by by Tiffany Willis
Our group arrived on the impressive R/V Atlantis (Newport > San Diego) the evening prior, but the first full day aboard felt surprisingly varied. We kicked off the morning bright and early with orientation to adjust to boat life with short presentations from our captain, Peter, the first mate, Jennifer, and our sci techs, Catie and Joe.
Assistant directors Judah and Lisa then led us through an ice breaker (though most of us bonded over the hunt for the ice cream freezer and card games on our first night aboard) followed by safety drills for the entire crew, including fire and abandon ship. Let me tell you, those immersion suits heat up QUICK while dry. I most certainly did not suit up correctly, but we all feel confident we won’t need to use them.
Next up, Judah and Lisa shared a few slideshows with us, detailing the Alvin onboard and a bit about the hydrothermal vents it has explored. Shortly thereafter, they assigned us projects in designing an experiment for Alvin! We split off into small groups to brainstorm, then, at long last, we finally got underway! The R/V Atlantis left Newport, Oregon, around 4 pm, out into the open seas.
Everyone excitedly rushed to the deck to wish the port goodbye and hello to the big blue! A few whales greeted us past the jetty to wish us well on our voyage. Unfortunately, this was where several folks fell ill with the rocking waves, so post dinner, those that could sat around to chat and ride out some uneasiness. I’m hoping we all acclimate quickly, but all things considered, our first full day aboard the Atlantis surpassed expectations!
