(a personal view from Jorge Gaete, scientific observer from the Chilean Naval Hydrographic Office)
A simple title; yet so short to describe an interesting experience. January 8th 2017 marked the first milestone of this 44-day experience on the coast of this far-away country well known for its huge Earthquakes and Tsunamis. For R/V Marcus G. Langseth just another trip; for some of the scientists another research project on a life-long career; for many others…a complete mystery.
From the visit of Chile’s President and the United States Ambassador to the difficult maneuver to refuel the ship, everything was new and exciting. Starboard, port, bow, stern, upper deck…simple directions given by kind crew members to some of us to try to reach our cabins. Pretending to have understood those directions, like lab mice we kept making wrong turns before finding our new home within this amazing ship.
During the initial few days, our headaches and heavy stomachs kept us trying to discover what had convinced us to accept this journey…”What was I thinking…” was a common question every night. Whether it was the support of a fellow student, the encouragement of one of the main scientists, or the friendly and hilarious remark of one the crew in the middle of the late watch, somehow we started to feel more at home. Delicious meals, free ice cream and chats with new friends were just some of the arguments to start to enjoy this trip. The view of multiple species of petrels and albatrosses soaring effortlessly in the cold wind above a dark blue sea added an exciting feeling of adventure.
With contagious patience and passion, Robert, Dave, Alan, Todd, Tom, Tina, Josh, Gilles and Ambrose, the instrumentation experts, invited us to participate on the long streamer deployment, adding “birds” to countless yards of the yellow streamer, which would unveil the secrets of the lower layers of this active part of the Ring of Fire ring that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. A photo in full deck outfit (hardhat, steel-toed boots, and lifejacket) could even turn into an unexpected birthday gift, something to brag about on your Facebook or Instagram account. With precise and coordinated actions, the crew deployed the streamer and switched to the more dangerous air gun deployments. With secure and brief instructions, all four air-guns arrays went off the stern and marked the true beginning of the cruise.
After the initial shock of getting used to strict meals hours and 4 hour watches, our bodies and minds started to grasp the true beauty of this research, and soon the first week onboard came to an end. A permanent internet link with family and friends connect us to the mainland until the strong sound of the returning seismic waves as we try to sleep reminds us that this truly is a different world. Yet the fact of falling asleep shows that we are no longer strangers on uncharted land…or sea.
As the days pass by, we comfortably approach the end of the first half of the cruise and “Life onboard” turns into just “Life.” We begin to understand that, as many have said before, “It’s not the Destination that matters, but the Journey itself.”
Seabirds illuminated by the setting sun.
