Day 8 (22 Jun)

Position: 38,33° N / 31,15° W

Weather: Light Skies

Temp: 20,8°C

Wind: 12,6Nts

Hello dear fellow Teachers!

We have now reached the Azores and have started coring. First out was a CASQ core at 2024m depth. It takes about an hour or more to prepare the CASQ and then it takes over half an hour to lower it (1m/sec), and finally over an hour to pull it up again (0.2m/sec when still in the sediment and then again 1m/sec). It takes another hour to dismantle it before we start to process the core. It is an interesting procedure to watch. It is a very dangerous and difficult job for the crew members who are actually operating the coring equipment. After the CASQ the Multicore was sent down, and then the Calypso core. However, bad luck hit us and the whole score equipment got stuck in the bottom and was lost. We then transit to another site 4 hours away, where we took a CASQ and a Calypso score. The Calypso did bend this time, but we didn't loose it. We are now on our way to the next site, located in a region called the Charlie-Gibbs fracture zone.

A Casq core

Today we would like to thank you for showing your interest for AMOCINT. We will try to answer some questions that we still haven't covered in earlier emails.

So, why not tell you about the meals onboard? This is a French boat, of course with a French chef. Everything is very tasty and well prepared.

Breakfast: Breakfast is served in a typically French style, with white bread and jam. In addition there is coffee, tea, milk, orange juice and cornflakes. Sometimes there are also leftovers from the night before, like meat. Breakfast is served between 7:00 and 8:30am. Northern Europeans have to adapt a bit, because they are more used to fullkorn bread, muesli and salty food for breakfast, but so far they are adjusting well.

Lunch: This is served in a really nice French style with waiters and everything. Everyone has their own assigned napkin and we sit at nicely covered tables. First the waiters serve the appetizer, which is usually some fresh vegetables or something warm. Next the main course is served. This is often a meat or fish dish with rice, potatoes or vegetables, and is always nicely flavored and prepared. If you are still hungry the waiters show up with a tray of assorted cheeses from different regions of France to choose from. Finally it is time for dessert! Everyday there is a new dessert on the menu. This is a thrill for some of us!

Dinner: The main difference between lunch and dinner is that fresh fruit is served for dessert with dinner. Both lunch and dinner are served with white and red wine and water as well.

Due to the shifts, lunch is served at both 11:00 and 12:15. Dinner is at 19:00 and at 20:15. It is unusual for some of us to go eight hours without food, but we can find us some small snacks in the kitchen in between meals if we want to.

After the meals, good coffee is served in the bar, probably a French roast. It is dark and full of flavor.

That?s all for to today. Have a nice Sunday!

Your fellow teachers at sea

Hélder - Jean - Gertrud - Catalina - Angela - Carlo

PS! Remember you can follow the rout on the www.ipev.fr - position des navires Marion Dufresne. And unfortunately, we have had problems sending photos to many of you. We will look in to that problem.