Preparation for Movement

Hey Folks. So we're here in St. Petersburg, Florida and have been since Sunday evening. Yesterday we were busy building the screens and floating dock for sifting all sediment recovered from our four sites we're out to investigate. Today we fixed a few of the errors involved in that and put together the pumps and generators. We've been pushed back a day due to generator issues on the boat and preparation of all our archaeological equipment, but should set sail by tomorrow afternoon. We even plan on our first group dive to get used to the depths and equipment. In all there will be 8 of us diving the sites in group of 3 or 4 at a time.

On a different note, the delays allowed me to celebrate my big 3-0 birthday on dry land (pretty nice so I wasn't suffering sea sickness for the big day (I do have meds with me and hopefully they help prevent sea sickness). We were able to go out for a group dinner at an Indian Restaraunt and also afforded us the opportunity to discuss of plan of attack.

For now, this is it, but stay tuned as the excitement most certainly begins tomorrow! (Cross your fingers for midden or archaeological deposits!)

NIGHT :)

Excitement abounds and preparation underway!

Alright folks, bear with me as I'm new to this blogging thing (yes I understand that this may be astonishing, but I do not twitter nor have I blogged), but here goes!

So preparation is underway. I leave Sunday around noon for Tampa to begin the expedition with Adovasio and Hemmings. The level of excitement is too hard to put into words, as this really is a dream come true, a once in a lifetime chance to say the least.

Anyways, I've been preparing for this particular trip for the past few months, but have also been enthusiastically reading up on submerged shore line studies and submerged prehistoric studies for years. Since April I have been busy updating my CPR, First Aid, AED, and Bloodborne Pathogens American Red Cross training; I have taken an Oxygen Provider class with PADI and DAN; completed an Enriched Air Diving class with PADI; have become and Advanced Open Water diver with PADI (I completed my Open Water certification in 2002); and have completed a series of checkout dives and water skills in order to certify as a scientific diver with the University of South Florida to have permission to dive from their boat, the R/V Bellows. It has been a terribly busy couple of months, but I am more than certain it has all been worth it!

Beyond the training classes, I am now preparing to take leave on this adventure, and since I leave on Sunday, I'm beginning to pack my bags. I'll spare you the details of this, as I'm sure many of you reading this are aware what packing entails. But let me tell you, it can definitely be difficult to pack for a two week at sea scientific trip.

Oh yeah, and for those of you who don't know what I'm preparing for: A team of archaeologists under the direction of Dr. James M. Adovasio and Dr. C. Andrew Hemmings will be conducting the third installment of the NOAA funded archaeological investigation - Exploring the Submerged New World. The first expedition was in 2008, the second in 2009 and here we are with 2011 for the third (Aug. 9th to 18th). It is our hopes to find evidence of submerged prehistoric sites and we are continuing the work started in 2008 off the coast of Florida. For more information on this expedition please see the previous post with Press Releases and continue to follow this blog. I will be posting daily about the day to day goings onboard the research vessel and will keep you aware of all upcoming press releases.

For now I bid you adieu.