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Thursday afternoon, and it’s cool and rainy here in Seattle. We continue to load the ship with tools, equipment, chemicals, etc., in short everything needed to carry out great science in Glacier Bay. We also bring gloves, coats, bedding, heavy socks, etc., to hopefully make our time onboard comfortable, warm and dry. Today we had our first safety meeting: tried on PFD’s (personal flotation devices… mine didn’t fit) and survival suits (mine did fit, with help!), tested our strobe lights, were told about several ship’s bell patterns which we probably can’t remember, and learned how to don emergency breathing equipment to get us out in case of fire. I particularly liked the, “jump into the rescue boat from the deck, it’s only about ten feet down,” if we have to abandon ship. If I jumped ten feet into a small boat, they might have to get a new small boat!

Sometime tomorrow morning the Thompson will call ahead to all the drawbridge operators, loose its lines, slip quietly into Portage Bay, and turn and head for the Locks. It will take on fuel somewhere, then tie up downtown and wait for all of us to arrive in the afternoon. Then we go……

Dan