by 
As I’m sitting on the airplane on my way back to San Diego, I recapitulate over and over in my head all the great memories, stories and laughs we all shared during this cruise. Even though this was not my first experience on a research vessel, it indeed was my first time as a co-instructor with STEMSEAS, as well as being a co-chief scientist on the expedition. To all of us, this was a first experience on many different levels.
I remember when we were about to depart from San Diego, I looked at everybody and I knew we were all facing a combination of different feelings, going from confusion and uncertainty to excitement and curiosity; but for sure, we were ready to start the adventure.
Although some of the students got sea-sick, after a few days their bodies adjusted to the movement of the vessel and finally they were able to enjoy a nice meal prepared by our chefs Richard and Craig. I was impressed by how all of them showed enthusiasm, passion, and commitment to participate in the different activities and work we had.
As the time went by, we all started to feel more comfortable with our surroundings and share more about ourselves. It was incredible to see how the students interacted with the crew members. They learned about the different places they’ve explored and listened to all their great stories on board the R/V Roger Revelle.
As you’ve seen in the previous posts, the students worked very hard on the recovery of the EM instruments, and for that I’m truly grateful. The cruise wouldn’t have been the same without them; they inspired me, and made me see how amazing it is sharing what we love with others.
I want to thank all of them for working really hard and for helping us to achieve such a successful cruise, for playing games together and for the Latin dances we had during the final part (we were celebrating, see the videos below!), that was I n c r e d i b l e.
Saying good bye has always been something difficult for me, but in this case, I know I’m not saying good bye, I’m only saying “see you later”, because in one way or another we’ll get another chance to see each other and continue to share happy moments just like we did on board the R/V Roger Revelle.
-Titi Vale
