{"id":95,"date":"2015-08-06T14:50:11","date_gmt":"2015-08-06T14:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oceanblogs.org\/eadsm\/?p=95"},"modified":"2015-08-11T08:31:11","modified_gmt":"2015-08-11T08:31:11","slug":"the-veterans-tales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oceanblogs.org\/eadsm\/2015\/08\/06\/the-veterans-tales\/","title":{"rendered":"The veteran’s tales"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Gerd Schriever<\/em><\/p>\n

Today it is my turn to write something about our cruise SO 242 leg 1 \u2013 DISCOL \u2013 Revisited. My name is Gerd Schriever and I am the \u201cveteran\u201d mentioned in an earlier blog entry<\/a>. \u201cVeteran\u201d means that I am probably not just the oldest person but also the only one on board of this ship who participated in all four previous cruises from 1989 to 1996 and took part in the development of the disturbance experiment, commenced after a baseline study of the area from January to the end of March 1989. DISCOL is the abbreviation of the project name \u201cDISturbance and re-COLonization Experiment in a Manganese Nodule Area of the South East Pacific Ocean\u201d. I think I will have more time to write about the project in later blog entries \u2013 but in case you have questions already now, please let me know (by posting a comment).<\/p>\n

We arrived in our working area Thursday morning \u2013 the DEA (DISCOL Experimental Area) at about 88\u00b028’W and 7\u00b004’S. We had two days\u2019 time to get used to the ship, to unpack the containers, to arrange the laboratories and the equipment and to learn the names of our colleagues from Bremen, Oldenburg, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain, Great Britain, Belgium and the crew members we have to work and live with for the next four weeks.<\/p>\n

Standing on the main deck of this new large research vessel SONNE, 116 metres long and 20.5 metres wide, and looking around on the Pacific Ocean, nothing seems to have changed. Some more clouds in the sky, the air temperature is about 21 to 24 degrees Celsius during daytime and the blue water has a temperature of 24 degrees and invites for a swim \u2013 but this will not be possible.<\/p>\n

Our research platform has changed. Compared to the old RV SONNE, the number and space of the laboratories has increased as well as the space on the working deck. At the moment, the ship is \u201cfully booked\u201d what means, in addition to 31 crew members a scientific party of 40 people are on board. Except for a few of us, everybody stays in single cabins, equipped with bed, TV, refrigerator and a separate shower and toilet room.<\/p>\n

Sitting in my cabin after the departure from Guayaquil, I immediately realized a big difference to the old SONNE: The noise level on this ship is extremely low. You almost do not realize that the ship is moving. You do not hear the engines and you do not hear the winches lowering or hoisting the scientific equipment to or from the sea. On each cabin deck a laundry room with washing machine and dryer is provided. The large mess room where excellent food is served and the lounge with comfortable chairs and both with big panorama windows are impressive. In these areas you are reminded that the new SONNE was built on a German ship yard known for its first class cruise ships.<\/p>\n

But coming down to the main deck you immediately realize that the new SONNE is a scientific working ship. All laboratories are now equipped with computers and the monitors for the different information systems. Special rooms with monitors provide information from the scientific equipment at sea directly into the laboratories. Communication between the ships\u2019 crew on deck, in the engine rooms or on the bridge from nearly every point of the ship is easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\t