Field Update

Erik and I had a busy and slightly frustrating day- fortunately lady luck is still with us (although I don't know for how long).

This morning's weather was calm.  Divers (Erik and Shaggy) in the water, retrieved both CTDs, and deployed the one we were carrying with us.  PAM would not work with the CREWS laptop, so PAM dive was cancelled.  We attempted to do a profiler cast, but the CREWS laptop would not respond to the profile.  Cancel profiler cast.  We then opened the box, retrieved the data logger, clipped the top of the deep CTD cable and removed it from the station.  We then managed to clip and remove the wind bird masts.  Note that one of the serial port connector wires was broken at the leads, this will require an onstick repair.

Break for Lunch. (turkey sandwich, fyi)

After lunch was frustrating.  Erik connected his laptop to the profiler, it worked.  We took the 'brain' and wind birds to the dive locker to work on them.  The mast heads were made very short and do not accomodate the electronic compass extension.  Erik and Shaggy improvised on the spot- he will detail that improvisation.  The
datalogger was rewired as needed for the electronic compases.  There was no way to test it, however, we grabbed one of the batteries that were stored in our box; sealed cartons, humid and moldy.  With that were were able to power the datalogger.  The RF400 cables were also damaged and broken loose- this was the cable I assembled for this 'brain'.  I was able to replace it with another serial cable.  Also added the gounding bolt as planned.  New program (with electronic compasses) uploaded.

Around 4PM we make it out to the stick, but the weather was turning foul.  We installed the wind birds and passed some wires through the conduit before calling it quits when the rain started.

Notes:

The top of the stick moves more when the current is moving, and the boat is yanking on it.

The eye nuts work wonderful as a first step- however, the all thread has paint on it, so we are unable to thread them all the way tight.

The lid is WAY too heavy to put on and off to cover for rain- figure something better soon, pretty please.

The paint job is beautiful, but it makes the stick very slippery when wet- recommend not waiting out passing rain as it makes it dangerous to leave the stick.

Cracks are forming on the windmast hole/square on the left side (when climbing the stick).  Will try to photo that.

The aluminium masts were not drilled through for the holding bolt to pin it from spinning- the right one was easily pivoted in its mount.

Those are the things of note for today.  Tomorrow we will try to carry out the rest of the assembly process.

Kind regards and running to dinner,
Louis & Erik