The past week has really flown by with so many exciting events! On Monday everyone gathered early in the morning to watch the ship’s crew retrieve Joaquim’s Argo float that we have nicknamed POGO (Physical Oceanography Geochemical Observer). The float was deployed back at Station 2 on May 24th. Every day it sent the shore lab high resolution data on oxygen, conductivity and temperature as well as chlorophyll fluorescence and particle backscattering This information will help Joaquim to understand the life cycle of DDAs (Diatom-Diazotroph Associations). I was very impressed with the Crew’s ability to first identify POGO’s small black antennae bobbing in the ocean and then navigate the ship alongside the float for a quick retrieval! The look on Joaquim’s face upon getting POGO safely onboard was pure joy!
Early Tuesday morning a member of the science team, Joe Cope, unfortunately had a small accident while bringing up the CTD instrument from a 40m cast. We started to head towards Barbados to bring him to a hospital with an expected transit time of about one day. Fortunately, the Captain was able to speak with members of the French Navy who agreed to help us! At about 15:00 that afternoon everyone gathered on the top deck (the “beach”) to watch Joe get airlifted into a French Navy helicopter. It was an unbelievable sight – the helicopter hovered above the aft deck and lowered two men and a French doctor onto the ship who then safely helped bring our Joe up and into the helicopter. Meanwhile a French plane continuously circled the scene. Joe was very brave during the whole ordeal and really calmed everyone’s nerves. While leaving the main lab for the aft deck to prepare for evacuation he chanted “Do Great Science! Do Great Science!”
The PI working with Joe, Deb Steinberg updated us yesterday and said that Joe is at the hospital in Martinique and is doing fine. We wish him a quick recovery and sincerely thank the ship’sCrew and French Navy members!
(Photo 1 by Joe Montoya. Photos 2, 3 by Brian Zielinski)
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