March Begins Well
Mary Ann is back and morale is up after so many problems…
MONDAY, 03.02.09
The varied personnel on the shifts learn to work closely with each other and even find some time for fun. (L-R) AUV Operators/Technicians Matt Tocchini and Jim Sullivan of Harbor Branch (HBOI), Deck Safety Officer/AUV Operator Joe Lepore and AUV Mechanical Engineer/AUV Operator Brennan Phillips of Woods Hole (WHOI) work the night shift.
0758: Day 15, (Yesterday, March 1)
I am most happy to say goodbye to February. We rang in the month of March with a fully successful deployment of Mary Ann. She went into the water at 0125 and was on bottom for 19 hours. She was recovered today at 0220 and back into the water in record time after a one-hour, 44 minute turnaround. Her current mission profile is designed to square off the boxes that have been partial due to aborted efforts. This mission will complete both boxes 7a and 7b. Tomorrow evening when Ted Waitt’s boat arrives with our parts, we will sortie both vehicles into the water to work 24a and 24b. These are two newly designed boxes arising from the helicopter work Ted did while in the area. Those two new boxes lay to the east of the current overall search, and we hope to be in them by this time tomorrow.
When I queried the team tonight if they had done something last night to fix the issues that have been plaguing the vehicles, their answer was “we rolled two sevens,” which I took to be an unqualified no. Nothing else to add really. We haven’t seen a hot target yet. The boys tell me we’re getting good coverage. We are having some gain issues when we analyze the data, but it is due to a conversion issue with the files. We have two dongles (USB ‘keys’ for use of secure programs) for an EdgeTech conversion program coming out with the gear on the Ted’s ship that will clear up the issue, but the boys tell me they can read the data in the original format and are not missing anything.
Joe Lepore impersonates Michael Dessner, Director of Operations.
Morale seems up today, at least at night for certain; the night crew has really buddied up and when I came in tonight, they were just being plan ole’ silly. I got caught up on sleep yesterday; that was good. Thankful for a day off! Guess that’s it for now. Short is sweet.