Introduction
Diary
	20 July
	19 July
	18 July
	17 July
	16 July
	15 July
	14 July
	13 July
	12 July
	11 July
	10 July
	9 July
	8 July
	7 July
	6 July
	5 July
	4 July
	3 July
	2 July
	1 July
	30 June
	29 June
	28 June
	27 June
	26 June
	25 June
	24 June
	23 June
	22 June
	21 June
	20 June

 

R/V Pelagia Cruise BIOSYS / HERMES-D
Monday – 20 June 2005	Pelagia in Galway
Although the captain and most of the crew were already on board of the Pelagia for more than 10 days, the majority of scientists as well as students traveled only today. After a long journey, starting in the Netherlands, France or Germany, they all hoped that at least some of the work with loading the equipment would have already been done.
However, it was the abrupt change in weather that actually got their attention right after landing in Galway.From sunny and hot continental Europe all of a sudden into the rainy and misty Ireland - so much for good weather forecasts. Having successfully, or should I say miraculously, fitted into the cars provided by the Agent in Galway, all 12 of them drove off to see the Research Vessel Pelagia yet again or for the very first time as in the case of Anna, Astrid, Marion and Erik. And there she was proudly starring into the harbour still undisturbed by any waves held by the gates of Galway: the RV Pelagia. No time for long poetic reflections, as the work will not be done by itself! Having said "hello" to those already on board, every body put on their safety shoes and working clothes and began to arrange the enormous chaos visible all around the place. Cranes flying over the heads, huge containers blocking the way on every step and uncountable aluminum boxes passed on from one to another - a true mess for which there seemed to be no remedy at that time. Nevertheless, people carried on with their efforts, perhaps inspired just by the idea of killing the time separating them from dinner. When Garl, the cook, called for dinner the deck started to show signs of order here and there. Believe it or not, two hours later, there was hardly any box or case to clear of the way. Of course, there was still a lot of work to be done with assembling the instruments and arranging various equipment inside the containers but at the end of the day, the crew and the scientific party could head of to "King's Head" or "Taffee's" for a well-deserved mug of Guinness.