It is the night shift here on the Melville, and once again I find myself in the main lab with a very tired Dr. Lonsdale and Jasmeet. But I think we all are finally used to our abnormal sleeping schedules. Currently, we are chugging along a nice fault scarp next to a huge deep ocean trench, which should yield some interesting bathymetry. I am definitely learning a lot, and increasing my intellectual worth.
Aside from monitoring the CHIRP, multibeam, and magnetometer, we also finished up editing what are called "ping files". When you drive over the sea floor, the multibeam creates a swath, and each ping the beam sends out is logged as data into a file. The beam, however, picks up a lot of extra fuzz on the sides, which can give inaccurate bathymetry. Our job then becomes to edit each file, and make sure the swath looks okay, so that it gives accurate data once it's on the map.
As far as wildlife goes, I still have yet to see any dolphins or whales. I seem to sleep through all the really good stuff. However, I did see two sea turtles, and the flying fish never cease to amaze me. Everyone on the crew is becoming more gregarious around me, and the cook even gave me a few smiles yesterday. I think it's because I eat a lot of his food, which is ridiculously good. If you do not like his food, you are most definitely not human. I worked out on the bike below decks just now before the midnight shift, which produced a weird feeling of boat-rocking vertigo as well as the usual sweaty uncomfortable feeling that comes with working out. Fun.
Science calls, so until next time!
Mackenzie
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