8 April 2009 Bering Sea, Southeast of St. Matthews Island

Warning! Danger! Notice! If you know how to read there are lots of directions to be followed on the Healy! Before leaving the East Coast one of my friends offered me a final piece of advice for returning home safely. "Simone, follow the rules". Knowing that this is not my strength, this reminder was in order. Here, I follow the rules. There are lots of them. The most important ones are not so obvious but failing to follow them would make you stand out as the dreaded rookie. These are a few examples...

1. No gym clothes in the mess hall. This is bad form.
2. Look before you open the stairwell doors. It's a long way down the ladder for someone on the other side.
3. Wear a hard hat anytime there is big equipment in motion.
4. No flip flops- unless you are in the shower.
5. Remember to check in twice a day. This is done electronically so that everyone is accounted for. If you forget, the ship might stop and go back looking for you! Better remember to check in.
6. The most important rule to remember is a secret rule. It is a test of sorts. In the mess hall there four choices for collecting your food. Circle plate, oval plate, tan tray and the mysterious brown tray. These trays are just sitting there waiting for someone to pick them up. The tan tray has dividers for different kinds of food. The brown tray is like our lab supply trays at Oyster, flat. Apparently, the kitchen doesn't like these trays. This is what happens if you make the wrong choice... First, you take a tray and walk innocently up to the mess line, "Spinach salad, please..." you might begin to say. The cook, noticing your rookie maneuver will shout out for the whole mess hall, "BROWN TRAY". Then everyone will turn around to see who the rookie is before chanting "brown tray, brown tray, brown tray..." until you put it away. I use a plate so as to avoid any confusion in this area.

All jokes aside though, the ship is a wonderful and dangerous place with lots of heavy machinery and loud noises. Everyone is expected to follow the rules. Even the teacher. Check out a few of the many signs found on board...