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September 25, 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

The six contestants prepare for their brutal battle to determine who can eat pie fastest.
The six contestants prepare for their brutal battle to determine who can eat pie fastest.

Three-quarters of the way through with our deployment and we are nearing the end of our work with the Louis.  Come Friday we will part ways with the Louis and proceed to Barrow to drop off the remaining science crew. 

Flights continue nearly daily from the Louis allowing various members of their crew and ours to explore each other’s ship and learn about their equipment and routines.  The science members also trade places and discuss the procedures for the day.  The ice and technical difficulties have allowed us to become very adept at changing the plan, but everything seems to be working out for the best.

SN McManus takes Wally along for a boat ride on the RHI. (Picture courtesy of LTJG Smith)
SN McManus takes Wally along for a boat ride on the RHI.  (Picture courtesy of LTJG Smith)

On Thursday we celebrated International Talk Like a Pirate Day in style.  Some of the festivities included a Pie Eating Contest, a Silent Auction, a Dress Like a Pirate Contest, and a Pie Auction.  Six people participated in the Pie Eating Contest: LT Ayers, ENS Bender, ETC Berringer, ET1 Swanson, ET3 Combast, and Canadian Cadet Black.  While the competition was fierce, with some using their pies to slow down the other competitors, ENS Bender won out in the end with Cadet Black coming in a close second.  The winner of the Dress Like a Pirate Contest was FS3 Baldwin, despite many worthy opponents.  The evening ended with the playing of pirate movies over the TV system.

As imaginable, towing equipment in the ice can create a lot of wear and tear on it, requiring constant maintenance.  During these times, the biologists on board are able to conduct a CTD cast.  These casts provide water samples at various depths for them to examine.  The biologists are primarily interested in the phytoplankton in the Arctic and their means of survival.

Congratulations to DC1 Imgarten and MK1 Murphy for qualifying as EOW and MK2 Starling for qualifying as FOWK.  In addition, OSC Manangan received his fifth Good Conduct Award.

Until Next Week,
Tara Schendorf
Public Affairs Officer

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Last Modified 1/26/2012