Q: Is it Difficult to be at Sea for a Long Time? Sea Time:
A: The answer is, "Well, it depends". I had been thinking about how to answer this question and so I asked our seasoned experts on board what they thought. That first answer was from Meghan, our Restech. She has been on board several different ships and her experience is that it really depends on personality. Some people bond and work well together the whole time at sea, and others do not.
Ron, our dredge expert, mentioned one experience when they departed port in San Diego bound for LA, on a perfect day. A student was along and during the day, Ron and the cook were on the back deck most of the passage simply enjoying the weather. They arrived at the dock in LA, and the student brought his bag on deck and said, "I'm getting off, I can't put up with this!" Why? Who knows?
It has happened that a ship returned to port to let someone back off because it was simply not going to work out! Meghan also mentioned a time where one new person joined a group and then spoiled the mood of a group of people that had done well together for the entire month prior. Others in the group recalled something similar on other ships.
OK, so how have we done? Really pretty good!
I think that most people have done well on this trip considering different cultures and jobs. For myself, I really enjoy being out here, and now that we are in the last week of our trip, I now realize how quickly it will be over. Yes, I am ready to be on land again, but I know I love the sea, the challenge of everyhing here... and know I will be back again.
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Student Resources:
Science Challenge Questions in Hard-copy format (Word.doc)
Online Science Challenge 1 Online Science Challenge 2 Online Science Challenge 3 Online Science Challenge 4
Student Questions and Answers from Scientists:
Is it Difficult to be at Sea for Two Months?
How big is the dredge & how many rocks do we collect when we dredge?
Do Sharks Attack Your Seismic Floats?
What Are We Doing on July 4th in the Indian Ocean?
Ship Speed: How Fast are we traveling at sea?
Where are the Real-time Web-Cameras on the RV Roger Revelle?
Expedition Background Articles:
Hotspots and Ninetyeast Ridge: What’s a hotspot?, by Will Sager
Anatomy of a Seamount Survey, by Will Sager
Dredging Operations onboard the R/V Revelle, by Amy Eisin
Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks, by Fred Frey
Cool Expedition Discoveries Already!, by Will Sager
What is Bathymetry?, by Will Sager
Acoustics: Substitute for Superman Vision?, by Will Sager
Magnetometers (“Maggie”) and Attracting Sharks, by Rory Wilson
High.Seas.HIGHTECH/ analyze!ocean@voyages, by lots of us...
How to Become a Captain, by the Captain
The Search for the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, by Leslie Nemazi.
Rocks Rock! (or ) The Fresh Cut Surface of Beautiful Ocean Rock, by Evelyn Mervine
Exploring the Bridge of the RV Roger Revelle
Teacher Resources:
Sample Student Responses to the Navigation Challenge Question (Word.doc)
CCTM PowerPoint presentation: An Introduction to the Sea90e Expedition
The Official NER Science Cruise Report including Educational Outreach
