Busy, busy, busy

It seems like we try to do a little more science every day. Recently, we started taking grab samples of the sediments at each station, using a Ponar sampler. This is a very quick and easy way to get a sample of the bottom sediments, but it does not go very deep, and the sediments can get mixed up because of the way the sampler works.
The Ponar goes down on a cable , and when it hits the bottom, it releases a pin. Then, when the cable pulls back up, the jaws of the Ponar close and scoop up the mud. We will do some analyses of the sediments when we get back to the lab. Here's a quick video of the Ponar coming back on deck, just before we open it up to check the sediments. At this station, the sediments were very thick, about the same consistency as modeling clay. Leslie loves to dig into the mud to see what we got!



There was a question about how we get our food. We rely on Randy, the ship's cook! He's awesome! Randy trained as a chef at a culinary institute in New Orleans, and he used to work on private yachts. Randy has worked on the Pelican for a little over a year. We are all curious to know what kind of magic he could do if his stove, oven, and grill did not roll all over the place! Here he is, grilling some food for dinner on one of our calmer days.

Sam is one of the crew on the Pelican. His title is the Assistant Engineer, but he does a little of everything out here. He works from 6pm to 6am, and during his "watch" he is responsible for making sure everyone is safe. He runs the winches to deploy all the gear, and he helps out all around the boat. Here he is, getting ready to fillet some of the fish that have been caught over the last few nights. During the night, the Pelican often travels long distances between sampling stations while the scientists take a break to get some rest. If we get to the next station early, we often tie up the Pelican to old oil rigs, and if anyone has the energy they can fish for a little while.