The Ebbs and Flows of the Atlantic by Cassondra DeFoor

Figure 1: Myself in my foul weather bib and boots standing next to the
Rosette that is equipped with 36 Niskin bottles and the CTD which are
used to collect oceanographic data.

 

This is my first time on a research cruise and thus far, I have
thoroughly enjoyed it. The first few days were spent in transit to the
first station so we were able to relax and get our sea legs. I spent
most of my time reading, watching Netflix shows that I downloaded on
my phone, and getting to know some of the science and ship crew.
During this time one of my favorite things to do was to visit the
bridge, which is where the crew operates the ship. They never turn on
any lights in the bridge even as night falls. They let their eyes
adjust to the dark night so their night vision is as keen as possible.
When they need extra light, they use a red light flash light because
it is longest in wavelength and it does not cause the eyes to readjust
much. Standing up in the bridge at night watching the ship slowly bob
with the waves is incredibly peaceful.

We are allowed to use 150 MB of WiFi data usage each day, which has
resulted in my technology habits changing drastically. Whereas I was
once addicted to the zombie scroll through social media that consumed
hours of my day, I am now filling my time in other ways. I have been
reading, playing a ton of solitaire, and solving Sudoku puzzles during
my downtime. The constant text messages, social media posts, and world
news have not been missed and I have found that some days I don't even
reach my data limit. The relaxed life on the ship has been a wonderful
and much needed recharge from normal, chaotic life. I am always so
excited when we get the chance to watch the sunset during our shifts.
It is breath taking to watch the sun change the color of the sky and
the wave crests as it sets over the horizon.

 

Figure 2: the sunset on 3/22/2021. Some of the crew and I sat on the
back deck to watch the sunset.

 

 

It's a huge plus that the food on the ship, which is served buffet
style three times a day, is so incredible. We've even be so lucky as
to have a few between meal charcuterie boards (thank you Nikki and
Liz!!). As if they weren't already going above and beyond, they boiled
seawater from one of the casts and bottles sea salt for everyone to
take home.

 

Figure 3: this was one of my favorite meals we've had so far. Pictured
is shrimp creole, Mac n cheese, and brussels sprouts. Yes, I went back
for a second serving of Mac n cheese!

 

Figure 4: The sea salt sample that I am taking home. It shows the cast
number, the depth (over 13,000 feet deep!!), and the coordinate point.

 

 

I will leave you with some things to think about if you are going on a
research cruise:

• Pack for the appropriate weather. Going on this Northern Atlantic
cruise I came prepared for cold, rough, foul weather. I did not
anticipate that by the middle of the second week, it would be T-shirt
weather and I only packed about 5 short sleeve shirts.
• Scopolamine patches are the worst of anti-nausea medications. It
gives you a horrible dry mouth and blurry vision. Instead, opt for
meclizine. It doesn't make you nearly as drowsy as Dramamine and it
lasts for 24 hours.
• Head outside to the bow or the stern in your free time as much as
you can. Maybe do an exercise outdoors. Yoga out in the sun and in the
middle of the ocean is serene.
• Bring more books and more downloaded movies than you think you'll
need. I'm already on book 4/4 and trying to make it last.
• Ask questions. I am still relatively new to this field and I've
learned so much from the people around me (not only about oceanography
but also about sailing, pirates, card games, and ships).
I am hoping these next two and a half weeks crawl by so I can soak up
as much sun as possible and enjoy this unique moment.