Bon Voyage! We have only just begun

Greeting ocean explorers! It is official: we are sailing. We left port from San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 5 and are en route to our first sampling location.  It was a great feeling to hear the props turning, engines humming and tugboats assisting as we left the harbor.  The entire science crew was on deck for the Bon Voyage, filled with excitement and anticipation of the earth’s mysteries that would be revealed during Expedition 340.

Meet the chief scientists for our Expedition who have collectively written the script for this exploration through the proposal process. Because of their success we will soon attempt to retrieve our first glimpse of the seafloor around the islands of the Lesser Antilles at greater depths than before possible thanks to the technology and brawn of the JOIDES Resolution.

Safety First!

Teresa in safety gear

Photo of Teresa in safety gear with USF’s Rocky the Bull and Honors’ class mascot Mr. Flajelly the Penguin.

First task after we had sailed a few hours was to have our all hands Safety Drill. When the very loud bell rang, we all grabbed our life vests, eye goggles and hard hats. Sort of like ‘March of the Penguins’ we all climbed the stairs to the life boats to await our instructions. Joining me for the safety drill were two VIPs aboard the JR, USF’s very own mascot Rocky the Bull and another mascot Mr. Penguin from the USF Honors College students in my class this semester.