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Daily Archives: February 28, 2017

Meridian Passages, Volume XIII, Number 10

Central Pacific Edition


Operations Begin

First Sortie Completed

mills-films-recoveryThe REMUS AUV returned to the surface on schedule, having completed its first sortie as assigned. In spite of a little more wind than predicted and some mixed seas, the recovery was flawless. Ship’s crew, the REMUS OPS team, and Nauticos personnel all worked together to get the vehicle on board smartly. Everyone not assigned a job watched from various vantage points, and Bill filmed the whole operation, of course. Data download was begun and initial review showed all sensors worked as designed. Jeff & Tom continued to review the data and Greg & his team began to ready the system for its second sortie. It will be on its way back to the bottom to continue the search in short order.

While the AUV was on the bottom, the team was busy extending the transponder pattern to cover the next areas.

Alan Eustace

Alan soars to the stratosphere
Alan soars to the stratosphere

Inventor, Pilot, Explorer, Leader Alan Eustace, with a doctorate in computer science From the University of Central Florida, has led developments in pocket computing and computer architecture, and most recently retired from Google as Director of Knowledge. A pilot, skydiver, and adventurer, Alan made history in 2014 with a record breaking near-space dive from the stratosphere at 135,890 feet. Free-falling over 23 miles, he reached a speed of 821 mph (breaking the sound barrier at Mach 1.3) before slowing in the thickening atmosphere and parachuting safely to earth. His spacesuit and support equipment went on permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on December 15, 2016. With his support of the Amelia Earhart search expedition, Alan is setting his sights on new discoveries. He will join the expedition team at sea in a few days.

Down to Rockland Way

A Cap’n Joe Sea Story

… continued from yesterday.

Down to Rockland Way In the last installment, Cap’n Joe described the events surrounding Old Joe Manley’s legendary swim. The story continues at Sangillo’s Tavern, Portland Maine, two years later: Before losing their liquor license because of too many outgoing 911 calls, Sangillo’s was the place to go to as a fisherman. Always an ol’ dory mate around to buy you a beer when you were between sites, or just someone to swap sea stories with. By this time Old Man Manley was indeed a legend in his own time for his get-aboard the Why Must He Suffer swim at the Rockland jetty – why there was even some talk of re-naming that Jetty after him, by golly! I was in Sangillo’s when Ol’ Manley came in one late morning and he had a bit of a port list aboard already. Actually, he very seldom had both oars in the water, anyway. We settled into our usual scenario: Me buying shots and beers and him drinking them.

capt-joeAfter a while Ol’ Manley went to the head to pump bilges and when he returned he sat down close abeam and said in a low voice: “Joe, I’ve got to confess.” I couldn’t imagine what in the Sam Hill he could have on mind so I didn’t say anything. Then he sprung in on me like a fouled-up tub trawl: “I was on the ol’ MustHe all the time that day back in Rockland — I can’t hardly swim a lick, much less catch a fish boat!” Well after my inevitable question of “How’d you do it?” He responded with a twinkle or maybe a tiny tear — hard to tell with Old Man Manly — in his eye:

“Ya, I did indeed go down the pier that mornin’ just as soon as you and Boy went ta the Nor’d. I put ‘er the conner right for the Hotel Bar, got myself a fifth of ol’ Doctor Green and beat feet back to the MustHe. Then I went down in the lazarette*, snubbed-up the hatch cover and proceeded to take the edge off with my Doc G figurin’ everything was hunky-dory. But then I musta fell asleep I reckon ‘cause the next I know the shaft’s a turnin’ and the rudder’s a squeakin’. So I come up otta there and you fellas wasn’t around so I took that ol’ deck hose and give myself a dousin’ then come up with that there swimmin’ yarn and went into the galley to spin it. You know the rest, now don’t ya.”

Ol’ Man Manley Doherty went to Davy Jones back in ’79 I think it was, and this is the first time this story has ever been told to my knowledge. But who knows how many times he may have “confessed” for a taste of the demon rum.

Best Reg’rds, Cap’n Joe

*The lazarette on a fish trawler is a crawl space for gear storage and the steering arms.

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