Christopher Bull bio photo

Christopher Bull

Aspiring Oceanographer at Northumbria University. Big data python enthusiast. Outdoor adventurer.

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Throughout the voyage I’ve been sending bite sized twitter updates of my time at sea. Here they all are.

[caption id=”attachment_523” align=”aligncenter” width=”300”]Image: Sue Reynolds. Image: Sue Reynolds.[/caption]

Day -2. Chris is ready for adventure! But what & where? He just packed Avomine, Metoclopramide, Nausetil and Hydralyte. Fancy a guess?

Day -1. More packing clues: 3-layer Gore-Tex pants, 3-layer Gore-Tex jacket, waterproof sealskin socks and Carcassonne…

Day -1. More adventure hints, just packed: 100d, 17-50mm, 60mm, 55-250mm, GoPro, Monfrotto 055XB and a JVC GY-HM100 (as scary as it looks).

Day 0. “Best go on the top bunk, that way if there’s a spill you don’t have to catch it!”

Day 1. Time to come clean: it’s a scientific voyage in the East Australia Current!

Day 1. 17 CTDs and 5 moorings VS fifteen days, 14 scientists, 17 crew and one 42 year old boat: can they do it?

Day 1. And they can’t. So much for day 1. Industrial dispute. No go till noon tomorrow.

Day 2. Feeling empathetic? Extract stomach. Place in washing machine. Turn on. Hang yourself upside down and swing like a pendulum.

Day 3. It’s official, today I became an Oceanographer; I threw stuff into the ocean today in the name of science!

Day 4. @ProfChrisTurney. Guess who found his sea-legs! Take that Turney; he said I was going to lose 10 kg!

Day 5. Quick everyone, starboard, there’s a 1.5 metre squid! It’s huge! Maybe @ErikvanSebille is right, maybe they do do all the mixing!

Day 6. All hands action stations–mooring day! Will the acoustic release work? Has a shark eaten our seabird? Stay tuned…

Day 7. Drama today; m3/4 have run into strife. Thank-fully we’ve only lost the top instruments on three, our data is okay… What about 4?

Day 8. Four is a win too! We lost the top instruments again but all the data looks okay.

Day 9. Mooring five complete. Amazing work everyone, such an inspiration to watch the deck crew; they’re a well-oiled machine!

Day 10 and 11! Hop-to; humpbackwhales breaching starboard side!

Day 12. Programming on a boat 101. Step 1. Realise there’s no internet, panic! Step 2. Email friend to ask Stackoverflow…

Day 13. Step 3. Wait several hours for your asinine question to be sent via satellite. Step 4. Realise you had the question wrong…

Day 14. Step 5. Give up and go play on the back deck, it’s too nice a day.

Day 15. Demobilise: step off boat, go hug tree, find beer.

In category: Southern_Surveyor