The Thompson passing through one of several drawbridges leaving UW. (Photo by Kathy Hardy)
View of the locks from the bow of the Thompson. (Photo by Natalie McCulligh)
R/V Thomas G. Thompson at University of Washington dock.(Photo by Kathy Hardy)
Seattle Skyline from the Fuel Dock. (Photo by Kathy Hardy)
Ore hauling ship at the fuel dock. (Photo by Kathy Hardy) SEATTLE, WA (May 12, 2007): After a couple of long days loading, unpacking and setting up our gear on the ship, we are underway. It is about 11 pm as I write this entry and we are heading out to the Pacific via the Juan de Fuca Straight. By morning will exit the Strait and enter the Pacific Ocean. We will be studying phytoplankton, which are marine microscopic plantlike organisms which inhabit the world’s oceans. Like trees and other land plants they are photosynthetic meaning they use the energy of the sun to manufacture nutrients out of carbon dioxide and water. We are primarily studying phytoplankton that produce chemical compounds which are toxic to people and wildlife. One of the things we are researching is the influence of different metals and chemicals that interact with those metals on phytoplankton growth and the production of toxin. More about the research later.
It was a beautiful trip out of Seattle. At one point we were passed by an ambitious and fast group of scullers. After leaving the University of Washington dock, where the R/V Thomas G. Thompson is based, we went through the locks which connect Lake Union to Puget Sound. Each time that I have gone through the locks on one of the large UNOLS vessels, it looks to me like we are not going to fit. The Thompson is almost as wide as the lock. I like to watch the whole process. It takes a fair amount of skill and teamwork to get the vessel safely through. It is also cool because we are so close that we can talk to people standing on shore at the locks.
In Puget Sound we saw an amazing assortment of ships, tugboats, fishing boats and private yachts. From the locks we then headed to a refueling station. We were joined there by a couple of container ships, some cruise ships and tankers and the ship in this picture which looks to me like something out of a Star Wars movie. The Chief Engineer, Paul says that it is a type of vessel used to haul ore. Also, at the station, there were a pair of surf scoters swimming around the ships and calling. It took most of the day to refuel and then we headed out through the Strait.
Before going to my cabin for the night, I could just make out the snow covered peaks of the mountains south of the Strait in the darkness. At their feet the lights of a small town lit up the shore. The waters of the Strait were calm; it was a peaceful end to a hectic day.
