 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
THE MAINE EVENT: FALL 2004 Predation by Gelatinous Zooplankton in the Gulf of Maine MISSION DISPATCH 1 • Tuesday, September 14, 2004 Location: Wilkinson Basin Dispatch by Jessica Frost-Fajans - Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Chuck Jacoby and I were able to depart from Gainesville, Florida on 4 September. Our European colleagues, Ulf Bamstedt, Sophie Backman, Ebba Olsson, and Calle Stangenberg (all from Sweden), Per Flood and Franz Uiblein (Norway), David Shale (England) and Francesc Pages (Spain) also boarded the RV SEWARD JOHNSON II on the same day. Celeste Mosher had the shortest journey since she lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts where the ship was docked. 
Marsh Youngbluth and the
JOHNSON SEA-LINK I (JSL) submersible crew
(Phil Santos, Tim Askew Jr., Hugo Marrero, Jim Sullivan, Alan Fuller, Frank Lombardo, and Jimmy
Nelson) were unable to leave eastern central Florida because the landfall of Hurricane Frances
occurred today. We were hopeful that this storm would cause minimal damage. Unfortunately, the
hurricane ravaged large sectors of Florida. As a result, the cruise was rescheduled to begin on 15
September, ten days later than planned.
During the past week and a half, we've unpacked, organized and immobilized our equipment and supplies in the wet and dry laboratories. Chuck, Celeste and I spent a few days assembling the samplers we'll use to collect deep-living animals with the JSL I submersible. Per tested his microscopes in preparation for observing and photographing all kinds of zooplankton. Ulf and Calle modified special acrylic canisters to accommodate a fiber optic cable needed for continuous measurements of oxygen consumption. Ebba and Sofie picked and sorted hyperiid amphipods from MOCNESS net collections conducted during previous Maine Event cruises. David organized digital and video camera gear and set up specialized aquaria inside a new UNOLS van that's suitable for maintaining deep-sea organisms at selected temperatures and light levels. Franz and Francesc bided their time amidst all these nest-building activities and toured the local bookstores in Gloucester. 
In parallel with our preparations, Elizabeth Bruce, Frank Chidsey and Keith Martin (University of
Miami technicians) worked on the e-mail system, established internet connections, and tested an
automated Winkler titration apparatus for measurement of oxygen in seawater.
With most of the preparations finished, some scientists took advantage of the delay and headed into Boston, Massachusetts to visit the New England Aquarium and other popular sites. Ulf, Per, Francesc, Calle, David, Sofie, Ebba, and I enjoyed a 3-D exhibit devoted to the "Amazing Jellies"! After that, the Boston Public Gardens and the famous "Cheers" Bar captured our site-seeing attention. Franz rented a bicycle and guided his own tour around Gloucester. Tuesday, 14 September 2004, at 1800 hours we cast off our mooring lines from the Gloucester wharf and began steaming toward Oceanographer Canyon. Hooray! 
|  |
| ||