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We visited the USNS Sumner
Geological Survey ship. It was really neat. The crew showed
us a lot of navigational equipment. They made maps of the elevations
of the ocean floor. They would test the water to find out how fast
sound would travel through it. Then using that, they would be able
to tell how far the ocean floor was from them. We also saw the galley
and their berths. On the bridge, the Master (Captain) told us how
to start the engines and steer the ship using the radar. He also
showed us some really weird windshield wipers. On the deck, they
showed us the lifeboat, life rafts, and the launch. Afterwards, we
went back inside and received a book about the ship and some little bottles
of Tabasco sauce. They handed out the sauce because their home port
is in Louisiana where it is made.
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A navy diver also came to
talk to us about diving. He brought his equipment to show us.
He had a BC (buoyancy compensator), a tank with regulator, a gauge that
tells air amount and depth, and a compass. He brought 2 masks.
One was gray and was very light because it was made of silicon. They
wore it for small spaces. It was called the Mark 20. The Mark 21 was heavy
and weighed 30-40 pounds and made of fiberglass. It also had a reserve
air compartment. |
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He further explained that
a buoyancy compensator is what helps you to go up or down. You blow it
up to go to the surface, or let out air to sink. If you look at your gauge
and you suddenly realize you have no air, there is a little string that
you can pull to inflate the bc really fast, so you can get to the surface.
Then he showed us a scuba
tank where there was another safety feature. If you are low on air, you
can turn a knob all the way and you can have some more air that is stored.
Next he showed us a regulator which is where you breathe from the tank.
He answered a lot of our questions and then bid farewell. Thanks
Mr. Harris for teaching us about another way to see Guam! |
