Searching the ocean with bated breath

Will the mooring return from the watery depth

 

Weighted down heavy with scientific instrumentation
Hoping dearly that there is enough flotation

 

One full year is a very long time to wait

Pondering all along, what could be its fate

Photo credit: Brendan Smith

Photo credit: Brendan Smith

Pulling up to its last known location

Just a few miles from a process station

 

 Enable command as a series of pings

Acoustic release, please, let me hear you sing

 

It responds, great, I hear you with great pride

But wait, only seven chirps means you’re on your side

 

An ice hit, a barge cable, a loose cotter pin

There are so many reasons that this might have been

Photo credit: Brendan Smith

Photo credit: Brendan Smith

Nine sixteenth cable, length of chain and a hook

Sikuliaq dragging operation done by the book

 

Cable laid out in a loop all around

Trying to keep the drag hook on the ground

 

Steaming in a precise circle around the location

A seven thousand pound tension spike gives great hesitation

 

Will the hook come up attached to the mooring?

If it does come up, morale would be soaring

 

Hauling back on the winch and the tension drops

With no mooring lifted the operation stops

 

An unsuccessful recovery, so we sail away

Maybe we will return on another day

Portrait of Pete Shipton. Photo credit: Brendan Smith

Portrait of Pete Shipton. Photo credit: Brendan Smith