Saturday, 28 February 2004

Transit to Port Moresby Harbor

That's Entertainment!
This evening after 12 days of imaging the sea bed and subsurface, we began to head back to Port Moresby, approximately a 15 hour trip from where we are today, traveling at 12 knots. Have you ever wondered how fast a knot is? The term knot dates from the 17th century use of a devise called a common log which consisted of a log chip, log line, log reel, and log glass (a sand glass). An observer counted the knots in the log line as it was paid out over a set amount of time to determine the speed of the ship, which is how many knots one was traveling. A knot is 50 cm/second; can you walk faster than three knots? I found this information thanks to Joe Ferris, second mate on watch in the bridge at the moment who found the answer in a 1977 version of the History of Navigation, originally by Nathaniel Bowditch, LL.D. I couldn't check the Internet, also cannot check the Internet as we are on a heading considered "bad" at least in terms of Internet use. The location of the Melville's steel exhaust stack blocks the connection between our antenna and the satellite. The lack of connection during certain headings can be frustrating, but it's difficult to complain when the addition of full-time Internet access is relatively new. The first University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) to get this technology was the R/V Revelle, followed by the R/V Melville and R/V Tommy Thompson, all in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography fleet.

The crew works two four-hour watches per day, and the science party is on 12-hour watches. But there are times during transit or when you are off your watch when there is some time to relax and do...what? How do we stay entertained for weeks or months at a time at sea without access to Internet at all times, TV programs or the ability to get off the ship and go somewhere else? It's a good question! Actually, there are a number of movies to choose from and on Friday nights; the ship's crew has a standing 8:00 movie screening. Interactive computer games such as Dessert Combat allow many people on multiple laptops to engage in video games where they are playing against each other. You will occasionally hear the sound effects of the games and anguish or joy of a victory coming from multiple rooms. Reading is a great way to pass the time. There is frequent discussion and sharing of books onboard and when people leave, they will also add their books to the collection in the ship's library. There are card games, a pool built by the ships crew on the 02 deck which is filled with filtered seawater, and a weight room for exercise. On the 03 deck, outside the weight room you can find Captain and crew members lifting weights on "steel beach." Fishing is also a fun activity and the whole ship reaps the rewards of a fresh catch!

Another past time that has been a part of seagoing life from ancient times, is tying knots! (Here we are back to knots, only of a different sort!) There are hundreds of knots and while waiting to work, learning and practicing the art of knots is a fun way to pass the time! Check out today's video for a view of the bowline!

Today's weather and location at 1300 (thirteen hundred hours, military time for 1:00 pm)
Air Temperature: 29°C (81°F)
Water Temperature: 30°C (86°F)
Salinity: 29 PSU
Barometric Pressure: 1008.3mb
Relative Humidity: 82%
Depth: 22 m (72 ft)

Longitude: 8° 29.98445' S
Latitude: 144° 15.070' E