Hi everyone! As a long-time follower of this blog, I am very excited to be sharing my upcoming experience aboard the R/V Sikuliaq as a Marine Technician Intern!
There’s not much ocean to be found in Missouri, but I make do.
My name is Mackenzie Hilburn. I love visiting new places, jamming out on my bass guitar, and watching/reading/writing/all things horror! Little known fact about me: I am afraid of deep water. In spite of this (or maybe because of it!) I have always had a profound love for the ocean. Vibrant shallow reefs, bleak and mysterious abyssal plains, teeth-chatteringly frigid polar shores– every part of Earth’s largest habitat is fascinating to me. My dream is to explore every unseen corner of the oceans; in other words, to boldly go.
Photo from a prior expedition; I absolutely love being out at sea!
I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the beginning of this expedition! No small part of my excitement is due to the research cruise objectives, which have to do with the seasonal formation of coastal ice and how it affects the strength and frequency of waves impacting other coastal regions. This is a subject that is particularly close to my own heart; you can read about the specifics and further objectives here.
A large part of my excitement also comes from the fact that this will be my first time visiting Alaska! Earlier this year I had the incredible experience of sailing aboard Ocean Exploration Trust’s EV Nautilus in an expedition to the Mariana Islands backarc. In terms of geography, climate, and my own personal learning objectives, these expeditions are in such stark contrast, and I definitely intend to take this opportunity to broaden my experience in the field of marine engineering on the whole.
I just hope the winter jacket I ordered arrives before I have to travel!
Well, hello again everyone! I hope you have had a restful few weeks, and are enjoying your summer to the fullest. My days at home were full of catching up with family and friends, eating out, and taking plenty of naps. I walked my dogs, sat in the grass listening to the cicadas sing, and enjoyed the rolling hills of Carolina. Even though I enjoyed my break, you bet I’m going back to sea!
Flying solo becomes easier and less nerve racking with every connecting flight. I had a flight delayed by about 6 hours, so I landed in Anchorage, Alaska in the wee hours of the night. I scored a few solid hours of sleep before hopping on the next plane, and finally wound up at my final destination of Nome, Alaska, along with some of my colleagues.
Nome has a local population of around 3,600 people, and was part of the American Gold Rush. People flocked to the area to hunt for the valuable treasure, and gold mining is still relevant in the area today. This sign for Nome pays homage to the gold panning history of the town. The area is often a place of transit for people preparing to board ships, and has a very welcoming and kind community. We were privileged enough to have a full day to explore the area, talk to the locals, and enjoy some of the local businesses.
I met up with one of my mentors, Tyler, my co-intern Kaleigh, and even some of the members of the Coast Guard. We made introductions over dinner and a game of pool at the local pool hall. Check out Tyler’s signature move, which has roughly a 47% success rate!
A rental car allowed us to take in some of the sights on the outside of town as well. Rain and foggy conditions made walking a bit of a chore, so the car was a Godsend. We visited the local visitor center and museum, and everyone recommended we take a drive over the hill. The landscape and environment is so beautiful, and bustling with life. We saw birds of prey such as Osprey, small mammals, and many sea gulls and song birds. Just as we were ready to turn home and call our sightseeing quits, we stumbled upon some Musk Ox, or Ovibos moschatus. You can read a quick article about their conservation efforts here!
Once our tourist activities were over, it was time to embark on our mission; join the US Coast Gaurd Cutter, Healy! The ship was at anchorage, so a small boat shuttled us from the shore. It seemed to be a bit of a daunting ride in the wind and cold, so we donned our mustang suits and hardhats, and held on tightly for the trip. Thanks to the skilled crew, we made it safely to the shipside and climbed the Jacob’s ladder up. Once all personnel was on board, the luggage came shortly after. Everyone and their things made it safely aboard!
The ship itself is massive, by far the largest I have had the pleasure to step aboard. At 420′ long, she is called the most technologically advanced ice breaker, and also the largest vessel within the Coast Guards fleet. The Healy is a beast of a scientific platform, and for good reason! Research in the Arctic is difficult and harsh, which takes the grit and drive of a vessel such as this. Pictured is the back deck, complete with the all familiar A-frame. In the background, Nome slowly fades out of view as we sail out to sea.
As we begin our transit, we earn ourselves a tour of the humongous ship. Our mentor Tyler was also once a MATE intern, and it is very rewarding to see how different life paths can all converge into one outcome. Seeing how someone in my position can proceed in life and succeed in their career instills hope and even more ambition.
So, this begins my journey of sailing on the Healy. Even though I will most definitely still get lost behind a long line of watertight doors, trust that I am somewhere on board trying my best. I am super excited to see how the Coast Guard functions on board a research vessel, and learn how a marine techs skills can assist the science party in their mission amidst the training drills and station bills. Stay tuned for more, and come rescue me from the labyrinth of hallways if you hear yelling coming from the inside of the bilge!
