Night before the dive

Today was the first dive for ALVIN. The chief sci (CS) and K-Dude were the passengers for the first trip. It was mostly exploratory, searching for vents we want to use, animals to collect, places to put equipment. They also placed our sampler into position. That was an interesting morning. I woke up at 5am, and got down to the deck by 5:30. When I got down there Strawberry Shortcake and Mookie had put nearly everything (if not everything) together and had it all ready to go. They were up apparently at 1 or 2 am... I tried my best not to be cranky, Hedgehog Gal (friend back on land) was very proud of me for not strangling anyone. I had 1.5 cups of coffee, someone stole my last half somehow. I put it down and then it was gone. :(


We successfully got the sampler into the water, with a nice splash. Then we went to get breakfast. Those fried bagels were there again, I passed on them again. BTW, where is that NY bagel I asked for?? Anyway. During breakfast, CS came up to my table and let me know that tomorrow is my dive. I wasn't expecting it this early in the cruise. Nervousness hit. But I tried to suppress that and think happy exciting thoughts. After breakfast we all went out to watch K-Dude and the CS board the sub and be deposited into the ocean.


Once they were gone, the four of us set to work on getting Sampler #2 ready for the next deployment. We had a few fun moments of trying to figure out why pumps weren't pumping (oh, the tube is still clamped shut, doh!), sawing off a bolt that was too long, hunting for tools in the ALVIN hanger and trying not to get sun-burnt. We got all the tubing prepped, bleached and running well.


Tomorrow morning, or tonight depending on how you look at it, at 4:00 am, we will acoustically release the sampler that is already down on the bottom of the ocean. It will rise and be on deck by 5:15am. We (as in the other guys) then swap out a few parts, a pump and such, and then by 6:30 am put over Sampler #2. We will then begin processing the 210 liters of diffuse flow vent water which can take 8 - 10 hours.


Me? Well, I'll be heading to a dive briefing tonight, then wake up early and do what Eric did today. Yes, I'm a bit nervous, but I think I'll be okay. Heck Ann Curry did it on the Today show! And I know the pilot who will be diving with us. So all should be good. Think good thoughts and I'll be writing tomorrow what the dive was like. Until then, have a good night!