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Beagle Project
Day 5 aboard Stad Amsterdam
Sighting Dolphin
September 5, 2009
2100 HR
Off the coast of Spain
Last night I sat at the computer table in the Long Room, a dozen of so colleagues all around working on their laptop computers, blogging away, or producers and editors putting together the what will be the second installment for VPRO public TV and radio broadcasts. A little further aft, in his cubby, Ron the chief engineer struggling and managing to keep the Internet at work. In the midst of this the whole room pitched and chairs and things not tied town began to slide across the room, but before any damage occurred, the room pitched the other way. Every one kept typing. I cold hear the soft patter of fingers on keyboards and I let out a little laugh. My god, we’re on a sailing ship, the thought exploded in my mind I laughed at the tenuous collaboration we had with technology on a voyage commemorating Darwin’s voyage on be Beagle.
That was my fourth day aboard the Stad Amsterdam and today I realize that I am filled with the same awe and wonder at the collection we are and the mission we have proposed, to look into the past to rediscover discovery.
I am feeling lots better as the sea flattens a bit. I was up before Redmond, my cabin mate rose. My first stop was on Deck to see and feel the day. It was glorious. Still after breakfast I was back in my bunk again for a nap. Ilja came to get me to play the Chris Lloyd’s game. I asked him what to call it. He said, “ I think we should call it the Evolution Game.” When we finished, my score did not make me feel as if I had made it out of the trees. Then I thought, hey I like trees, what’s wrong with trees? I guess the real purpose of the game is just to have an educational conversation about evolution, than really telling how far along the evolutionary ladder you were. Later he pulled out some HO scale railroad track and set them up. My kids would love this, as much as they would have enjoyed the fire drill, with seaman dress in yellow flame retardant clothes with self-contained breathers.
Meanwhile Katja tells me that the temperature of the water has dropped to 15.7º. She is putting in and pulling out all manner of strange looking contraptions that gather water from certain depths as well as something that catches plankton spread on a roll of silk. Unfortunately some seaweed fouls the propeller of the Plankton catcher, and she gets only a partial sample. That does not keep me from taking out my banjo and playing a few tunes after an on-deck birthday celebration for Tim van der Maden. He is a video editor who just graduated, charged with putting together a video diary. He is working on our day at Plymouth. After the deck party the captain introduces the crew and we are introduce to the crew.
One highlight of the day was the sighting of what looked like several dozen dolphin, and their escort as we skirted the Spanish shore. I’ve stayed up late tonight. Redmond is probably in his bunk gently snoring. I sure this will be a comfort to his wife and all on board as we slowly meld into a family.
42º 23.1 N
009º 23.6 W Time 18:00 Local Time
Wind Speed 10-12 knots,
Wind Direction NW
2100 HR
Off the coast of Spain
Last night I sat at the computer table in the Long Room, a dozen of so colleagues all around working on their laptop computers, blogging away, or producers and editors putting together the what will be the second installment for VPRO public TV and radio broadcasts. A little further aft, in his cubby, Ron the chief engineer struggling and managing to keep the Internet at work. In the midst of this the whole room pitched and chairs and things not tied town began to slide across the room, but before any damage occurred, the room pitched the other way. Every one kept typing. I cold hear the soft patter of fingers on keyboards and I let out a little laugh. My god, we’re on a sailing ship, the thought exploded in my mind I laughed at the tenuous collaboration we had with technology on a voyage commemorating Darwin’s voyage on be Beagle.
That was my fourth day aboard the Stad Amsterdam and today I realize that I am filled with the same awe and wonder at the collection we are and the mission we have proposed, to look into the past to rediscover discovery.
I am feeling lots better as the sea flattens a bit. I was up before Redmond, my cabin mate rose. My first stop was on Deck to see and feel the day. It was glorious. Still after breakfast I was back in my bunk again for a nap. Ilja came to get me to play the Chris Lloyd’s game. I asked him what to call it. He said, “ I think we should call it the Evolution Game.” When we finished, my score did not make me feel as if I had made it out of the trees. Then I thought, hey I like trees, what’s wrong with trees? I guess the real purpose of the game is just to have an educational conversation about evolution, than really telling how far along the evolutionary ladder you were. Later he pulled out some HO scale railroad track and set them up. My kids would love this, as much as they would have enjoyed the fire drill, with seaman dress in yellow flame retardant clothes with self-contained breathers.
Meanwhile Katja tells me that the temperature of the water has dropped to 15.7º. She is putting in and pulling out all manner of strange looking contraptions that gather water from certain depths as well as something that catches plankton spread on a roll of silk. Unfortunately some seaweed fouls the propeller of the Plankton catcher, and she gets only a partial sample. That does not keep me from taking out my banjo and playing a few tunes after an on-deck birthday celebration for Tim van der Maden. He is a video editor who just graduated, charged with putting together a video diary. He is working on our day at Plymouth. After the deck party the captain introduces the crew and we are introduce to the crew.
One highlight of the day was the sighting of what looked like several dozen dolphin, and their escort as we skirted the Spanish shore. I’ve stayed up late tonight. Redmond is probably in his bunk gently snoring. I sure this will be a comfort to his wife and all on board as we slowly meld into a family.
42º 23.1 N
009º 23.6 W Time 18:00 Local Time
Wind Speed 10-12 knots,
Wind Direction NW