Back at it again!
After a couple days of rest in my own bed, I returned to the R/V Neil Armstrong for the final leg of the trip yesterday morning. This science party for Leg 2 is a little different from Leg 1 party as it is made up of scientists and engineers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and a graduate student from the University of Rhode Island. I’ll be introducing you to the group as best I can throughout the trip. As usual, there will be a lot of interesting things going on!
To give you an idea of how life is on the ship, I’ll give you a small tour of my room. Depending on the number of people on the cruise, you may have to share with one other person; there are bunkbeds in many rooms to accommodate larger science parties. The R/V Neil Armstrong can accommodate a science party of up to 22 people. Each bunk level has its own curtain for privacy along with a light and outlet. Both are very convenient for when you’re trying to read or watch a movie without disturbing your roommate.
On some nights, the ship can really be rocking from side to side. Last night was my first night back on the ship and I could not fall asleep. My mattress kept shifting back and forth at every movement. But, I learned from my shipmates that the best way to deal with this is to shove a towel between the wall and the mattress. One person suggested to somehow wedge yourself to the bed which wouldn’t have worked for me since I have small limbs and can’t reach all corners of the bed.
Each room has its own thermostat, so whether you’re an ice chest like me or a heat box, you have the option to change the temperature of your room. You share your bathroom with one other room, it contains a toilet (called a “head” at sea) and a shower. There’s also a sink with a medicine cabinet in your room. Even though the medicine cabinet is closed shut, it’s best to bungee it anyway to prevent rattling.
The rooms have plenty of space for hanging clothes in an armoire or storing them in drawers underneath beds. There is also wooden shelf available. I found that there’s more than enough room for two people to store their clothes.
Stay tuned, this next week will be chock-full of work and fun as the team deploys/recovers mooring Profiler Moorings, CTD rosettes, and Net Casts, and listens to whales!
Irene Duran