AmazonPaleo: Life Aboard the Knorr (part 2)

The crew and scientists are working hard on this cruise to make sure we get home with lots of mud, lots of water, and lots of data. But hard work requires fuel, and that means food and sleep. The R/V Knorr is not a luxury vehicle, but it is well set up to handle the demands of tired and hungry workers.

The Knorr was built in 1969, had a "mid-life overhaul" (if only we could all have one of those!) in 1989-1991, and was retrofitted for the long coring system in 2007. The ship is 279 feet (85 m) long and has a beam of 46 feet (14 m), and a draft of 16.5 feet (5 m) -- this goes up to 23 ft (7 m) with the bow thruster lowered. It holds 160,500 gallons of fuel, has a range of 12,000 nautical miles, a cruising speed of 11.o knots, and can stay at sea for up to 60 days at a time with a complement of 22 crew, 32 scientists, and 2 technicians.

Here's a cut-away diagram of the ship:

Cross sectional schematic of the R/V Knorr.

(If you want to see more details about the ship's layout, visit the ship's website at WHOI.)

The main science/core lab is on the Main Deck. Most of the crew and scientist sleeping quarters (berths) are on the 2nd Deck -- just below the Main Deck and right at waterline, where there is not as much rocking and rolling in rough seas as there is higher in the ship. Most of the berths are 2-person rooms with shared (2 adjacent rooms share a single bathroom). There is actually a gym the 2nd Deck too -- just in case you feel the urge to get some exercise sometime in your 3 week cruise!

Below left: Lucky Gary! He's alone in a 2-person room (the second berth is closed). Below Right: "Boy's town" -- a 4-person room shared by Andy, Enrique, and Trevor. (Desks are folded closed.)

Above: The Chief Scientist's "stateroom," complete with private bath, office space, and a door with a porthole.

The Chief Scientist's "stateroom" is on the 02 Deck -- right next to the Captain's stateroom and just below the bridge. I guess this means that if you want to be a Chief Scientist you'd better be able to take the rocking and rolling that comes with the "high" position on the ship! Thanks to Dave for giving up his 1/2 of the stateroom for Catherine. But, don't feel sorry for Dave. He got a private room (with a private bathroom!) in the exchange!

Sounds pretty good right? Well, as a matter of fact it is not bad at all. We are all pretty comfortable in our quarters and it seems that everyone is sleeping well. (Unless, of course there happens to be a needle gun in operation on the bulkhead opposite your bunk. But, that's another story, for another time.)

The galley is small, but amazingly comfortable. The food is great. Thanks Bobbie and Erskine! And there is way more than enough to go around: three meals a day plus snacks -- and free access to the coffee machine, the microwave, and whatever happens to be in the 2 below-counter refrigerators in the coffee area. We are not in danger of going hungry; in fact, maybe I should head to the gym now . . .

Below: The galley between meals -- ready and waiting . . .