NOAA Teacher at Sea: Peggy Deichstetter
Day 1 August 29
I awoke a little after five am. My subconscious had its flashers on. The realization that I had only 30 minutes to make my connection in Houston brought on a panic attack To get from one terminal to another at the Houston airport you need to take a shuttle. Visions of missing the ship danced through my head. Immediately I went to the Continental Airlines website and checked for later flight out of Houston. The last flight was at four pm. I should have no problem catching that one. My panic attack retreated until the next time I would need it.
Well, I’m on my way. I got the “opportunity “to use one of those new x-ray scanners at the airport. I would give it one star out of five. I thought the whole reason for the new machine was that it would be quicker. It’s not, in fact, its slower …a lot slower. Just when the airports got security running smoothly….
I’m on a new plane, which has TVs in the back of every seat. If I don’t give the seatback $6.00, I get to watch commercials for the whole flight. Someone was really thinking outside the box on this one.
My plane got in 20 minutes early so I had no problem catching my plane to Gulfport, Mississippi Next, an hour taxi ride to the ship.
I made it.. I think I’m the first one here. Looking for my cabin I run into Guy. He is a member of the science team, a biologist for NOAA. He helps me find my cabin. Before long two more members of the science team find their way on board, Ashley and Cassidy. The four of us head off to town to find dinner. We arrived back at the ship just in time to see the sunset over the bow of the ship
