Home run for the RV Maria S. Merian:
Research vessel sets off towards the Baltic Sea ice
for the "Deep Baltic" mission

25.02.2021 – Departure: From the North Sea into the Baltic Sea

The Merian departs punctually at 8:30. The weather is calm as we sail down the Ems towards the North Sea. On our way, we are accompanied by lots of wind energy plants.

First highlight of the day: test alarm! We have to grab our life jackets and find our way to the muster point. When everyone is present, we practise the handling of the life jackets. It works well - it is obvious that many here have been to sea many times before. I feel a bit like a collar bear and am glad to be able to put my lifesaver aside again for the time being. Because now we're going to the free-fall lifeboat. When I get in, I think to myself: "Don't take this literally," because it's a steep descent. Thank God there are handrails to the right and left of the aisle, and behind them there are seats close together, in which you are more lying than sitting - at least for now. If, in a real emergency, the boat has been released from its moorings and has fallen into the sea, it will land in the horizontal again - more or less. I'd rather not imagine that emergency and am glad when we're all out in the open again without anyone having a claustrophic fit.

Around 6 pm we entered the Kiel Canal. We didn't notice, because at the same time there was a big preparatory meeting for the first stations tomorrow in the Arkona Basin. To be continued!

Text and photos by Barbara Hentzsch (IOW) | click photos to enlarge