A lot of excitement for today. It’s 1st cast day, meaning we are sending the 1st set of instruments down off the back of the ship, called the CTD unit. This is no small feet either. All hands on deck to launch this thing overboard. This is also a particularly exciting event for Matthew. He will get a chance to snorkel alongside as the CTD is deployed, something he’s never ever been able to do in past missions.
All this beautiful blue ocean, and hot temperatures never allows for him to get in the water. Just too dangerous. As a matter of fact, he told me that scientists used to be able to stop and have swim time. Not any more due to a scientist years ago getting her leg bitten off by a shark. Probably not bad after all! But, due to our camera crew being here, documenting the trip, he asked the captain if it would possible for us to get underwater footage of the CTD deployment. Grey agreed it would make great footage, so deployment of rescue boat was initiated. This consisted of a risk assessment meeting with everyone involved. Launching the rescue boat is no small feet either. It took roughly 10 guys to make it happen, safely. A crane lowered me, David, Matthew, Jim and Frank. David has an underwater miniDV camera and I gave Matthew a GoPro underwater camera and overboard the two went. I shot footage of the process from the rescue boat while David and Matthew swam in the mighty great blue ocean. Apparently it is a real strange feeling looking down the 4 plus miles of nothingness, a little spooky really. All in all, we got some spectacular shots, both of the deployment and of the Kilo Moana floating majestically in this big sea. Now to download cards and ready the cameras for a full day of shooting tomorrow.
