Tomorrow I will embark on my first research trip south of the equator! I will be a participant on the GO-SHIP/Repeat Hydrography Cruise as a member of the I09N team. I am very much looking forward to my second research cruise and all the new experiences it brings. The Indian Ocean is totally foreign to me, with respect to both it's physical and chemical properties, so I am eager to get some hands-on experience in this new region. Plus, it will be my first time crossing the equator on the water.
Our cruise track departs from Fremantle, on the western coast of Australia, and travels north, across the equator, all the way up to the Bay of Bengal. While we do not plan to make landfall in India, we instead will motor back south after our sampling is done and end the cruise in Phuket, Thailand. We will be traveling onboard the R/V Roger Revelle, a 274 ft long research vessel which has been exploring the world's oceans since its commissioning in 1996. The R/V Roger Revelle is named after Dr. Revelle, a distinguished researcher and professor as well as the creator of the Office of Naval Research. Revelle was one of the first persons to recognize, study, and interpret to the public the issues of carbon dioxide emissions, the greenhouse effect and global warming, all issues I continue to study in my research. |
The R/V Revelle is a sister ship of the R/V Brown which I was on last year so hopefully the layout will feel familiar. Additionally, my job onboard the ship will be similar to what I did last time, however a new crew and different scientists means that things have the potential to be very different from my previous experience even if my job and the ship are similar. I look forward to learning about what I will be expected to do and what projects I will be able to help with once arriving on the ship later this week. |
As excited as I am for this experience, leaving civilization for 6 weeks does not come without it's challenges. I am extremely thankful to my family for their continued support in all of my crazy adventures, even when it means more work and responsibilities fall to them. I cannot thank them enough.
It's been many many months since I have stood near the ocean and looked out over water for as far as the eye can see. I cannot wait to be back on the water.
It's been many many months since I have stood near the ocean and looked out over water for as far as the eye can see. I cannot wait to be back on the water.