Log - July-18-2003 by Gerhard Behrens Previous | Next Expedition Expedition | People Arriving from Portland, Oregon What a long day for us West-coasters. We left our Portland, OR, hotel at 5:00 am, and arrived at the Healy, in St. John's, Newfoundland at midnight. To be part of the scientific community at this level, you've got to be a good traveler: three different planes (coach seating), customs and security checks, lugging a considerable amount of gear, van shuttles, airplane and airport food, waiting in lines, waiting in boarding areas, a negotiator of crowded spaces. However, you've got to be a good traveler even before that adventure begins because the packing for this cruise began months ago. Dozens of boxes and crates were loaded in the ship's home port of Seattle, WA, and that preparation took lots of foresight as the scientific community planned for weeks of data gathering and placement of scientific instruments. The ship is an impressive structure as it sits in the harbor, and as one sees it up close for the first time. It rises quickly, and majestically from the water, its red hull in sharp contrast to the white column of workspaces and living quarters that rise up from the middle of the ship. The decks are all business: space for a helicopter and 5 different cranes. As 1:00 am rolls around, I am ready to get into my bunk and get rested for the weekendÕs chore of unpacking and preparing the ship to steam north on Monday, the 21st.