Dispatch 2: Flying to the Ship

Andrey Proshutinsky

August 8, 2003


	8:00 a.m. The icebreaker is waiting for us (left). Helicopter cargo operations (right).

	Familiarization (left) with a survival suit (not easy). Our first supper (right) is very good.

	Emergency training as part of familiarization procedures.

Rainy weather and strong wind greeted us this morning, and we are still waiting for the arrival of our 15th team member, a chemist. On the bright side, our 14 boxes of equipment arrived this morning. Also, our ship, the icebreaker Louis S. St. Laurent was seen at 8 a.m. about one mile from the coastline.

Wind and rough seas forced us to use the icebreaker’s helicopter instead of its landing craft to meet the ship. We moved some of our equipment using the helicopter sling, then the expedition participants flew to the ship. By about 2 p.m. local time, everything and everyone was on board – except for our missing chemist from Yellowknife in Canada.

After two hours of unpacking, the third mate explained the fire and boat emergency duties and instructions at a "familiarization” meeting to train for emergencies at sea.

Last updated: October 7, 2019