Mario's first research cruise
Mario was the successful candidate from a good number of applicants from around the world who applied to be awarded the first Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO)/AMT fellowship, the aim of which is to engage with those from developing countries and give the opportunity to learn new skills and to participate in an international research cruise. As I write we are about just 1 degree north of the equator so in fact not that far in relative terms from Mario’s home in Bogota, Columbia. He has been a great colleague on board, always smiling, and is being taught English sayings (including some of the more mischievous).
Here is Mario’s first blog…
In July 7 of the current year 2008, I was notified from Liz Humphreys (POGO secretariat) that I had been awarded the POGO-SCORE AMT fellowship for training in oxygen determination and experiments to ascertain the production –respiration ratio. It is hard to describe in words what I felt when I read for first time the notification – really? I could not believe it! A chance to participate in an AMT cruise is not small thing. Of course I applied for this fellowship in hoping to get it, but I knew, that many people (may be better qualified) were going to apply and that the probability to be chosen was very low. However, here I am, finally on the James Clark Ross; after two refused UK-visa applications and several problems finding a suitable flight ticket to be on time.
On September 5 after almost eighteen hours flying from Bogotá to Paris and then to London, I finally arrive in the UK. Once in the Heathrow Airport, I realize that my luggage was still in Paris, nice! Then after three and a half hours by train I arrived to Plymouth. It was 9:00pm and I was so tired, sweated, dirty and without luggage but in a good mood and very excited. The first person I met was my supervisor at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Dr. Vasilis Kitidis (Vas). He took me to the house where I stayed before sailing – Dr Annie Linley’s house. Annie also works in PML, she kindly offered a room in her house for my accommodation, I had a great time there and spent time during the weekends with her and her family.
On my first days in PML, Dr. Kitidis showed me the laboratories and introduced me to Malcolm Woodward who is the Principal Scientist and is also in charge of all the logistics and of measuring nutrients during the cruise. After completing some forms and formal documents I began with the training; some background reading on the production –respiration ratio issue was given to me and then Vas showed me the way to work in the laboratory, explained to me how the equipment function and then gave me some information about the technique to be used in measuring dissolved Oxygen in water: the modified Winkler technique.
The days after that and before the cruise, I spent my time practicing, doing the Oxygen measuring over sea water collected by PML and getting familiarised with the equipment and the problems that could arise during the measurements on the cruise. Then, after a few days of packing all the equipment and materials and approximately 7 funny and entertaining hours driving from Plymouth to Immingham, the Tuesday 30 of September we get on board of the research vessel RRS James Clark Ross.
Upon arrival, the Captain and his officers welcomed us and gave us some instructions and training about how to react to any potential emergency situation. A cabin was assigned to everyone; these are big enough to be comfortable, with internet connection, bathroom and fridge, also you have a nice view through the window. I share my cabin with Paul Mann “the man”, a PhD student from the Newcastle University. He is studying the photo-degradation of dissolved organic matter.
The first day, when the ship was still in port; we, the people from PML and me were the first to get on board. We remained in the ship over three nights before the ship sails from Immingham. During these days we got familiarised with the inside of the ship; for some of us (specially to me) at first instance, to find a specific place on the ship was hard, it was like walking through a maze. Fortunately that is not a problem anymore.
Mario and the CTD
Now, that we are sailing, one realizes that nevertheless the travel on to the ship is very comfortable and funny, there is a lot of work to do during the day. Almost everyone have to be awake at 4:00am or earlier, in order to be on time to set ready the CTD or to take samples from it. The first day of sampling, in the early morning, at least five dolphins arose in the water, next to the ship, swimming very near to the CTD, they were there for 1h approximately, everyone on deck was trying to take a good picture but the light was not enough. One week later when we were heading to Azores islands, also a whale passed next to the ship but it disappeared after taking some air.
The time on the ship passes very fast, that is, fortunately, because there is much work to do; otherwise the trip, probably, would be boring. Almost everybody spends the whole day from laboratories or desks to the dining room and vice versa. The food and the service are, in my opinion, quite good and generally there is something new to try over the table. The free time is by general during the night, after work. More often than not almost everyone is at the bar chatting and having a drink or playing something like darts or cards. Usually, it can’t take too long if you want to be ok the next day at 4am to be on deck sampling the CTD.
So far so good; now everybody is expecting for “Neptune” the king or the god of the sea (whatever) who, as far as I know from a secret informant, is going to come on board with big scissors and is going to cut off the hair of people who is crossing the line for first time. That is going to happen when the ship be over the equator line, but nobody knows with sureness if this story is real or just seamen fantasy! If you want to know what happen with Neptune and his scissor, keep watching the blog.