Journal

So far on this cruise, the Oden crew has watched me fly the 61 decorated flags I brought with me with a combination of bewilderment and amusement. Watching the silly American teacher trying to hang up 3 stands of uncooperative flags, tied to one another with unpredictable knots that would unexpectedly come untied, with a strong Antarctic breeze blowing, finally got the best of the Oden's captain. Captain Mattias Peterson told me that he wanted me to fly the flags on the open deck above the bridge - 7 decks up from the Oden's main deck. "That would be great," I replied. "I'll do it one day when we are moored at an ice station." He explained that it needed to be done while the Oden was underway, so the flags could really fly. I've been on that top deck (where our ice camera is located) when we are underway, and it is WINDY! How could our little flags fly up there?

A few days later, Captain Mattias said, "Let's fly your flags today." I explained that I wasn't too sure about it and that I was afraid the flags would come loose and fly away, but he reassured me that wouldn't happen. So I brought the flags up to the bridge and showed them all to him. He seemed appalled by my assortment of sloppy knots holding the flags together and gave me a lesson in proper knot tying - retying all 60 knots with a reef knot which would not come loose in the wind. Then he tied a longer rope onto each end of the string of flags and one in the center. I really didn't know what he was planning to do, but he is the ship's captain, so I just kept my mouth shut and followed along. We donned heavy jackets, I grabbed my cameras, and up to the top deck we went.

He tied the ends of the lines to the deck railing and then raised the mid-point line on a halyard.

Flying the Expedition Flags
Oden Captain Mattias Peterson helps fly the expedition flags on the open deck above the bridge.

And look what we did! As the center of the strand was raised, the flags fanned out in a perfect V - flapping wildly in the strong wind. And all the knots held! I even climbed up a ladder onto the roof of our lab container to get a photograph. Don't they look great?

The Proper Way to Fly Flags
The expedition flags were hoisted up to fly as the Oden sailed on.

Flags in the Wind
The flags were flapping wildly in the wind, but all of the knots and the stitches held fast.

High Above the Deck
The flags looked amazing against the blue Antarctic sky.

Expedition Flags
The flags flew above the highest deck of the Oden.

That's all the flags flying above the bridge of the Oden in the Ross Sea of Antarctica! What a thrilling sight! Now that we have a proper strand of flags, watch for several more journal entries featuring the classroom and community flags.

Lesson Learned: A proper sailor's knot and a little positive thinking can accomplish much! Thanks Captain Mattias!

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