This is the fourth ADEON cruise, and we’re slowly accumulating little habits and traditions among the science crew. These include things like the PIs bringing out special treats for after we finish up all the tasks at each site (it was Almond Joys and Mounds after the last one), and the epic night shift vs. day shift board game each cruise (to claim gloating rights until the next trip, of course).

My name is Brandyn Lucca; if you’ve been following our adventures at sea since 2017, you may recognize my name from the previous trips. But if not, I am a PhD student in Dr. Joseph Warren’s lab at Stony Brook University. I am particularly interested in improving the ways we monitor and count prey—like zooplankton such as myctophids, shrimp, and krill that are consumed by whales, and other predators—by using remote sensing techniques like underwater acoustics.

Today is the 4^th day since departure …I believe. Since starting the night’s watch shift (6pm – 6am), it is difficult to tell when one day ends and the next begin. At least I can say I am finally used to the schedule as I’ve now managed to sleep through most of the day!