of sea spray hit the ship with each breaking wave crest. Sometimes the simplest things are the most impressive ones. Something that I don’t really think about anymore, waves breaking against the bow, are the first thing that comes to mind when I think about my life at sea. Our first day drifting was a nice change of pace, a much slower day without any science operations. I guess I didn’t realize how tired I was until I got a chance to rest.
In this last week I’ve been following the footsteps of previous MATE interns and learning hexadecimal programming for a signal converter box. System networking has its moments, I certainly take pride in learning how to program a sensor on the spot. I do enjoy working with electronics, even though the subject is rather dry. The way I see it, I need to know how to do the difficult tasks, in order to have the opportunity to do the exciting ones. To ensure those opportunities, I’ve taken lead on multiple projects for STARC. One of them was designing a work order for power outlet replacements in one of the science labs. In order to formulate the most effective work plan, I thought of what instructions I would need to get the job done. I applied the knowledge from my prior experience as an engineer on the R/V Walton Smith, to complete a task I now have as an intern on the USCGC Healy. This is not a project typically assigned to a MATE Intern. But, one of the skills that novice MarTechs generally lack, is the organization of facility management. Once again, a skill that is not glorious or exciting, but is essential in this career path. Throughout this cruise my notions and expectations of the marine technician career path have become a lot more realistic and practical. Not that it’s a bad thing, just a perspective through more experienced eyes. I’ve gain a significantly more professional outlook about the marine science industry during this cruise.
All in all this has been a fantastic cruise. During the last quarters with the captain and crew I was awarded the Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal. I feel honored to have the chance to work so extensively beyond the Arctic Circle. The award is given to all personnel that spent over twenty one consecutive days beyond the Arctic Circle. I have also participated in the line crossing ceremony, but that’s as much as I can say about that. Even though the bulk of my time on the Healy is over, I’m still scheduled to sail on the ship for two more weeks. And although the next two weeks will not be as demanding as the science mission, it is still an opportunity to fine tune my skills and knowledge that I’ve picked up.