Weather: Calmish

Location: Surveying near Mingulay

Food: Crab Cakes, Guinea Fowl (and it wasn't foul)

A Quick Message from Me!

Just a quick message I have spent a lot of my free time on the ship compiling this blog and I know that a lot of people have been reading it – since the start of the cruise I have had over 5000- hits on the blog alone - in the past few days its gone through the roof! As I said previously the idea of the blog was for my friends to see what I get up to when I’m away at sea but over the course of the cruise I have had seen how this has benefited not just me but other people on the ship and ashore. I’ve had a lot of emails of very interesting people who have told me information and sent me pictures about local areas and history.

I spent what sparse time I had free yesterday making a guestbook for the website – if you’ve liked this blog please please please sign the Guestbook before the end of the cruise. The website is only in it fledgling stages and I hope that we can build on the experience we have gained during this cruise and create a website that is beneficial for everyone involved!!

The link to sign the guestbook is:

http://www.rrsjamescook.com/guestbook.htm

The link to view the guestbook is:

http://www.rrsjamescook.com/guestbook.asp

A Quick Message to Ruaridh and Catriona

A big hello from everyone onboard!! Your Dad sends his love!! We had lots of fun watching your dad getting his haircut lastnight in the main lab! Your Dad has been working hard and has asked me to take some pictures of him so you can see what he is doing. I will add some more pictures of your dad in the next few days for you guys!! If you like I can add a message to your dad on the blog tommorow if you email me one!!

Heres some pictures of your dad getting his haircut by Jacqui

The last 24hr – A short blog today – I’m sooooo tired!!

Hi guys! Sorry for the late update the last 24hrs have been very very busy - its only a small blog today as I feel a bit icky!! We arrived off Mingualy in the early hours of the morning and started vibro-coring at first light. Later in the day we selected an area and spent a number of ours swathing the area and analysing the seabed using our Sub-Bottom profiler. The day was busy as there was always something that needed mine or Eamon’s attention!

Eamon and I had a meeting to discuss what we have done this cruise and spent time listing the problems and ideas that we had. What we thought would be a short meeting turned into a few hours due to the high volume of things that have gone on during this cruise! It feels like I have been at sea for months!! Leith seems months ago!!!

In the afternoon it was necessary to setup the survey and define the area which the scientific team wanted to survey. We then ran numerous lines over this area and noticed a number of interesting features. The survey went on till around 23:30 when we left Mingualy and transited down to Loch Linhe.

A major achievement happend lastnight - the BGS team have been competeing who can assemble the carboard boxes that hold the core tubes the quickest. James blew their current record out of the water lastnight and assembled a core box (plus staples etc) in 1:15 seconds - smashing Dan's record. (Yes we are going mad....)

Off to the bar for one of my three units!

p.s here's the Mingulay boat song for all those we keep asking for it!!

Chorus

Heel y'ho boys, let her go, boys

Bring her head round now all together

Heel y'ho boys, let her go boys

Sailing homeward to Mingulay!

Julia gets ready to time James on his attempt to break the box assembly record

James goes for the record

James races to get the staples in - he has the exact number of staples in the gun neccessary to make the box. Any left in the stapler at the end means that he has cut corners

Julia announces the record breaking time

James looking at pictures of his son

Julia can't believe the picture of her on the blog......

Swath makes you go mad!!!!