Co-Chief Scientist Takeshi Tsuji paints a message on the CORK that will soon be deployed at the bottom of the ocean. Drillers, Crew, Scientists, Engineers and Artists all join in on the final touches before deployment. This blog is more about the fun we have off shift. Scientists are very focused when on shift.

Later, the outreach team test their ROV’s in the pool. Well, first we had to fill the pool. Jackie helps by holding the pool from blowing away while Jean Marie attaches the water  hose….

Bejonty and Bubba, analyze the ROV’s capabilities and extend challenges for the ROV, or are they just making it more difficult for expert driver Reona.

I suppose you all want to see what These ROV’s look like. It is not the latest tech game but it sure gives us a initial feel about  how ROV’s work and some of the problems that have to be overcome in water "driving".

Saturday was hump day, 1/2 way point in the voyage. (I only have 4 more weeks to get all I can from this trip!!) Sam, Beth, and Stephanie put together an awesome "Back to the 80’s party"in the movie room. The leading character and Co-Chief Scientist, Andy, poised as Marty (Back to the Future) in the posters around the ship seemed to dance all over the video screen. Stephanie is really good at that computer graphics stuff! The celebration started at 9 but some had to wait until after 12 to join in because they were on shift still. Most left by 0030 (12:30 AM) but I hear it continued for a few more hours. Here is Jackie in Dinah’s funny glasses.

 

Time to get back to the "science fun": CORK models, electricity models, navigation models, microbe tagging models, Rig models, grease vs dope models, and…. here are Jim Cowen and Amanda Turner doing some real science:  testing for signs of life in the ocean crust!!

 Night driving The ROV’s tonight by computer monitor was a bit more tricky.Thomas Gorgas succeeds  in rescuing the target!