The
ship late at night is an eerie place to be. There are not many people
around, the engine room is on automatic, and the galley is closed. Everyone
is completely exhausted from his or her endeavors. There aren't many
people prowling around EXCEPT...
|
|
Bekki Helton and Dave Shin. What are they up to? |
|
They find PJ waving sadly as he heads to the bridge to stand watch
from 0000–0400. |
|
Steve Garrey lurks in the video room. |
|
|
The hallways are abandoned.
|
|
| We're
trying to be quiet. |
|
| Maybe
someone is awake in the science lab. |
|
|
Only the Emergency Breathing Apparatuses (EBAs) are keeping company
in the lab.
|
|
Dave
and Kurt plot after midnight to wreak some havoc. |
|
There
I was, just minding my own business when ... midnight VAMPIRE
ATTACK!! |
|
|
Hepsi doesn't think much of vampires.
|
|
|
On the more serious side — we did have a GREAT lecture by Dr. Kevin
Fielman on the RNA work he's doing with thermophilic Alvinella
pompejana. There's never a dull
moment when Kevin speaks. |
|
A last look at the magnificent chimney collected by Pat Hickey
on Friday. If you look at the close-ups, you can see how the tubes
coil together like ropes. One of the tubes was really well preserved.
The chimney itself is about 2 feet high and 10 inches in diameter.
|
|
Dr. Cary was really pleased with this collection as it gave a
great opportunity to really study how the worms set up their colonies. |
|
|
It's
a rainy day on the Atlantis.
|
|
Marks Spear works on the penetrators under the sphere. Check out
the number of cables under the sphere. They have to be refilled
daily with hydraulic fluid when Alvin is diving. |
|
|
More work on the penetrators. Note the boxing glove on the starboard
manipulator arm. It's not there just for laughs, but actually helps
protect your head from getting clobbered. I know, it almost TKO'd
me after these shots. |
|
|
Where the heck did they put that window? |
|
Bottom
viewport. This is a leftover from the first design. It usually
has a titanium cover to protect it from hot vent fluid. There
are five penetrators on the bottom here. Check out the pins in
the port-side penetrator. These must be able to withstand pressure
up to 6000 psi. |
|
The
view through the bottom viewport. |
|
These
photos can't really do it justice but you can see through the
sub, up the ladder and into the top of the sail. Awesome view! |
|
