In some places the sea is dotted with clumps of floating seaweed, fugitives from the Sargasso Sea riding north on the great current. The ship remains quiet but the silence belies the meetings and planning that are taking place. Even so, I'm told that the lack of apparent activity is not typical. At three weeks, this is a very short leg for the Resolution, which will remain at the site for only five days. And the week long transit to and from the site is longer than usual.
Legs typically last eight weeks with most of the time spent drilling with short moves between sites.
On those voyages, Gene Pollard, the drilling operations manager tells me, the ship is a beehive of activity. But the wait is almost over. These preparations will go on non-stop until we reach the site. From then on, there will be no rest. The ship will begin lowering the drill pipe almost immediately.