12 January 2021, end of the mobilization

A “mobilization”, in the oceanographic language, it is the installation of the cruise on board of the research vessel. That is, the distribution of 22 tones of material and 48 scientists in more than 15 small laboratories from bottom to top of the ship. There are even collectors of dust and rains all in top, above the command post (called “the bridge”)!

Since Monday 11th morning, a veritable anthill has taken over bridges, passageways and laboratories to install sampling, filtration, iron, mercury or radium analysis systems… the whole list would be boring! A real ballet of boxes, screwdrivers, sponges (rooms are not always very clean at the start!) and other saws, assembling and soldering iron… all in a total sweat, heavy heat, cyclone atmosphere. A heavy tropical rain finally defeated the blazing sun this Tuesday evening. The mobilization finished wading, but the labs are ready, the equipment is secured and tomorrow we set sail at 7 am local time!