Introduction

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R/V Pelagia Cruise SME 117 INDUS
	Diary overview
Sunday, 21 December 2008	Preparing Chirp
Today has been a quiet day on Pelagia and one that we mostly spent catching up with old work, and grabbing the odd cat nap or two to restore of tired bodies and minds. Fortunately the weather has been kind to us and overnight we were able to continue with both our seismic systems operating well as we zigzagged back and forth across the wide flat shelf of the Indus system northwest of the Indus Canyon and in the general direction of Karachi.
For the most part the shelf here is a wide flat expanse of largely featureless seafloor around 110 m deep stretching out to the edge of the shelf and before it rapidly plunges off into the deep waters of the Indus Fan. Our systems have revealed a thin drape of material dating from around ten thousand years ago across this surface but not much else. The main bulk of the delta appears to lie to the north. Fortunately in this surveying mode the instruments need only minimal attention (unless disaster strikes!) and this allowed us to finish up core descriptions and catch a few rays in the sun, so that we, and not just the seismic systems, can benefit from the better weather. Sunday was also marked by a particular fine lunch of garlic shrimp. Good luck that there is a gym onboard to work off all the excellent food we are spoilt with. Even out here the Christmas season is creeping up on us and the mess room and bar area are beginning to look very festive with trees, lights and decorations in preparation for the big day next week.