24.08.2012-30.08.2012 - Construction of the dredge - 

filling the boxes

(Preparation of the cruise ANT-XXIX/3)

24.08.2012 (Friday). Luc Trevels informs me that the frame of the new dredge will be ready on Monday morning. I was hoping to have it on Friday, but I realize that constructing a frame for the dredge is not an easy task and it has to be made carefully. Marie checks if we have everything for DNA extraction. Almost everything is OK. We are just waiting for the nucleospin extraction kit and the new pipettes we have ordered. I put the white-gray-white code on all our boxes and items (the boxes of each team of scientist has its own colour code). I make a photograph of all our boxes and items.

25.08.2012 (Saturday). I buy the last small items (mostly for me). At home I prepare my personal items (clothes, books,...), which I want to include in the cargo.

26.08.2012 (Sunday). I go to the Institute to put my personnal goods in the box 33. I realize that despite improved sewing two nets for the dredges are not fastened strongly enough. I still improve the sewing.

27.08.2012 (Monday). Gilbert Claes (the head of Logistic at our Institute) told me that it would be better to move the boxes on Thursday afternoon than on Friday morning. I put a bit more silicone glue on the sewed parts of the net of the Rauschert dredge. Henri Robert is back and willing to help me with the radio beacon and the flash. It seems less complicated than I feared. Charlotte Havermans brings me the missing identification sheets on lysianassoid amphipods. I scan some scientific papers, which we did not have in pdf-format and which could be useful during the cruise (pdfs weight nothing). Around 14:00 I receive the frame of the new Rauschert dredge made by Luc trevels. Good job but 4 small rings are missing. Luc used the older dredge as model and did not see the small rings, which were completely hidden by the net itself. Luc promises me to fix them for Tuesday morning. I realize I have not sent the documents for the dangerous goods. Urgent! One of the form is complicated. I need the help of Henri. He will be there tomorrow. I told Marie that it is urgent to bring her clothes and personal effects to be put in the boxes.

28.08.2012 (Tuesday). The metal frame of the new dredge is now OK. After discussion with Henri Robert I complete the declaration of dangerous goods and the IMO document for dangerous goods. I send to the AWI logistic department a pdf and a printed copy. Yassine Loufa (technician of the Department Invertebrates) proudly brings me a parcel with the new flash. So, it arrived in due time!!!

29.08.2012 (Wednesday). I have e-mail discussions with Christoph Held concerning the dangerous goods (absolute ethanol) and the frozen fish to bring on board (which will be used as bait for the traps). I fix the plates of vinyl and the net on the metal frame of the dredge constructed by Luc Trevels. Not an easy job, especially for fixing the bolts and the nuts. It took me nearly a whole day. As concerns the net, I first fixed it inadequately and I had remove it and to do everything a second time. Claude De Broyer told me that he could have some spare field clothes for Marie. Marie brought some personal clothes. I realize I will have to go once more to the store for last minute furniture. This will be for tomorrow and tomorrow is another day...

30.08.2012 (Thursday). Some useful clothes (belonging to RBINS) are provided to us by Claude De Broyer. They are put in the boxes along with the personal clothes of Marie. I scan some useful documents. Boxes and trunks for the first travel are removed form the cellar and from the corridor of the 7th floor. They will be put tomorrow in the van of RBINS.

Closed metal trunk

Closed carton boxes with the buoys for the lander

(Cédric)