Goose the Blog 2.0

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean

It seems that the research vessel Bill was set to serve on is still stuck at the dock. Amy (his girlfriend, if you don't know), writes that:

Last Friday (7/23) at noon, I took Bill to the boat which was docked on Lake Union (inside the locks that open into the Puget Sound). We said our goodbyes, and I went to work to finish off the day. At about 4pm, he called and asked if I wanted company for the weekend because the boat had to be inspected by the Coast Guard who wasn’t planning to come out until Monday morning. So, home he came! Monday morning, bright and early, I dropped him off again, and again, we said our goodbyes. At about noon I got a call that he had just made it onto the boat (which was now outside of the locks in West Seattle at a port area called Harbor Island). At this point, the Coast Guard hadn’t shown up yet. Later he called and said the Coast Guard had come and that they were pulling out to go (again with more goodbyes), but about two hours later he informed me that they had left Harbor Island only to go to another dock in Seattle which is about a mile away from our house! Needless to say, the Coast Guard found problems with the boat (not in regards to its seaworthiness: it didn’t meet qualifications for a science vessel).

Monday night I went to meet him at the marina where they docked, and we walked around and watched the sunset and said goodbye again since the boat was planning to leave in the morning. But, wait! Tuesday he calls and says that they are still docked! And, Wednesday night he calls asking for more books because they can’t leave until Thursday (I took him Dostoevksy thinking that it might keep him busy for at least a little while!)! He spent the week watching movies (he has a TV w/ a DVD player in his berth, and the boat has several movies), reading a whole book, doing push-ups and seeing three sick people (ranging from knee pain to cuts...all so far have been the boat crew).

Finally, last night (7/29), he called and told me that they were leaving at 10pm. I would like to say that they are for sure gone, but until I don’t hear from him all day, I can honestly say that it’s a mystery as to whether or not they were able to pass all the Coast Guard tests and actually set sail!

Well, that was a few hours ago, and the mystery has been solved. He didn't leave last night and is still waiting at the dock.

If you're interested in his itinerary, Amy says:

The plan is to go south to Astoria, Oregon to drop off 5 scientists and then head back up the coast to the Gulf of AK. They will most likely be to AK in about 9 days. This will leave them about 2 weeks there before they turn around to come back! How strange to have 1/5 of the “sea adventure” take place on a dock!

I don't understand the details, but he doesn't have email yet. He should have an address after the ship arrives in Astoria (maybe two days after it finally leaves Seattle?) but it will not be his normal one.

Updates, as I get them, will be forthcoming.

Update: Bill left about 10 pm Friday evening. Hopefully, we will have his new email address soon. Because the IT person on the ship forgot to set up an address for him, he will be getting a recycled address from one of the departing scientists.