Weather: Nice and calm - very calm - overcast later in the day

Location: Loch Broom

Food: Chinnese Night

Ullapool Port Call - Big Blog!!

Messages

Firstly I would like to thank Julia's parents - Mike and Janet. They have sent me some wonderful pictures of the RRS James Cook in Loch Broom. These images will feature further down the page and as you will see Mike is very proficient with a camera!!!

I would also like to thank the seal I saw in Ullapool today. I was starting to think that they didn't actually exist round here......

Past 24hrs

Last night’s survey was called off due to a number of factors and gave us a chance to get some much needed sleep!!

Woke up early today as we are heading into Ullapool to pick up water (as we haven’t been in deep sea we haven’t been able to produce any water) and supplies would have been quite low towards this end of this cruise. In addition to picking up water the BGS team wanted to get one of the legs on the drill rig repaired by a welder. This port call would give us a couple of hours to stretch our legs ashore. We got in around 9ish and at about 9:30am we were given permission to leave the ship. Julia was met by her parents who have traveled down from Inverness to see her.

I went ashore with Jacqui and we went shopping - Ullapool is such a small place and I think I bumped into nearly all the members of crew at one point. After leaving Jacqui to go and look for a tartan skirt I walked around the beach to get some pictures of the ship with the town in the background. On the way I bumped into Gavin and he made the trek with me. Ullapool and the surrounding mountains are stunning and the loch water is crystal clear.

After taking numerous pictures I headed back into the town centre and went into the book shop where I bumped into Jim. I bought loads in the bookshop - I’m big into polar exploration and the shop had millions of books on polar explorers - I bet it's a bit like living in the North Pole during winter!! Jim and I went and had a coffee overlooking the quayside and shouted banter at the various members of crew and scientific party who went passed us. We bought lots of shortbread to take home - I think there is going to be a shortage of it in the village!!

Bernie went past with a couple of haggis - the chef's have been helping our Catering Assistant spot Haggis running free around the hillside. Unfortunately she hasn't seen any yet!!

Talking about missing creatures!! When I got back to the ship everyone had watched as a local fishing boat had docked at the quayside with a couple of seals swimming closeby after scraps. I missed the seals and was pretty annoyed - last time I saw a seal was years and years ago!!!

The welder was hard at work on the leg and looked to have worked wonder sin the short space of time that the ship was alongside.

A lot of people came to see the ship when it was docked - I think it might have been one of Ullapool’s busier days! There were a lot of people asking question about the ship and what we do. I gave the website address out to a number of tourists who were keen to learn about the science that the ship undertakes.

As well as taking on water we also took a lot of fresh produce onboard and everyone pitched in loading supplies of milk, eggs and bananas onboard! The local shop we bought the produce from had sold us everything they had - there are going to be a lot of annoyed people in Ullapool tomorrow when they realise they have no milk or groceries!!

Leaving Ullapool was good for showing off the RRS James Cook's propulsion. As we moved away from the quay a single seal popped up and eye us curiously. He came right up to the ship after we pretended to throw food to him. Realising we had fooled him he swam off with a flick of his tale.

After the excitement of Ullapool we moved down the loch and got back into coring.

Whilst in port Eamonn had been informed that the internet had gone down - the manufacturer suggested we inspect the system inside the dome for any alarms. After filling the forms out Eamonn and I went up the "Monkey Island" again and I was tasked with untangling the ensign. It was much better this time and nowhere near as windy!! After Eamonn had got the panel that allows access into the dome we went inside to inspect the actual dish. Although I have been up the monkey Island before I have never actually been inside the dome. We inspected the dish which appeared to be fine and looked at the small portable system that indicates faults - all fine. We then took apart the modem which sends and receives data via the dish. This also appeared in order.... Since then the internet has been fine..... Touch wood it will remain okay for the rest of this cruise.

The rest of the day has been spent preparing for the survey which we will be conducting for the next 24-36 hours. This will survey a large amount of seabed near Isle Ristol. This data will then be analysed and may yield some additional coring sites this cruise or for future cruises in this area.

Mike Crummy's Pictures

(Julia's Dad!)

Mike Crummy's Superb panormaic image of RRS James Cook in Loch Broom. I will include a bigger version of this image soon so you can see how good this picture really is!!!

Mr Seal investigates the RRS James Cook as we leave Ullapool

RRS James Cook gets buzzed by an RAF Tornado. It has been revealed through certain channels that during Operation Neptune Warrior - RRS James Cook was (mock) targeted more than twenty times. Rumor has it that there may be a picture of us through the perescope of an attacking sub!!!

A superb picture of RRS James Cook in Loch Broom

Another cracking shot of RRS James Cook in loch Broom - this picture is superb!!

Through the trees - RRS James Cook alongside in Ullapool

A great atmospheric shot of RRS James Cook in Loch Broom

Vibro-Corer deployment

And another shot of Vibro corer deployment

MY BLOG PICTURES

Julia with her parents in RRS james Cooks library

Julia's parents leaving RRS James Cook - after hearing about our food I bet they were a bit upset that they didn't get to stay for dinner!!!

Here is a picture for Bernie's wife!!!

RRS James Cook along-side in Ullapool

RRS James Cook alongside in Ullapool

Another shot of RRS James Cook alongside in Ullapool

How am I meant to comment on this picture?????

One of the rock drills legs gets attention from the welder

Heather helping out with the ship's supplies

Mr Seal still being curious

Whatcha looking at?

I can see my home from here!! The view from the "Monkey Island" as we work on the internet dome.

Eamon takes a look at the dish

Titus keeping an eye on the DP system whilst we are on station

CalMac ferry passing us at the mouth of Loch Broom

Julia all smiles after seeing her folks

Eamonn inside the internet dome

Eamonn looking serious atop of the mast. I only realised afterwards that the flag was fluttering directly behind him even though there was no wind (in relation to weather).........