Day 3 of our research cruise on the R/V Endeavor began with a hearty breakfast in the ship’s galley. Shortly after, at around 0830 hrs, the captain called for a meeting to announce that we were to set sail at 0930. The crew started preparing for our departure, while we secured our lab equipment and personal belongings.
As the clock struck 0930, the gangway to the ship was dislodged and the marine techs ensured that all systems were good to go. The excitement of setting sail for the first planned station was palpable as we steamed ahead for 18 hours.
As we set sail, each of the scientific groups got to preparing their experimental set-up. Our first task was to set-up the tow-fish system, which was our primary method of water sampling for the cruise. We were assigned the port side fantail for our instrument and had a meeting with the bosun and crew to decide on the most efficient and secure way to deploy the tow-fish.
After careful consideration, it was decided that we would deploy it from the port side davit crane, which was approved by the captain. We got the teflon tubing for pumping the water from the deck to the lab setup, and subsequently made all the necessary connections.
With the tow-fish system set up, this marked the end of our to-do list for the day. The rest of the day was spent getting rest for the days to come and labelling the sample bottles.
As we looked out to the horizon, it was a humbling experience to gaze into the unknown. We eagerly awaited what the next few days had in store for us.