Posted by jessmil on 08/15/2006 3:18 pm

The following posting is from Captain Bob, who is onboard in the Bering Sea...

Aug 11
Well, today is a day that sea lovers like me don’t usually care to talk about or think about. The weather system that I was hoping to get a head start on caught us already and it’s a little more than we were expecting along with heavy rain. Poor Willie had the 2 am – 6 am wheel watch and when I woke up at about 5:30, while trying to keep from getting tossed out of my bunk, he was standing in front of the captain’s chair bracing himself on three sides. I say poor Willie because it’s his time to try to sleep and in this weather it will be extremely difficult at best (as some of the expedition crew can attest to). The ship is safe enough but if we need to move around it means holding on with both hands and leaning on the wall all at the same time. I’ve changed course to try to minimize the rolling and pitching. Hope it helps Willie to sleep though it will extend our travel time a bit.

Willie read my blog for yesterday and when he read my comment about “I need a haircut” he made some smart remark about being lucky that animal control in Kodiak didn’t catch me. What a wise guy.

In the afternoon Willie relieved me on wheel watch so I could take a nap. By late afternoon when I took the watch again the sea conditions had changed directions a few more times and Willie had us right back on course and route again. We are about half way across the Gulf of Alaska now and I guess this means that we’re on the down hill portion.(Unfortunately the speed hasn’t improved on the downhill side.) We are just passed a number of undersea mountains referred to on the chart as Gulf Of Alaska Seamount Province.

The seas and winds are still up but the rain is gone and there are a few patches of blue sky to remind us that there are better conditions ahead. I’ll be glad to see them again. However, with the sun shining on the high seas with the high winds pushing the tops of the waves like sparkling white frosting, one can even find some beauty in the midst of a storm and know that this too shall pass.

We have just less than 300 miles to reach the north end of Graham Island in Canada. We should reach there sometime Sunday morning. It’s 8 pm, still light outside and Willie just went into the engine room to do his regular check up rounds. I can see him in the safety TV monitor we have in the wheel house. There are cameras in the main engine room and generator engine room. As I watch him meticulously go through and check everything I realize what a sense of security I feel with him being here and responsible for keeping this ship running. I’m really glad he’s here both as a mechanic and as a friend. It’s like, together, we can do anything and go anywhere the ship can take us. I look forward to those times and places we’ll travel to for research in the future.

- Captain Bob

Posted by jessmil on 08/15/2006 2:21 pm

The following posting is from Captain Bob, who is onboard in the Bering Sea..

Aug 10
At about 10 o'clock last night I quickly brought the engine down to an idle and took it out of gear to just drift and watch 3 Humpback whales up close. I first spotted the blows straight ahead and then watched them as they all, one right after the other as though on queue, arched their backs and raised their flukes and dove like in a graceful water ballet. It was beautiful and Willie and I stared in wonder and both spoke out our Wow's. A couple of minutes later the whales surfaced within 100 yards off our port side and then just laid there and rolled slowly around for a few minutes like they were resting. Then again, as though on queue, they did their ballet and slipped quietly below the surface. I then put the boat back in gear and we move on. I wish that everyone might someday have this kind of an encounter with these magnificent animals because there are no words that can do justice to describing the personal experience.

There are so many treasures that we have in the sea and on land that we simply must find a way to protect and manage them. If we use, and not abuse, the great renewable resources we have on this great earth they will last and support our needs for all generations to come. Finding alternatives to our non-renewable resources should be of highest priority in everyone's mind though I can understand it may be difficult for some living from one day to the next. I believe that our leaders should be held accountable for their responsibilities to protect and govern and if they don't…get someone who will. I know, easier said than done.

I’ll get off my soap box. Last night and today we’ve had some swells come up from our starboard quarter and as those that were on the trip know, that creates a lot of rock-n-roll and can make it very difficult to stay in your bunk let alone get any sleep. This afternoon it came down a lot so it’s much better now. Willie relieved me on wheel watch so I slept great for a couple of hours this afternoon which made up a bit from last night. We’ve got some overcast and a little rain. The weather forecast suggests that we may have a weather system coming up behind us. We still have another two and a half days out in open waters before we get to Canada so I hope we can get at least most of the way across before it catches up. Who knows, maybe it’ll change directions and pass us by. Hope so. We’ve been underway since June 22nd. I really need a haircut.

- Captain Bob