NOAA Teacher at Sea
Mavis Peterson
Onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
June 21 – July 9, 2005
Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific, Alaska
Date: June 20, 2005
Science and Technology Log
Departure time was 1:00 and we actually left dock at 1:20. A beautiful day with puffy cumulus clouds in a bright blue sky. Getting ready to go was quite a process. Everything was tested. I watched as they checked the readouts on all the monitors throughout the ship. Equipment, like the rudder, the water and fire doors, were carefully checked. A different flag was put out. Garbage was taken off the ship and the department heads were called to the bridge to check in with the captain. The gangplank onto the deck and the anchor were lifted and we were off.
I was given a tour of the ship and places for me to be during different drills were pointed out. I received a “bunk card” on my door that explained the three alarms, what the alarm sounds would be, and what to have with me for each.
Once we reached deeper water, the rock and roll of the ship increased. We were scanning our path, not because it was a work order, but because we were there. The path we were taking was on the way to our work area and had not been scanned so they were making good use of their position. They had scanned a path on their way to this area last week, so now they were lined up right beside their old path.
Personal Log
I spent most of the afternoon and evening familiarizing myself with the ship. There are actually seven levels. My room is on level C. It is small and very noisy but efficient. I retired early, as laying down seemed to make me feel better.
