Today is day 17 aboard the R/V Atlantis! After 11 days on the pacific ocean, we have finally arrived in Dutch Harbor, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me start from the beginning. Boarding the ship, I was immediately met by a welcoming team who I would soon realize are some of the coolest, most genuinely passionate and skilled engineers in the world.

Forewarning this post has lots of pictures.

Walking back to the R/V Atlantis at night, with the backdrop of the San Diego skyline.

I spent the next several days working closely with the Alvin team, preparing the submersible and its supporting work spaces for the transit cruise ahead. These tasks included everything from organizing and cleaning the machine shop to assisting with the removal and inspection of Alvin’s viewport windows.

Cleaning and inspection of Alvin’s starboard forward window.
Leaving port in San Diego.

On Sunday, June 1st, we set sail on our journey to Dutch Harbor. Within 24 hours of leaving San Diego, we were greeted by 3 days straight of rough, unforgiving, turbulent ocean. Turning wrenches while getting covered in hydraulic fluid and fighting to keep your balance in 20 foot seas really tests your grit. The only escape from this constant roller coaster happened at night. The loud banging of waves crashing against the boat, the roar of the engines, and the shifting of every secured item in the ship trying to escape, formed a loud symphony, aggressively rocking you to sleep.

This sleep was occasionally disrupted by being thrown into the wall of your bunk by a large wave, or, in my case, the horrible sound of a gallon of bleach finding its way out of a cabinet in my room, flying through the air, and exploding against the opposite wall! Needing to evacuate your room at 3am because of a chemical spill is a rude awakening, one I will never forget.

Despite the challenges, this transit cruise was one of the most incredible experiences of my life so far. Having the opportunity to put my skills to the test in such a demanding environment is extremely rewarding.

Here are a few notable pictures I took during transit.

Here are 2 photos captured from the same angle. The first shows the back of the ship being pushed well above the horizon. The second picture shows the large swell as it continued on its journey.
Here is a picture of the rough unforgiving ocean captured from a hydro lab port side window.
This is a small part of the variable ballast hydraulics system featuring the accumulator, one of the many systems I have done maintenance on during transit.
A beautiful 10pm sunset off the port side. The first calm water in days.
Breathtaking view as we crossed over the Aleutians into the Bering Sea.
A perfectly cold and beautiful morning, arriving in Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

Since arriving in Dutch Harbor, the Alvin team has been hard at work preparing the submersible for the upcoming dive expedition. However, the convenient midnight sunset allows plenty of daylight for exploring this breathtaking new scenery after work.

Preparing to install Alvin’s Ballast tanks.
The view from Fort Schwatka on Amaknak Island, featuring Broad Bay, and Fort Learnard on the far cliffs.

This opportunity has been incredible so far, and it’s just the beginning. Tomorrow June 15, we will be departing on our 18 days of dive operations, exploring what lies bellow the surface of this breathtaking place!