POLAR SEA

Deck Force Joural

2010-03-30T18:11:00.002-07:00

March 29, 2010
Our trip is coming to a close and soon we will be headed back south. The temperature is still dipping below zero, and hands and ears have to be covered when you go out or they will start to freeze almost instantly.

We have gathered a lot of information from different stations, and I have been privileged to see a lot of critters I may not have seen otherwise. I have enjoyed the Brittle Stars that they pull up in the grabs. We have also gotten a couple fish and some Sea Cucumbers as well. One of the scientists is growing clams for his studies, and one of them laid some eggs! They look similar to frog eggs, and float in a gelatin balloon above the mud where the clam is hidden.

As the trip winds down, we are spending more time transiting to the different locations than time spent on station. Soon we will be doing less at the stations as well and only taking water samples.

I look forward to pulling into Kodiak, AK again, as well as getting back home, but I will miss the Arctic. There is a beauty up here that is completely indescribable. I feel very privileged to be able to be here, and work with the scientists.

~SN Klineburger

Deck Force Joural

2010-03-30T18:11:00.001-07:00

Deck Force Joural

2010-03-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2010-03-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

By far, it has been a once in a lifetime opportunity to assist the Marine Science Technicians (MSTs) on board for the Bering Ecosystem Study 2010 (BEST) which is funded by NSF & NPRB.
From braving negative 30 degrees with wind chill to running science operations 24 hours, it's definitely rewarding to know that SN Klineburger and myself are given a great opportunity to assist with science operations.
The lead scientist is Lee Cooper, and the co-lead scientist is Jackie Grebmier. Sophisticated equipment is used in obtaining samples for research including Van Veen Grabs, CTD (conductivity, temperature, and conductivity), flurometers, incubators, single haps cors, bongo nets, multi-haps cors, and calvet nets. This equipment helps in collecting benthic organisms, copepods, chlorophyl content, and nutrient levels.
Everyday is exciting and an exhilarating adventure underway while assisting MSTs and the scientists. Our mission on this trip is to further scientific research in the Bering Sea. It's worthwhile knowing that we assisted in such efforts!
~SN Meno

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2010-03-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

March 18, 2010
In the BEST 2010 operation area, we drive from station to station, set areas where the scientists want to take their samples. It takes anywhere from 1 hour to 6 hours to transit between stations.

Once we are set up on station, we begin putting science equipment over the side of the ship. We start with the CTD which is a round frame surrounding several different kinds of sensors and a bunch of water canisters. We can trip the water canisters closed at different depths to bring back water for sampling. Some of the other things we measure are: conductivity, temperature, depth, salinity, light, and particles in the water.

We also put other science gear over the side. At each station we will do 1 CTD, and then do 5-7 Van Veen Grabs. That is where we put a big clam shell type device over the side that closes when it hits the bottom, gathering a scoop of the ocean floor. Then we do 2-4 Haps Cores. This is similar, but it brings back a tube of dirt and water.
Next we bring the grabs of mud on board, dump them into large sieves and spray them down with sea water to wash all the dirt away and leave behind the shells, seaweed, brittle stars, worms, and other things, that are then looked at by the scientists.

We have also seen lots of different animals. There are some scientists who take turns spending all day on the bridge looking out over the ice and water and writing down everything they see. Some of the wildlife they have spotted are: Beluga whales, Bearded Seals, Rings Seals, Ribbon Seals, Walruses, and quite a few birds.

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2010-03-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

March 9, 2010
BEST 2010 Science Deployment
The weather was still somewhat foul last night, but not quite as hazardous so most members of the crew got a little more sleep. We reached ice late in the evening. Deck force spent the day breaking ice off the railings and all over the ship. The ice had accumulated from the spray as temperatures dropped during our northward transit. Since the ice adds a lot of weight, and is unevenly distributed, it has to go.

We made it through the Unimak Pass and are now in the Bering Sea. As I am writing this we are going through the ice and except for the grumble of the engines down below you almost wouldn’t know we were at sea. It is a pleasant change from the last few days’ wild ride.
~SN Klineburger

2010-03-07T11:52:00.000-08:00

March 7, 2010
BEST 2010 Science Deployment
And we are off! Today we pulled away from Kodiak. Thankfully it was another nice day, although it turned a little darker as the day wore on. It grew quite darker in fact, with winds picking up, and the seas so rough that hardly anyone got any sleep at all. We found out if the ship really was secured for sea. Mr. Verlinden had warned us to really make sure everything was secured, and the way to know if it was good enough, was if you could pick up the ship and turn it sideways and shake it, and the stuff wouldn’t move, it is secured. About 2:15 we had a really big role, at least 35 degrees, I think maybe more. You might wonder how it is that I know the exact time of said roll. Well, our room was not quite shake proof. We have some white stackable drawers tucked in a corner secured with ratchet straps (not secured enough though). One came tumbling down with a crash!~ While I was still groggily pulling back the curtains my roommate, Strang, was out of her rack so fast she looked like the Road Runner, just a blur. She caught the second one from falling, and by that time all four of us were up and helping to secure it. We spider webbed it to the wall with ratchet straps and it didn’t move an inch after that.

It was hard staying in your rack (bed) to get any sleep though; you woke up with every roll as your body tensed to stay in position and not go sliding out. There are several different tricks that I have heard people use to stay put. I think I might even use the topic as one of my papers for English class. The crew uses everything from binders, to boots, to pillows and blankets shoved under the outer side of the mattress so that there is a lip that you can’t roll over. Some shove one leg in the crack between the bed and the wall. The really smart ones have memory foam on top of their mattresses and that is doubled over to create a lip, as well as something that you sink into. Thankfully most things stayed fairly secured down, although even the helo that we got on board today slipped a little sideways in the hangar during the night.
~SN Klineburger

2010-03-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

March 2, 2010
BEST 2010 Science Deployment
We have an English Professor aboard for the duration of the deployment teaching two English classes. We had our second day of Speech class this morning. Classes are also held in the afternoon and evening so you can work them around your watch schedule. I am enjoying the format, in which we divide the chapter into sections and each read a section and then give a summary in front of the class. This makes for getting a lot more information in, and also a lot more entertaining listening to the different presentation styles. After class it was down into the depths of the bilge for some of deck force. Diesel 1 needed a cleaning and deck force has been working on getting all the oil and water sloshing around beneath the engines cleaned up. It reminds me of a children’s jungle gym crawling around down there. You have to wiggle around this pipe and half roll half slide down that one, and then you have to make sure you didn’t drop any of the rags you were trying to carry! I think I did just as much cleaning by sliding and slithering around down there, than I did with actual rags.
~SN Klineburger

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2010-02-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

February 28, 2010
The first week of the BEST 2010 Science Deployment
Today was probably the worst day I have ever had mess cooking, even worse than some of the bad days last trip. Everything that could go horribly wrong did. It started early, even though it was a Sunday, as we had a pig roast and needed to help get them prepared. Last night during mid-rats the scullery broke, so all the dishes we were washing had to be washed “old school,” or by hand. Later in the morning things started to get even crazier as it has been rather rough sailing the last couple days and it continues to get worse. We had around 35 degree rolls for the worst ones, and stayed well above 15 degrees on the rest. That kind of tipping causes for a lot of separate hazards. The first being things flying everywhere. We had a bottle of Tabasco Sauce break on the forward mess deck, and then a gallon pitcher of chocolate milk flew out of the fridge on the aft mess deck. We also had a bit of flooding on all of main deck aft of frame 143. All of Chiefs country and the surrounding passageways were filled with several inches of sloshing water that had to be swabbed and shopvaced up. A door had been left open, and several of the cold waves crashing over the side of the ship decided to come inside where it was warmer. Then the ice machine on the fwd mess decided to overflow leaving a sloshing inch of water on the mess deck as well. Things looked up in the evening as the Electronic Technicians were able to fix the scullery! However, it was still a danger zone with pots and pans and all kinds of things sliding and flying around, including other mess cooks. We managed to survive our last day of mess cooking though, and even smile at the crazy day we had just lived through. Next Sunday we will even be able to enjoy the “Sunday Sunday Sundays” (the name given to create your own ice cream sundaes).
~SN Klineburger

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-11-21T15:14:00.000-08:00

November 18, 2009
The day started as any other, but the evening would soon be filled with the excitement of land. After muster deck force took some of the gear from the B-Hole and moved it to GSK for storage. When we had completed that task it was time to get out the mooring lines, and get everything else prepared for entering port. Stepping outside I was surprised to find huge, bigger than silver dollar, snowflakes. SN Walker described them as snowballs, not snowflakes. Whatever you called them they looked beautiful floating gently down from the heavens. I do however hope that they have ceased their downward flight by the time we get ready to pull into port. Even if they are lighter and softer, and the wind isn’t so fierce, I would still rather not handle lines with any kind of precipitation. They may not hurt when they hit you, but a large ‘snowball’ getting blown into your ear is still not a pleasant experience. The mountains we began to pass were spectacu
lar. Covered in a dusting of snow, the spruce and hemlock trees looked like a picture from a Christmas card that had come to life. A few whales were spotted by some of the crew and gave a display although at a distance, even jumping out of the water a little. Coming in to moor, an eagle took flight from a tree on the Coast Guard base and gave everyone on the fan tail a ‘fly by’ as he came in close and along the stern of the ship. A second eagle flew up from the trees a moment later and circled off into the distance. Seeing them soar gave me a burst of national pride at the display of their freedom.

November 17, 2009
The BMOW on watch at mids tonight had a good description of the weather; if you dare to venture outside the skin of the ship, the spray is so fierce from the 30-40 knot winds it is like getting a tattoo on your face. However none of the crew except the BMOWs should be venturing outside as the weather decks are secured due to the high waves, and pounding winds. The last several days have definitely been interesting. So far we haven’t had any serious injuries due to bad weather. Thanks to the BMOWs making rounds about the ship, gear that was shaken loose was put back in order before we lost anything overboard. We still have not done initiations, but hopefully they will take place soon.

November 14, 2009
We finally pulled out of Dutch Harbor and are canceling some of our port calls due to staying the extra days for bad weather. Line handling in the cold, snow, and high wind is certainly a good base for a sea story, but not something you really enjoy while it is happening. Yesterday we had tripled up the lines as the high winds had pushed the ship out and we nearly “lost the brow in the drink” as one of my shipmates put it. Thanks to a lot of hard work from everyone on board we saved the brow, and managed to secure the ship once again to the pier. I hope the weather isn’t so bad when we moor up in our other port calls. The mountains were definitely awe inspiring coming out of the harbor though. With the fresh snow that was coming down they had a fine dusting of white that really made them stand out. As we left Dutch Harbor I was on the helm once the “at sea watch” was set, and it was definitely the worst I have seen in my short Coast Guard career so far. We were hitting some pretty big rolls, and the foc’sle was taking green water, meaning the waves were not just breaking off the ship, but coming over the bow. OPS took control of the helm and instantly the ride smoothed out. I hope to someday be able to drive with that kind of assurance. We still rolled about, and the waves were still crazy, but we were on a sure course out of the harbor to open ocean. Once out a little ways it wasn’t quite so bad, and in the evenings the roll of the ship actually could put you to sleep. Ship life can definitely be entertaining with the movement of the ship. Everyday tasks suddenly become a great adventure, even trying to shower or brush your teeth can be difficult when things are rolling around.
~SN Klineburger

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-11-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

November 12, 2009
Today were the DC Olympics. I will try to not make this entry to long, but I do want to go over some of the fun events that we partook in. As with any Olympics games it started with the passing of the torch. All the teams filed into the hangar where the torch was passed from one to another and then finally to Penguin Pete who lit the large torch, made of lights and a piece of cloth fluttering in the breeze. Each team then chose a letter from a bowl for which station they would be doing first. Since there were so many teams, not everyone was involved at a station all the time.
Briefly the stations included: hose handling - where you practiced advancing and aiming with the fire hose to shoot a cherry fender up a line to a knot tied at the top; indirect fire fighting - where you had to demonstrate a complete drill including energizing the plug and an attack leader giving commands in order to fill a bucket with as much water as you could in 5 minutes, the nozzle man was blindfolded; shipmate rescue - using a NFTI, Naval Firefighter's Thermal Imager, to locate as many hand warmers and Petty Officer Oscar in a smoke filled room; compound fracture splinting, plugging and patching, and fire hose rolling while dressed in an FFE. The last two were taking to long so after lunch they secured those stations.
There was some good competition and points were taken off for any safety violations or improper use of equipment. The bronze medal went to the “Millstrippers,” the silver medal went to the “Totally Totally Totallies,” and the gold went to “Team Nitro.” Each team received a bag of goodies and first place also received a day of liberty. The “Moxy Polarnaters” also got a special prize for coming in absolutely dead last. The very end of the ceremony consisted of a FN using an H2O extinguisher to ‘put out’ the large torch at the front of the hangar.
After the closing ceremonies liberty was granted and shipmates headed out into the rain to wait for the van into town for another fun evening on land. We are staying a few extra days due to bad weather and high seas. Hopefully they will calm down soon and we can make a safe and smooth journey to our next port call.

November 11, 2009
Another day of fueling and an exciting evening of liberty. After doing so well yesterday with no incidents to speak of, liberty was moved to 0100 instead of 0000. I myself enjoyed a quick hike on the hill behind the ship, as the light was almost gone. There were lots of interesting collapsing buildings, and some bunkers up on the hill. The ground was fun to walk on as it was comprised of moss, grass, and what could have been ground cranberries, all adding up to soft sinking ground that was a little like walking on memory foam.

November 10, 2009
LAND HO! Today was an early morning as deck force mustered at 0545 to start brining out heaving lines, and mooring lines in anticipation for pulling into port at 0801. After so long on board I really started to feel the excitement as the hills of land loomed in the dark. It grew even more as we slowly came closer and suddenly there was texture on the hills and they were more than just shapes. Soon we could see the lights of the port and town. BM2 Nesse called the attention of all deck force on the fan tail. “I just want to inform you that those moving lights you see are what we call cars, vehicles, not boats” And indeed it was strange to see cars again. It was a successful mooring evolution, no one got hurt and we managed to not damage any property either. Line 2 and 3 did a good job line handling and acted as the brakes for the ship.
Then came a short break before fueling started. At 1120, two people were assigned per sounding tube and a long day of waiting and sounding commenced. However it was delightfully, at least to some, cut short due to complications. Quarters were called around 1700 and the happiness of the crew was definitely tangible. Everyone was laughing a little more with excitement for the first day on land after over 56 days out to sea. Cinderella liberty was granted from 1800-0000. Everyone did well, and thankfully there were no incidents. I enjoyed getting to take pictures of the beautiful hills and water, and even saw a bright red starfish on the beach. I hope some of my shipmates got some good eagle pictures, I myself didn’t. There are said to be more eagles than seagulls here, and I have certainly seen quite a few of the majestic birds. Shipmates came back loaded with goodies from Safeway, as well as souvenirs from several places around the small town.

November 9, 2009
DC Olympics were cancelled due to bad weather. The seas were tossing quite a bit, and we hit a few 30 degree rolls. I don’t think we went much further than that, but there were some really big ones that may have been more. Although I had heard about the florescence in the water I had never been able to experience it, I was able to tonight. It was gorgeous! I was looking out over the Foc’sle when I thought I saw several blue lights moving around the deck. They soon vanished and I thought it may have been my imagination. I soon learned it wasn’t as I watched and after a large wave splashed more would appear. It was like there were fireflies dancing around the deck. When the waves would come up the sides even if they didn’t crash on deck, you could still see the glow of lights from within the wave. It was definitely as spectacular as I had been told. Another wonderful sight that thanks to my Coast Guard experience I was able to see. The winds were also high again; the BMOW nearly lost her cover and watch cap overboard. She quickly chased after it when it blew off, and managed to catch it just in time. Her break in thankfully also caught her watch cap before it also almost jumped ship.

~SN Klineburger

2009-11-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

November 8, 2009
Today marks a few changes in different areas of the ship; in qualifications for in-port, as well as what the as-directed group of Repair 2 does during GE drills. I will now be a zone setter, and although it will be something new, I look forward to the challenge as do the others who have new jobs.
Now that we are a bit further south land was easily spotted, and it was a very welcome sight. The beautiful snow covered hills looked beautiful. There are also more birds, and I am hoping more whales as well. Although the warmer weather is also welcome it means that we are once again standing lookout on the fly bridge. However with the view looking up I personally look forward to it, even if it is still chilly.
Seas have still been smooth and the gentle rocking is actually quite conducive to putting you to sleep. Hopefully they will stay this way and we won’t hit any really bad weather.
Being Sunday we also had the weekly Bible study for those who wished to attend.
For our newest members to the crew, SN Gorringe, and FN O’Brien today is the one week mark. Having the day off came as a pleasant surprise to SN Gorringe, and I’m sure both will enjoy their first “Sundae, Sundae Sundae” tonight.

November 7, 2009
Most of the crew now seems to have gotten the hang of the underway dance, and are now walking the halls much more steadily, although there are still some that seem to trip over everything. We haven’t been rocking that much, and looking out the porthole we were briefly again surrounded by a little bit of pancake ice.
The excitement is on with DC Olympics coming up on Monday and Polar Bear Initiations just around the corner as well. There is some trepidation among my fellow Blue Nose shipmates, as we contemplate what kind of challenges we must face to become Polar Bears and receive our red Polar Sea covers and certificates. This evening the teams for the DC Olympics will also be giving interviews to promote their team above the competition.
Although we did not pass our inspection with the flying colors as we had hoped, we did pass and holiday routine for the afternoon was granted, at the discretion of the department heads.

November 6, 2009
Today was the deadline for getting a group for the DC Olympics. Over the course of the trip we have participated in many different training exercises to learn about damage control, and now it will all be put to the test to see which team comes out on top. Everyone on deck force signed up, and there are around 12 teams, each consisting of 5 people. This afternoon team captains were finalized, as well as team names which are not limited to, but including; “Totally Totally Totally” “Deck Force Mafia” “Moxy Polarnaters” “Average JOs” “Team Nitro” and the “Chain Gang.” Each group also got together dressing in different costumes to show their team spirit for a team photo.

November 4, 2009
After being unable to retrieve the Chinese science buoy, we have now headed south and the crew is definitely looking forward to our first port call and getting off the ship. Even though we will be spending most of the first port call re-stocking supplies it is definitely something to look forward to after being confined to the 399’ of the Polar Sea for the past 50+ days. Securing for Sea is the main job now, and cleaning as well. It is a never ending job to make sure that everything is still ready for the high waves and large rolls that we will be expecting when we head further south, out of the Arctic Circle.

November 2, 2009
Brrrrr. I thought that it was cold in the north before, but that was definitely not cold compared to now. Winter has definitely started coming to the Arctic, and it is showing on the decreased temperatures. Ice is covering almost everything outside, and anything you touch out there bites you. Within minutes you are rushing back inside for hot chocolate or coffee. With temperatures reaching -7 degrees, it is cold even without the added 18 knots of wind.

~SN Klineburger

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-11-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

November 1, 2009
The day started early for a Sunday, with anchor detail, and then flight ops starting a little after 10am. Now that we are back in open water deck force gathered on the rescue deck in case a helo should crash. After the original muster though, we were able to warm up inside as long as we stood ready in case anything should happen. By 1430 we were done for the day, except to stand by in case there were any pipes. There was a rush as shipmates went in search of either mail or phones. Thank you to all the friends and family that sent letters or packages. They were met with great joy and excitement. After so long with the only contact to those back home being e-mail, some of us spent several hours on the phone talking. Tomorrow is also holiday routine, as well as setting the clocks back one hour and getting a little extra sleep.

October 31, 2009
Today, being the last of the month, held a lot of events and changes. Tomorrow we say goodbye to the scientists who have been on board for the past month, as well as to shipmates BM3 Torres, SN Almeria, and SN Robinson-Rivera. We will also be welcoming aboard some new shipmates.
We did well on our inspection yesterday and that meant holiday routine, which was especially appreciated as tomorrow’s schedule is a regular work day complete with 18 helo trips to get all the scientists, supplies, and shipmates transferred.
It is also time for the mess cooks to change out again. The old mess cooks counted down the hours until their last day had come to a close, and the new mess cooks enjoyed their last day of deck force. December’s mess cook list has already been given as well, so that plans can be made for the rapidly approaching holidays.
It is also a Saturday night and that meant “Trivia Trivia Trivia.” The evenings questions were all slogans or catch phrases for companies and products, such as “Think outside the bun” or “The fabric of our lives.” It is also Halloween, and so for trivia a few of the crew dressed up in anticipation for the costume contest. There were some scary, and some creative costumes, but all inspired chuckles and smiles from shipmates.
There were three categories for prizes; scariest, most original, and best impersonation, with a gift card as the prize for each. The categories are as follows, contestants listed from greatest to least for number of votes. The first category held 3 contestants; FS2 Rainstar, SN Matthews, and Mr. Langelier. FS2 Rainstar had made use of Doc’s fake injuries for drills and made quite a gruesome site with blood and guts coming out everywhere. SN Matthews did a great job on creating realistic looking gashes, and with frizzled hair she made a scary zombie. Mr. Langelier was the first to enter, but dressed in Penguin Pete not as many people found him scary. The second category also held 3 contestants. Erin Sheridan had a creative polar bear costume, and represented one of the polar bears captured and tagged on this trip, complete with a collar, painted number. I went dressed as a snowball, with pillows, white clothing, and paper snowflakes taped all over. Mr. Langelier again tried with Penguin Pete. The final category had five contestants, XO and FN Brown entered as a team, Mr. Boyle, MST3 Tetreault, and again Mr. Langelier. However, XO and FN Brown had the competition won before it had even started dressed only as themselves. Mr. Boyle represented one of the scientists, and MST3 also made a good scientist dressed in a lab coat and rubber boots.
After the costume contest there were a lot of good snacks, and a scary movie was shown in the hangar. Although I had watch I still had some chills as while on watch we told stories of noises and shapes noticed while doing security or BMOW rounds.

~SN Klineburger

2009-10-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

October 30, 2009
Field Day Friday. The enthusiasm for Field Day Friday was hindered by the queasiness that some of us felt this afternoon. We are once again gently rocking back and forth, and walking down the hallway can make you wonder if you ever knew how to walk straight. Most of the crew seems to be fairing well, but after being in the ice for so long, where you hardly feel the roll of this ship at all, there are a few who need to get out the sea sick pills and get ready to get their sea legs again. And with the gentle rolls we are experiencing, there is some trepidation among shipmates on faring the trip back through the Bering Sea.
The sunshine however lifted any spirits that were in need of a boost. The day was beautiful and the sunset was stunning.
Before commencing a ship wide cleaning, Ops gave a live talk over channel 10 on some more upcoming science involvement of the Polar Sea. As well as being informative it was also filled with some laughs and set a light mood for the remainder of the day.
Hopefully if inspections go well tomorrow morning then the afternoon will be holiday routine!
Also, for those taking college classes while on board, today was midterm. I have greatly enjoyed taking the oceanography class which has given me the chance to learn more about something that being in the Coast Guard I will now be around a lot. Even something that I thought I knew a little about, such as tides, I learned that there is much more involved, and figuring out where and when the tides are going to be is quite extensive.

October 28, 2009
Being Wednesday, it is also drill day. After quarters, deck force continued to work on sanding and painting upper cargo, but listened carefully for the pipe that the POLAR SEA was entering a training environment. For those of us who are in Repair 2 it was a good learning experience on what to do in the case of a toxic gas leak. The drill was that the Freon gas from the refrigerant had leaked, and in the scenario the hatch for loading cargo into dry stores was open. With the hatch open the Freon gas had open access to Repair locker 2. Only one SCBA, and a few pieces of flash gear, were grabbed before everyone in Repair 2 had to head towards the hangar. Since repair 2 was unable to get any gear we were not much help in the rest of the drill, but it was a good learning experience for what areas we should know about when it comes to toxic gases on board.

~SN Klineberger

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

October 26, 2009
Deck force is still diligently working on their projects, which mostly include painting. One of our big projects when we get back into Seattle is to paint the entire upper cargo. We are getting a start on it while underway, one group working down in upper cargo, and another up in the paint locker sanding and painting the stanchions. We have also been busy making sure that all the life vests and mustang suits are in good condition and stocked with the right things, as well as checking other gear about the ship, and of course lots of sweeping. I still don't understand how the dust bunnies can accumulate in the passageways as quickly as they do when we are in the middle of the ocean, but it is a very important job. If the dust and dirt isn't taken care of it can accumulate in the vents and spaces and if there is a fire, spread much more quickly. It is certainly a job that is never done.

October 25, 2009
Science operations have resumed as the wind has now dropped down. After three days of winds reaching 40 knots it was a bit of a relief. With less wind the temperature also rose, but it was still mighty chilly out while deck force shoveled the snow that had accumulated about the weather decks. While the crew enjoyed the holiday routine with no helo or crane ops, the scientists were glad to be back in the air and back on the ice. While on watch I learned some interesting information. On an average day ocean waves hitting 56 miles of beach generate the same amount of energy as Hoover Dam. Now if we could just figure out how to harness and use that energy...

October 23, 2009
"Now, Talent Night, Talent Night, Talent Night. Talent Night will be held in the hangar." There are a lot of talented people on board, and the night was filled with laughs as different people got up and sang songs, did comedy, and more. It was followed by a movie on the big screen in the hangar, the end to a great day. Earlier in the afternoon a female polar bear walked right up to the ship. "Now, there is a polar bear 100 yards off the port beam and closing." There were jokes about sounding the collision alarm after that pipe was made, but it was certainly a rush for the cameras and the rails as many of the crew hurried to see a polar bear up close. She came up and even went up on her hind legs for some great photos. Then if you didn't see the first polar bear, another polar bear came even closer to the ship in the evening. With winds up to 40 knots holiday routine was called and science was put on hold, everyone was ready to enjoy the weekend.
~SN Klineberger

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-10-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

I don’t know what happened over the past few days, but man did it get cold. The other day I think they said it was -14 degrees and this morning while I was on watch they said it was -7 degrees. The wind is blowing at about 35 to 40 knots. I can literally lean back and have the wind hold me up. We have done some Damage Control drills over the last couple of days, which has kind of sucked as a member of Repair 3. We have to don our FFE (Fire Fighting Equipment) out in the cold weather. Repair 2 has it easy in the gym to get ready because they are constantly warm. We have to get down to our trousers and t-shirts to get our equipment on. For those few minutes it is the coldest feeling a human body could experience.
Today is the 23 of October, and we had a polar bear come within 50 yards of our port quarter. We could see the bear perfectly, with a clear picture of his face. Then he all of a sudden stood up and just looked at all of us on the boat. It was truly a unique experience seeing a polar bear so close up that isn’t caged at some zoo. It really makes you appreciate the experience more. Not many people get to see what we on the POLAR SEA get to see. The wildlife that we have encountered on this trip has really made this trip worthwhile. Today we were granted holiday routine early, with tomorrow as a holiday routine as well. If the weather doesn’t get any better we might get Sunday off also. This would be a great thing. The crew of the POLAR SEA needs some rest. We only have another week or so at sea before we are finally going to get a port call. Then we all will be relieved from the feeling of isolation. I’m very sure that the moral of the ship will increase at these port calls.

~SN Avey

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-10-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity of a lifetime when I was selected as one of the lucky Coast Guardsmen to fly out to the site of a polar bear capture. The following is my summary of the helicopter trip:

It was quite a thrill to ascend off of the flight deck from the Coast Guard Cutter POLAR SEA. It was astonishing to see the POLAR SEA at different angles diminish quickly off into the distance.

While I was waiting on the helicopter, the mood was filled with anticipation of what was to come. Those who accompanied me were National Geographic Magazine filmmaker and producer Greg Marshall, Public Affairs Specialist Third Class Manns and photographer, Dan Cox. Before heading to the site, we saw polar bear tracks as clear as day in a circular pattern. Then, we spotted the group and the other helicopter.

After we landed, we met up with the scientists and assistants who were conducting surgery on the mother polar bear and its cub. As I stepped out of the helicopter, I was astonished to see both bears within only 40ft. The bears were under anesthesia. It was amazing to know that I could get as close as possible to them while taking photos. The most exciting part of the trip was actually getting very close to the mother bear as well as touching the cub's hair.

Eric, who assisted with surgery, had mentioned that surgery was not the most pleasant thing to see but was very important. I knew the purpose of the surgery and tracking devices. Moreover, the research, fieldwork, and samples would help us understand polar bears’ physiology and how they were adapting to current conditions which would help to protect their species.

The entire trip was surreal. What made it a very personal experience was being surrounded by a small group of people. And, we all experienced seeing polar bears in their natural environment and setting foot on ice where rarely do people venture on.

It was quite a privilege and an unforgettable experience that I was not expecting at all, especially coming from a small island like Guam. But only in the Coast Guard do opportunities like this present themselves. Thanks to everyone on the cutter who made this an unforgettable experience to share with others!

~SN Meno

Deck Department, Crew Journal

2009-10-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

October 21, 2009
BRRRRRR, And I thought yesterday's temperature was low. Today we reached 15 degrees, but it was the 30 mph wind that brought it down to -5 degrees that really made it a cold day. And it got colder later in the day as well! But the beauty of the arctic made up for it, at least in my eyes. To compensate for the harsh weather it was as if Mother Nature decided to give us the full beauty of the arctic. The sun was shining, and between the glorious sky and the whites and blues of the ice, you also got the diamonds sparkling in the wind. The snowflakes were even more incredible than previously. Instead of being a thick heavy snow it was very light, and the intricate flakes that were perfectly formed were transparent they were so thin. I think this might have helped in making them look like sparkly confetti in the sunshine.

Dive ops were cancelled due to cracks in the ice, and although we had drills, they didn't last long. Shortly after manning up in the repair locker, the drill was called off due to an actual casualty. No one got hurt, but a pipe sprung a leak in one of scientist's room that needed tending to. It was a good drill nonetheless, and much was learned, despite it being a short one.

October 18, 2009
WOW! I was privileged to see the northern lights for only my second time since I have been on this trip, and I say again WOW! Unlike the first time these didn't move like a ribbon blowing in the wind, but flickered like green fire across the sky. The stars were also incredible, and I saw several fall. The Aurora Borealis gave a long show and was out for at least 3 hours of our watch. I stayed out on the fly bridge just so I could spin around and look in-between watching for large ice or polar bears.

It was also a very enjoyable watch as BM3 Abel kept us laughing with his impromptu stories. He did them in different accents, Russian being used the most.

October 16, 2009
And the Day of Judgment is here! Today was the Pie in the Face moral event. Everyone joined in and gathered round. The stage was set, complete with video cameras and studio lights as the names were called. The anticipation was broken by a great burst of laughter and applause from everyone as Master Chief Sylvester was the first to step up. Dressed in white sheets wrapped around him, a crown, a scroll, and a trident made of tinfoil, he took his seat. The bidding for who would throw the pie quickly became quite the battle of wallets. FS2 Breier finally won out and for $120 was handed a pie to throw. Walking up to FSCM though, he took a few seconds too long and Master Chief pushed the pie into Breier's face before it was put into his own. Master Chief didn't escape from getting pied though as the surprised Breier quickly grabbed some of the fallen pie. The price for XO's pie reached even greater numbers despite its slow start. It rapidly climbed to $120, and then jumped to $150 when to the surprise of all SN Weaver decided she wanted to throw that pie! After 5 pies had been thrown it was noted that there was a 6th pie yet to go. This to great laughter from everyone was for the person who got the least amount of votes, DC2 Miles. He was saved from getting pied however when the Chief's Mess requested to pie the Captain for $200. They gave the privilege to SN Matthews, who got to do what few non-rates can say, that they got to throw a pie in their Captain's face. It was an evening full of laughter, and after it was added up, the amount raised was well over $1,000.

~SN Klineberger

Deck Force Joural

2009-10-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

October 17, 2009

Tonight was probably the most fun night that we have had this trip. Deck Force had our own morale pizza night which was so awesome. We started the night out at 1515, all dressed up in our civilian clothes. A lot of the outfits that were worn were pretty hilarious. So we were allowed to make pretty much any type of pizza that we wanted so long that it was edible. We made everything from triple pepperoni to chicken alfredo and of course some vegetarian pizzas. I think the one that really struck me as odd was BM3 Gariglio's pepperoni, pineapple, ham, bacon bits, jalapeno, and black olive pizza. I don't think you can even make a more crowded pizza, but it was good none the less. In the back, BM2 Nesse and SN Mathews were making the deserts. Up front BM3 Torres, SN Almeria, SN Obeji, and SN Thompson were making pickle chips, mozzarella sticks, and hot wings. Half way through the cooking someone got the smart idea to have a flour tossing war. Everywhere you looked there was someone with a fresh white powder coat on their shirt. We finally finished cooking right before dinner started with almost, if not more, 200 pizzas of different varieties cooked. After dinner, we had a few people come through telling how awesome everything was. I wish that this night had never ended.

~SN Robinson-Rivera

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

October 12, 2009
I can't believe how awesome the sky looked tonight. About 20 minutes into my Lookout portion of the watch, the skies cleared up and it was like it was uncovering a massive sheet of stars. It almost felt like if you jumped you would be floating around in space. 10 minutes later I saw Mars floating just above the horizon with its ominous orange glow. 10 minutes after that, I saw the first of 3 auroras of the night. Following the path of the aurora behind us, I saw a flashing light that was flashing red-white-green almost simultaneously. That light turned out to be Venus. Around 2300 I saw the 2nd and 3rd auroras of the night, which looked like they were almost encircling the ship. Amongst everything else, there were 4 or 5 shooting stars and many easily recognized constellations. It was probably the most amazing night ever.

~SN Robinson-Rivera

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

October 11, 2009
Today started off with a good breakfast after a long and well needed sleep. We are currently en-route to some of the targeted bears. Also we have today and tomorrow off for holiday routine. We passed our Materiel Inspection yesterday. So we were rewarded with today and Monday off for Columbus Day. This means deck force will stand 4 hr watches and have the rest of the time to ourselves. Most of the deck force will be found sleeping. That is normally what happens on holiday routine. The boat becomes a ghost town. But there are a handful of gamers on the boat that you can find gaming it up. I myself am a gamer. But due to the fact that my Xbox has seen its last day, I haven’t been able to play so much. BUMMER. The boat does a nice job on movies that we all can watch on certain channels. But I have my own lil collection of DVD’s. I feel like I am a mini Blockbuster. I have a CD case of DVD’s. I think the number I came up with is over 300. So you can always find me and half the male deck force in the aft crew’s lounge or in the ten man watching movies.
An event that I am looking forward to is the “pie in the face.” It is a chance for some people on the boat to smoke their supervisors in the face with a pie. Who wouldn’t want to do that? I already have a target in mind; that would be my BM2. Now if I could only find the money to make this happen.
They say that we have been losing about 15min of light a day. So it is dark up here for a good majority of our days. It reminds me of that movie 30 days of Night. So while I am on lookout, I look for ice, change in weather, polar bears, and now vampires.
~SN Avey

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-10T15:28:00.000-07:00

October 8, 2009
Today is a good day as all of deck force is qualified in helm and lookout. SN Kern and SN Froom took their boards a few days ago, and SN Joseph is now also qualified. The next hurdle is for everyone to be DCPQS, Damage Control Personal Qualification Standards, qualified.

It is also an exciting day as we saw some really close polar bears! A mother and two cubs were spotted 3 miles out off our starboard bow by the lead scientist. Thanks to her sharp eyes the crew had time to grab cameras and run to the foc'sle. You could hear the rapid clicks as people took pictures like crazy while the ship slowly crept up on them. By the time we came to an almost complete stop they were only a few hundred yards off and everyone had a good view as the mother reared up on her hind legs twice. The two cubs were adorable and one was quite bold. Despite its mothers calling it came closer, and tried to show how bold it was by yelling at the big red thing and all the little things swarming over it. Finally after much debate between mother and cub they wandered further off, but the excitement on board stayed as everyone now rushed bellow to download images and see if they got anything good. Thankfully it was a little warmer, and not to windy but there was still a run on tea, coffee, and hot chocolate when everyone laid below.

October 9, 2009
Another exciting day in the arctic has come and gone. The seas have been rougher as of late, and some of the crew and scientists are feeling the effects of a Polar Roller. Despite being in the ice, the forces of the waves have broken it into chunks, and created a rolling motion of ice that is truly something incredible to see. The 10' waves can also create quite a stir in your stomach as well though.

We celebrated another birthday for the month of October, there have already been several, and are going to be several more. Birthdays are a welcome occurrence as they can mean some fun pictures, and also of course cake.

As 2000, 8pm, rolled around everyone gathered on the mess deck to listen to Dan Cox give a lecture on how to do photography. As a seasoned photographer he had some very good advice to those interested in it. He went over everything from exposure to composition and afterwards there was a brief question and answer time. Everyone left with an enthusiasm to go out and shoot something!

October 10, 2009
This morning was inspections at 1000, so after muster deck force disbanded to our spaces for cleaning. Thanks to a good field day Friday yesterday and a good job this morning, we passed inspections and were granted the rest of the day to holiday routine. Thanks also to Columbus Day this Monday; it is a three day weekend.

Quarters was a fun occurrence, while everyone was coming out to the flight deck, shivering to keep warm, deck force enjoyed the antics of the Support Group; FS, SK, PA. A few snowballs were launched at Chief Faur when he came out, and in retaliation he bent down and started digging into the pile of snow turning those behind him white.

~SN Klineberger

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

We currently have been conducting a lot of dive ops, crane ops, and helicopter ops. Almost daily, we have flight quarters to send out the helos to track the polar bears that have been tagged by the scientists. So far we have found 3 of them. We have come across a few more bears in transiting to other locations where the targeted polar bears are located. The other day we passed a polar bear about 300 yards away from our port beam. Just last night on lookout, a lookout spotted a bear that was almost hit by our ship while going through some ice. Luckily the bear was not harmed. Some of the other scientists are still conducting core samples when we do dive operations. We also have a couple people from National Geographic along for the trip.
The deck force watch schedule has changed slightly due to the fact that we have gotten back 5 of our deckies from mess cooking. So now we have 5 unqualified deckies that have to get qualified so our watch rotation gets back to normal.
Today is October 7; all of the deck force on the Polar Sea except for one person is qualified underway. Go Deck Force. Our watch rotation is now at a 1 and 8. We so far have been successful in tracking polar bears.
Today is the 8th of October; we just saw a momma polar bear and two cubs off our starboard bow about 300 yds out. It was really cool to see these polar bears in the wild and seeing them just do their thing. It made this trip really worth being on. Not too many people will experience what this boat is experiencing. To see these animals in their natural habitat and not behind some cage is truly a great sight.
~SN Avey

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

October 6, 2009
Today was another fun day. After doing crane ops in the afternoon to bring the scientific dive party back on board, the deck force had a small snowball fight. There wasn’t much snow, and it was a dry snow so it didn’t compact well, but that didn’t stop the fun, or make it any warmer when it worked its way down your shirt.

The real excitement of the day was a pipe just before 6pm; “Fire, Fire, Fire.” Not having entered a training environment, and drills not supposed to happen until tomorrow, everyone’s adrenaline started racing as we very quickly manned up. We did a great job getting everyone ready, and shortly after it was piped everything was back under control and the order to stand down was given. Our practice and drills certainly paid off when a real GE, General Emergency, was piped.

Today was also “Bingo Bingo Bingo” night. The first prize to go out was snatched up quickly by SN Klineburger, the second by grad student Brenna. Several other prizes were handed out and even though not everyone could win it is always a fun time when Chief Roberts reads out the numbers. Everyone gets into the game, and half the fun is listening to the echoes of “corner” in a high pitched voice as shipmates get the corner to their row.

October 5, 2009
Today one of the deckies got a real treat, SN Meno went for a ride in the helo with the scientists! She got to fly out to where they had put a mother and cub temporarily to sleep and help them as they did their research. She came back with some wonderful close up pictures, and a sea story that very few will ever tell, that she got to touch a polar bear.

Other excitement was more dive and coring operations on the ice, and one of the scientists even made a snow angle. Also in the evening a polar bear was spotted off the port bow, one of the closest to the ship yet and easily viewable without binoculars.

SN Krantz became qualified in helm and lookout watch. SN Kern, and SN Froom are not to be left behind and are awaiting their boards to also become qualified.

October 4, 2009
Today was an exciting day for the new members to deck force fresh from mess cooking; SN Klineburger became qualified in helm and lookout watch. All the other members of deck force also sighed with relief as another qualified person means a better watch rotation for everyone.

In the evening a polar bear was spotted about 1 mile off the port quarter. Far off in the distance it was hard to see without binoculars. Instead several of the crew enjoyed looking at the intricate snow flakes that were lightly falling.
~SN Klineberger

Ice Adventures

2009-10-04T14:29:00.000-07:00

October 2, 2009
Today was another adventure filled science day, although it made some of us get a little cabin fever. We “hove to” in some thick ice and mid-afternoon the science/dive team offloaded from the boat and went onto the ice. However watching all those people get off the ship, and having been confined to POLAR SEA’s 399' for a month, most of the watchers were itching to step off and make a snow angel, or just simply leave the confines of her hull. Another polar bear was sighted in the distance, and a polar bear was also sighted off the stern less than 1 mile out.

Today was also a day of learning. Some of the seaman on board enjoyed a lecture on ice from Master Chief Butz and discovered that icebergs are made of hard compacted fresh water. The day ended with another beautiful sunset, and the promise of clear skies offered a glorious view of the heavens.
~SN Klineberger

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-02T16:35:00.000-07:00

Arctic West Fall 2009

September 31, 2009
At 6am all 11 mess cooks start the morning routine. For 6 of them it was a whole new experience. As it is the last day in September, it is now time for the mess cook rotation. The newest members to the Polar Sea will now take their turn doing the dishes and cleaning the galley for the next month. The older seasoned mess cooks of last month enjoy the relaxation of getting a breather before moving back to the areas they were from, deck or engineering department.

The day was also an exciting one as Wednesdays are drill days. So after quarters the crew waited around expectantly for the familiar pipe "The Polar Sea is now entering a training environment..." Once General Emergency (GE) was piped, everyone hurried to their billets, got dressed out, and set condition Zebra. With extras running the information back and forth, smoke was cleared and those injured were taken to sick bay. Another successful rotation completed, receiving an overall score of 95%.

October 1, 2009
Today was an exciting day. It started early for the mess cooks who now had watch as early as 4am. After watch, regular deck force duties were undertaken and important line handling skills were learned such as splicing and whipping line, as well as preparing for a helicopter emergency as the scientists took off in search of polar bears.

After lunch a few of the crew and scientists were lucky enough to see a polar bear off the starboard side and get a few pictures. Even if the crew did not see one of the three polar bears, several seals, or Beluga whales spotted throughout the day, the ice now surrounding the ship was an awesome sight.

The day was topped off by the excitement of ten can moral night. Six groups of brave souls gathered on the mess deck to raise their spoons to the unknown contents of six tin cans from the galley. The contents included cranberry sauce, tapioca pudding, whole potatoes, black eyed peas, fruit cocktail, and pumpkin pie. Quakenbush, Rainstar, Scheilbelhut, and Klineburger, came in first place devouring the tapioca pudding at an alarming rate. For first place they each will receive a day of liberty once back in Seattle. Second place was awarded to Fridley, Nelson, Avey, and Krantz after completing their can of cranberry sauce.
~SN Klineberger

Crew Journal, Deck Department

2009-10-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

30 September, 2009—Arctic West Fall 2009
After a minor delay we were finally underway on our tour to the north. During the first few days of our trip, the deck force was breaking in on helm and lookout. A lot of people think that this is an easy job, but driving this boat takes a bit of concentration. As helmsmen, we are responsible for the maneuvering of the ship, reporting sightings that are voice tubed down from the lookout, and keeping a constant eye on your instruments while steering. This was a challenge for me for the first few times of driving the boat. As for lookout, we are responsible for reporting contacts (boats, buoys, light-houses, etc.) to the bridge. Anything that could be a potential danger to the ship must be reported to the bridge, so the bridge will be able to maneuver the ship if need be. The deck force takes their job very seriously.
Our days normally consist of many evolutions ranging from small boat operations to anchor detail. We have a great Chain of Command that makes sure that we are being safe and focused on our evolutions, because what we do is very dangerous. We lift our small boats with a crane and lower them to the side of POLAR SEA to transfer personnel and stores between shore and our boat. This sounds easy but it isn’t. With us on water and the water always moving us, it’s very hard for us to keep control of the boat. The slightest movement of the boat can potentially send the small boat out of control when it is on the crane. Deck force is responsible for handling the lines on the small boat. This slows, or potentially stops, the movement of the small boat so it can be safely placed in the water. Everyone must pay attention and be focused on what’s going on, because if they aren’t it could be a real disaster.
When it comes to anchor detail, we all get a chance to perform the many jobs of this evolution. We are picked by the boatswain mates (BMs) to do our jobs after the safety brief. We have safety briefs before every evolution because like I said before, a lot of things we do on deck force is dangerous. We normally have one person pull the mousing and the pin that holds the pelican hook in place. We have one person with a sledge hammer that hits the pelican hook to release it from the chain that holds the anchor. From there the damage controlmen (DCs) normally man the brake which holds the chain. From there the anchor free falls till we get a certain length out, then it is instantly stopped by the brake. When it is determined that the anchor is holding, the cat’s paw is dropped by two of the deckies. After everything is done, 3 deckies are in charge of getting the pelican hook back on the chain to hold it in case the brake goes out. It takes 3 people to do this because this pelican hook is pretty heavy. It is also known for biting people.
~SN Avey