Brief overview of useful information about cruise preparations
and what is expected of science participants on HEALY
Cruises:
If you have not done so already, you should send in your medical form before the start of the cruise. The form can be downloaded at: www.icefloe.net/healy_medical.html. Select the link labeled "downloaded here."
When completed you can submit it according to the instructions on the form. It would be a good idea to bring a copy with you when you come to meet the ship in port.
While it is not necessary for the form itself, for your own comfort and safety, you should take care of any troublesome medical and/or dental conditions before sailing. Be sure to bring enough prescription medications for the duration of the cruise.
HEALY is a self-sufficient community of approximately 100 crew members plus as many as 50 members of the science party. There is usually a full house aboard HEALY, so science party members may be assigned three to a stateroom.
All science party members have use of the Science Conference Room / Lounge and Messdeck for recreational activities. If invited by a crew member, you are more than welcome to join them in one of the crew's lounges.
As with any ship, you are a guest in the crew's house. It is wise to pay attention to what people are doing and respect their privacy. If you are in doubt about doing something ask first.
After you arrive, come directly to the ship and report to the quarter deck to check in and receive your stateroom assignment. During your time on HEALY, you will probably be sharing a room with two other members of the science party. You and your room-mates will be responsible for keeping your stateroom and the sink in it clean. Two staterooms share a single shower and toilet. Keeping it clean is also a shared responsibility. Before you leave the ship, your stateroom and head will be inspected. If you have kept it clean during the time you will be onboard, you will be a happier person.
The toilets on board can take only human waste and the provided toilet paper. Do not flush anything else down. Flushing anything else down the toilets tends to clog them. When the toilets are clogged the entire system can be shut down, sometimes for a few hours, leading to your immediate and immense unpopularity among your shipmates.
It will be necessary for you to bring your own towel(s). The USCG does not provide towels, but will sell you one from the ship store if you forget. The USCG does provide sheets for the beds. Some of these sheets are rather grey from use. If you use the USCG sheets, you will be responsible for returning them, clean, at the end of the cruise. Washing sheets after your last night onboard can be hectic so some people bring their own sheets (full-sized) to avoid this.
You should also bring your own soap, shampoo, etc. Contact lens solution is not available on the ship so make sure you bring an adequate supply. Shower shoes or flip flops are important for your, and your shipmates, hygiene so please pack these since the ship does not sell them in the ship's store. Shower shoes are for use in the shower and in your cabin. Open toed shoes and slippers are not acceptable anywhere else on the ship. Since you may not want to wear your steel toes all the time, a pair of sneakers, comfortable shoes or light boots are strongly recommended.
There is a laundry on the ship with laundry soap provided. Do not bring your own. HEALY's sewage system requires that you use a highly-concentrated, low-suds soap. Don't forget to pack a mesh laundry bag.
There are four meals a day. All of them feature some sort of hot food, though "midrats" are typically leftovers from Lunch and Dinner. The quality of the food onboard is pretty good. But expect a declining supply of fresh fruit and vegetables during the cruise. Hand sanitizer dispensers are located around the ship, including the mess deck so please sanitize your hands before entering the chow line.
If there is some food item (chocolate, quality coffee, soft drinks, candy etc.) you cannot live without, you should bring enough for your purposes. Sharing it is nice too.
At the end of the cruise, you may be presented with a mess bill. The charge for meals is ~10 US$ per day. You can pay with a personal check drawn on a US bank. It may be necessary to make some arrangement to pay it prior to the cruise.
***Meals for NSF funded science programs are billed directly to NSF so cruise participants are not required to pay onboard.
DAILY ROUTINE
0700-0800: Breakfast
1100-1200 Lunch
1700-1800 Dinner
1800 Early Movie
2000 Late Movie
2300-2330: Midrats for Oncoming Watchstanders
2330-2400: Midrats
HOLIDAY ROUTINE (Sundays and Announced Holidays)
0700-0900 Breakfast
1000 Catholic Service (Sundays and Holidays)
1030 Protestant Service (Sundays only)
1100-1200 Lunch
1700-1800 Dinner
1800 Early Movie
2000 Late Movie
2300-2400 Midrats
Movies are shown on the messdeck. Movies can be signed out for the science lounge as well. There is a limited selection of books on board. Recent magazines are coveted by the crew after time at sea.
The POD is produced daily and posted each evening for the following day. It lists special events, announcements, and any changes to the daily routine.
The Gym is located on the 2nd deck directly below the messdeck. There are several weight machines, lifecycles, stair climbers, and other typical weight room items. You are welcome to use any of this equipment, but please wipe down equipment and stow everything for sea when you are finished. Special wipes are available in the gym for cleaning the equipment after use, however please bring a small hand towel or sweat band for personal use.
It is recommended that you bring durable clothes for the trip. Bring warm, comfortable, "layerable" clothing. The temperature inside is regulated. The temperature outside does not respond to the thermostat. You should be prepared for cold conditions.
If you are going to be working on the fantail, you should have "working deck shoes" with reinforced toes, steel or fiberglass toed boots/shoes (the latter may be better in cold environments). Also, be prepared to don a mustang suit when you go out.
You should have regular e-mail communications with the wider world all the way across the Arctic Ocean. As you go further north, our options for communication are limited, which translates to limited bandwidth. Review the recommendations at this link www.icefloe.net/healy_emaildattrans.htm and follow them, it will make your communications more reliable and ensure your continued contact with the outside world.
Large file transfers may be possible even from high latitude, if it is necessary for the science program. It would be better if you planned ahead to take only limited advantage of this.
Electrical Power on Healy is different than what you are used to on shore. Please visit this link so you can be prepared to safely use Healy's AC power.
Keeping your personal and scientific gear secured for sea cannot be emphasized enough. HEALY will roll and pitch in rough weather and seas, and will experience vibration during icebreaking. Improperly secured gear my be damaged or cause hazards to people. The ship cannot be held responsible for damage caused by poor stowage or a failure to properly secure gear. If you have any questions regarding proper stowage procedures, consult with one of the Marine Science Technicians (MST).
HEALY is equipped with an internal pager system. Each crew member and member of the science party will be issued pagers upon reporting to the ship. This system is an effective means for locating people onboard and virtually replaces the need for general announcements ("pipes").
Telephone/pager directories are available in most spaces on the ship. The pager system can be accessed from any internal telephone using the following procedure:
- Dial 277 on the telephone.
- At the first tone, enter the pager number you are calling, followed by the # sign.
- At the second tone, enter the extension you would like that person to contact, followed by the # sign.
- Hang up the telephone.
The crew and officers are giving a lot of time to support your science. In an effort to give something back, there will be a series of science talks/presentations. Please bring overheads, powerpoint presentations, etc., and expect to be called upon sometime during the cruise to stand up and explain your science. The talks are well attended and contribute to everyone's understanding of why you are going where you are going and doing what you do.
Much of this information is repeated or augmented at: www.icefloe.net/cruiseplan_healy.html. Reviewing these pages before departure would be well worth your time.
Medical form completed
Bath towel
Hand towel for the gym
Mesh laundry bag
Full size sheets (optional)
Flip flops for shower
Steel toe boots
Contact lens solution
Pump hand soap
Body bar soap
Shampoo
Personal snacks and treats
EFI's Powertracker MPS-6 surge protection device
Personal check for paying mess bill
The USCGC Healy Polar Library contains books, maps and other materials relevant to the worlds polar regions. The library collections will be from generous donations and will encompass materials on the history of polar exploration, polar oceanography and meteorology, as well as other polar subjects.
Current inventory of the library can be viewed by clicking here.
To make a donation to the library please send the following information to PolarLibrary@icefloe.net:
Title, author, paperback or Hardcover, Publisher, publisher date, ISBN
Once the information is received about the proposed donation, the material will be assessed for relevance and duplication and a reply will be made within two weeks.
The Healy Polar Library is dedicated to the memory of Jessica Hill and Steven Duque who perished in a diving accident in 2006 in the Arctic Ocean.
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