June 27, 2009

6-27-09

We were hoping that the clear weather would last for a good portion of the remainder of the cruise, but we should have been hoping it would last through the night. As soon as it got relatively dark, the clouds promptly rolled right back in. It was like the sea pulled up the covers for a night’s rest. We were approaching the mid cruise change over at St. Paul Island. Several scientists would be getting off, returning home, and replaced by several new cruisers during our stop. Rachel encouraged me to walk around and chat with some people before they left.

In particular, Liz Labunski, the ship’s resident bird expert who records all bird sightings during her portion of the cruise. She does all of her observing from the bridge, a part of the ship I had not been to yet. I figured now was as good a time as any to venture up to the top of the ship and boldly go where I had never gone before.

Despite being nearly 41 years old (launched August 21st, 1968), the Knorr is outfitted with some very technologically advanced navigational and maneuvering systems. I was curious if I would see a characteristic wooden ship wheel for the sake of historical preservation, but the controls looked a lot more like what you would envision in a jet than a sea worthy vessel.

At the helm was Third Mate, Alyson Paz. She had the ship on auto-pilot for the moment until we reached the next station where she took control to maneuver the ship into the desired position for sampling by the scientists. I asked what the highest seas were that she had encountered during her time on the Knorr. “About thirty foot swells up by Greenland” she replied. “Unfortunately I was scheduled to get off before the ship headed back out and I missed some fifty foot swells.” I couldn’t help but feel surprised that Alyson was disappointed to have missed, what seem to me, as very dangerous conditions. I guess that is the mentality of someone who captains a ship. I would like to think that I would enjoy being on some high seas after a reasonable amount of sea time, but I wouldn’t put a large wager on it.

Liz was noting all the birds that were flying within sight of the ship. The hundreds of birds that had been following us earlier had dwindled to a few random individuals. Since her duties required her to observe the water at all times, she had seen all the whales and porpoise that had swam by the ship so far on the cruise during daylight. The fog was currently limiting our vision to only a few hundred meters, so there was not a lot of viewing area to cover. I could see how, without any type of navigational tools, you could get lost at sea pretty quick.

For me, the best news of the day came from the floor of the House of Representatives. Bill number H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), passed by a vote of 219-212. For the first time ever, America has a comprehensive clean energy and global warming bill with the potential to transform our economy by creating clean energy jobs, improving our national security, and protecting our planet from global warming pollution. Let’s hope it can pass through the senate with its core policies still intact. Sub-polar areas like the Bering Sea are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change. However, I am still optimistic that we can preserve the diversity and productivity of the world’s oceans with significant government and public action. In the mean time another taste of deep sea mud will help ease my trepidation.

-Eli