Part 1: Healy and Louis Exchange Visitors
NOAA Teacher at Sea Caroline Singler puts on an exposure suit. Click image for larger view. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
August 22, 2010
While Healy and Louis are traveling together, the science parties and ships’ crews are taking the opportunity to visit each other’s ship. Every few days, weather and operational demands permitting, Louis’s helicopter pilot Chris Swannell ferries groups between the two vessels. Besides an interesting change of scene, the two- to three-hour visits give the scientists and ship’s crew the opportunity to meet their counterparts on the other ship and learn how they do their work.
Today, the lucky ones who flew from Healy to Louis were the two teachers on the science crew—Caroline Singler (NOAA Teacher at Sea) and Bill Schmoker (PolarTREC)—and ship’s crew members CDR John Reeves and ENS Holly McNair. After a flight brief on the bridge at 1230 hrs, the passengers went to the helo hangar to put on exposure suits, get a safety briefing, and wait for Louis’s helicopter.
Ices Service Specialist Erin Clark of the Canadian Ice Service (center) gives a pre-flight briefing to (right to left) Caroline, PolarTREC teacher Bill Schmoker, CDR John Reeves, and ENS Holly McNair. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
Left to right: Bill, Holly, Caroline, Erin, and John wait for the hangar door to open. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
After the helicopter has landed and completed its 2-minute wind-down (running at a constant rpm to equalize temperatures in the engine), the hangar door is opened and the passengers strap personal flotation devices over their exposure suits. Although Louis is only a couple of nautical miles away, full precautions are taken in case of an accident over the water or ice. The visit is scheduled to last for just a few hours, but the passengers are carrying items they might want, such as a toothbrush, if any problems require them to stay overnight on Louis.
Erin (right) helps Holly (facing camera) strap on a personal flotation device. Click image for larger view. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
And so is Caroline. Click image for larger view. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
They’re off! Click image for larger view. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
Bill’s ready to go. Click image for larger view. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
Time to board the helicopter. Click image for larger view. Credit: Helen Gibbons, USGS/ECS Project.
The passengers are strapped in and ready to fly. Click image for larger view. Credit: IT1 Miguel Uribarri, USCG.
The flight from Healy to Louis, at about 1315 hrs PDT, was just the start of the excitement. See part 2 of today's log, in which Louis gets stuck in the ice...
