It appears that mobilization in Seattle may be complete as early as Tuesday August 7th or as late as Friday the 10th. The trip to Adak is 10 to 12 days depending on weather and the trip to Kiska about one day.
Bad weather could hold up the search effort but if we are lucky we should start the relocation August 18th to 21st.
The truck, driver and ROV arrived safe and sound in Seattle yesterday.
The Aquila is demobalizing from a research contract.
Chris and the crew from Oeaneering have efficently unpacked their equipment and begun assembling the ROV, winch and electronic operating shack.
Here are some photos of the mobalization to date.
This morning got a call from the driver, Bob Crider, that he was about 150 miles from Seattle. That means he should arrive just about 8:00 am, about as perfect timing as could be imagined.
I have started adding photos to the Google website, picasaweb. There will be a link to that site “Photos Search 07″ (http://picasaweb.google.com/mbrewsterabele) on the front page. Expect a little confusion in the beginning as this is a software package that I am not familiar with. When you get to the site double click on the album photo (only one album right now) and then click on “sideshow†in the upper left. If things don’t work let me know. Want to get the bugs out of the system before the real action starts
Today is the 65th anniversary of the loss of the Grunion. In that light I would like to share a note that the Gunnery Officer William Kornahrens wrote in June 1942 to his wife about our dad
“The more I see of the captain, the more convinced I am that he is a remarkable individual. He has bottomless energy and talents galore–wood carving, poetry, story telling–and most important of all, he’s a wondrously cool competent skipper. It’s going to be a real pleasure to go to sea with anyone of his caliber at the helm. I only hope that I won’t let him down–and that I can continue to please him as far as my work is concerned.”
As of noon today Bob Crider and his truckload of 36,000 lbs of ROV equipment were about 640 miles from Seattle. That puts them right on schedule.
The photographer, Peter Lowney and Chris Nicholson and the ROV crew are on their way to Seattle. They should arrive this evening.
I just got a note from Yutaka. He was interviewed by a reporter from Japan’s largest newspaper ASAHI-SHINBUN who will be contacting us for an article to appear just before the search begins. The significance is that we may be able to locate some relatives of the crew of the Kano Maru and of course that this type of publicity moves this project to an international level.
Yutaka has translated the status reports to his website. Go to http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~navy_yard-iwa/StatusReport2007.html
Talked with the truck driver, Bob Crider, and it appeared he and his 38,000 lb of ROV and equipment would be in Fargo N Dakota about noon today. That is approximately 1662 miles of a 3100 mile trip. Assuming the same rate of travel he should be in Seattle quite early in the morning of the 31st slightly ahead of plan.