After saying good bye to most of the science crew back in San Francisco, there has not been any down time to relax after quick crash course on some of the many scientific equipment on board. The ship has been dry docked for about a year and a half now, and the R/V Atlantis has been fixed with all new interiors. Now everything that was originally inside has been in storage and also new eqipment has been bought to fit all new appliances and rooms, so it has been the interns job to be ready and available for any labor that is given to us or we sought after.
This is the first time being this far down the Pacific Ocean, and let me say that California dry heat is a blessing compared to the sheer humidity that all of Mexico has been providing for us. It has certainly made unpacking unventilated cargo vans full of furniture, totes of tools, and other bits and ends a extremely sweaty and laborious process! I think my crowning achievment for the past week is learning different tools and how to use them for different jobs around the ship. Whether we’re securing spaces for sea, painting, extracting various deck plugs in the floors, setting up IP addresses on transmitters/recievers, just to name a few things! I think I am most proud of the matrix-style wall of monitors for a wench control station here in the computer labs. I got to set up the measurements, best method of mounting, and execute the plan. I think that’s what I am most proud of this week.
On a brighter end of things, though I have spent a better part of the year in the Bering Sea, these oceans are just so blue and full of fun and active critters. I have seen dolphins galore (no good pictures, but some pretty spectacular videos), floating debris creating mini ecosystems for tropical fish communities, a mahi-mahi, and whales breaching. Another first for me is seeing a clear sky so far away from any lights and seeing the sheer amount of stars that has been gorgeously humbling, shooting stars every night, and the milky way. Truly a beautiful part of the world and one I feel so lucky to have the chance to experience it even after a hard days work.
Before we started
Putting up the unistraps (An all day effort…just getting them parallel…)
And a 90% completed job! Only 3 more monitors on the left side, but a job well done!