Sperm Whale Seismic Study (SWSS)

Summer Breeze Daily Reports - July 23, 2005

Summer Breeze left TAMUG Small Boat Basin at 6:00 CDT this morning to head back to survey for and carry out photo-ID work with sperm whales in the northern Gulf. Jonathan Gordon flew in to IAH yesterday and met field team in Galveston yesterday evening, as planned, and this morning Jonathan reports that the engine seems to be doing fine. Unhappily, Raul Gamboa is not aboard. Raul injured his foot while in Galveston, and this injury subsequently became badly infected. He went to hospital yesterday 22 July and is on anti-biotics, but he was told not to go to sea until they have checked his foot again on Monday. Given the limited time that is left for MPS fieldwork, Jonathan and Raul decided not to delay Summer Breeze departure from Galveston, and so Summer Breeze sailed for sea this morning. Raul will receive a medical update on Monday, and he and Summer Breeze field team will decide what to do then. The generally high tropical storm activity this year may well bring Summer Breeze into port again before they return the boat to St Pete FL, or another opportunity may arise where they can pick him up.