And we’re off! Three small tugboats gave us a helping hand at 0400 today as we ventured off the dock in Victoria, British Columbia, and out to sea. We waved goodbye to a few spectators and set sail for a 10-day expedition filled with science, education, and of course FUN! The science focuses on installing a new subseafloor observatory that will mon­itor pressure at different depths in the ocean floor over time. The education consists of 17 School of Rock participants (that’s me!) and 5 instructors communicating, connecting, and creatively developing programs and products that focus on scientific ocean drilling. And finally the fun is, well, everything!

We will be traveling for the next 16 hours until we reach our destination, Site 889 in the Cascadia Margin. Until then, I will be acclimating to the rolling seas and the woooosh of the waves against the ship. This is all new to me, as this is my first time sailing out at sea, but I think I’ve got a great start and I can’t wait for more. Follow me on this adventure and I’ll share what I learn with YOU!