Float Preparations Underway for GO-BGC Expedition P04E
Ten BGC floats — eight adopted by classrooms — are checked out, decorated, and secured aboard R/V Langseth ahead of the P04E expedition.
The R/V Marcus G. Langseth is in San Diego and the preparation for P04E is underway. Many groups are in town to load their gear onto the ship, which will then transit to the Marshall Islands without any scientists onboard. In a few short weeks, the cruise will be underway!
The float team from Scripps Institution of Oceanography took this opportunity to drive the floats down to the ship, a 20-minute journey instead of some trips where they’re shipped halfway around the world. No matter how far they travel, they all have to be turned on to make sure they’re working properly and then loaded onto the ship. The team coordinated with the ship’s crew and other science groups to make sure that happened during a busy few days in port. All floats are now checked out and secured on R/V Langseth.
Engineers from the Scripps team check out each float to make sure it’s working and ready for deployment. Credit Taylor Wirth
The floats are craned onboard R/V Langseth in San Diego. Credit Taylor Wirth
The floats are craned onboard R/V Langseth in San Diego. Credit Taylor Wirth
The ship’s crew is deploying a few on the transit to the Marshall Islands, and then the rest will be deployed during P04E. Eight of the ten BGC floats were adopted by classrooms as part of the Adopt-a-Float program and I made sure they were decorated before being boxed up for transport. It’s always a fun treat to visit the float lab and do a little artwork to break up my day.
Follow along for more stories and pictures from the cruise!
Adopted floats ready for deployment on P04E. Credit Melissa Miller
More adopted floats ready for deployment on P04E. Credit Melissa Miller
About the Author—Melissa Miller is a project assistant for GO-BGC and US GO-SHIP. She’s following along from home and wishing the crew and science party fair winds and following seas!