Heading to Seward

Credit: Rebecca Travis © WHOI.

A team of 10 scientists and engineers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of Washington are headed to Seward, Alaska to load the R/V Sikuliaq for the tenth turn of the Global Station Papa Array. This annual spring “turn” of the Array is no small undertaking. A successful turn requires months of equipment preparation and testing. After all instrumentation has been cleared to go, it is then shipped from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to Seward Alaska, where it is again tested as the moorings are assembled for loading onboard the Sikuliaq. Loading is complex, as well. All deck space is fully utilized and when loading is complete, 106,340 pounds of equipment will have been moved onto the ship.