SUNDAY, 04.05.09

1809: T-Minus 1 Day & Counting
We are roughly 28 hours away from arriving on site and beginning our operations. Today at noon, we began working the shifts. The day shift is currently undergoing vehicle operations orientation. As well, both of the analysts are working closely with Greg Packard to finalize the planning for the Leg. We left off in the middle of boxes 16a and b and each column, as currently designed, runs to 22. When we arrive tomorrow evening, the plan is to deploy four DOTS and then begin vehicle evolutions. That will hopefully have us putting the first vehicle in the water at around midnight tomorrow.

The analysts are discussing the boxes and where to go from here. This has been ongoing and I hope is now reaching final stages for a recommendation to Ted Waitt. We are also hoping to hear back from Chris Nutter and others who are looking at the plan for this final Leg. I have asked both the Woods Hole and Harbor Branch teams to provide me with their limitations schedule-wise. We have made a commitment to return the borrowed thruster unit, so I want to know when that absolutely has to happen because the ship may have other obligations. I have asked for those dates so we can know exactly the very last day we can be out here.

We passed Gardner Island (for the third time) this morning at sunup. Crew morale seems pretty good; the new team members joining us seem to be integrating just fine. As a matter of fact, Liz Smith has adopted the day shift and is working with them during their orientation as I write this.

We’re loading our guns and getting ready for the hunt.