Headed North into Cold Water?  Then Be Prepared! – Make sure you go through all your shipboard and personal emergency checklists, including this one:

• ¨      Immersion Suits (also known as Survival or Exposure Suits) – check that you can get it on quickly and that it's not buried under a bunch of stuff, it fits, the zipper works easily and is lubricated with paraffin, there is a tight seal around the face, both the light and whistle work, the name of the ship is stenciled clearly and the reflective material is isn't torn or falling off.  Practice getting it on in less than two minutes.  Practice, practice, practice.

• ¨      PFD – check that it fits, the light and the whistle works, the name of the ship is stenciled clearly and any reflective material is isn't torn or falling off.

• ¨      If in the water, then –

o        Don't swim unless you can reach a nearby boat, fellow survivor, or floating object. Swimming lowers your body temperature.

o        If a nearby floating object is large, pull yourself up on it. The more your body is out of water, the warmer you'll be. Don't use drownproofing methods that call for putting your face in the water. Keep your head out of the water to lessen heat loss and increase survival time.

o        Use of the HELP position will lessen heat loss. However, if you're wearing a Type III PFD, or if the HELP position turns you face down, bring your legs together tight and your arms tight to your sides and your head back. See SURVIVAL position.

o        If there are others in the water, HUDDLE together for warmth. Keep a positive outlook. It will improve your chances of survival.

o        Always wear your PFD. Even if you become helpless from hypothermia, your PFD will keep you afloat.

   New Smoking Law Affects School of Oceanography's Dock – When the RV TGT gets back at the School's dock please note that there is a new Washington State law (Initiative 901) which prohibits smoking within 25 feet of doors and windows of all public places.  This pretty much only leaves the narrow area along the dock's stringpiece where smoking is now allowed.

E-mails on the Ship – At the beginning of every cruise the Captain is issued a set of Sailing Orders from the office.  As a reminder, those orders require all official ship's communication that are sent to the ship or leave the ship to go through him.

Leave Request Form – The form has been updated to make it more clearer to identify what day you actually want to go on leave and what day you actually want to be back aboard the ship.  Please note that you may have to travel the day BEFORE you actually want to be back on board the ship.

Crew Relief Policy – It is important for all of us to try and follow the policy as closely as possible.  There are, however, occasions when the policy must be modified on a case-by-case basis due to various circumstances.  The goal is to ensure the relieving crewmember is on the dock, ready to relieve, when the ship arrives, or at least within four hours of the ship's arrival.

As Employees of the UW, What Four Goals Should Each of Us Strive for Everyday? –

• #1 Provide superior service to the mission of the ship and the School of Oceanography.
• #2 Demonstrate excellence in the performance of job duties and responsibilities.
• #3 Continually contribute to a positive, collaborative work environment.
• #4 Deliver exemplary service to others and exhibit exceptional resourcefulness, innovation and creativity.

Security on the UW's Dock – A new security system has been added to the School's dock to monitor, control and restrict access.  The system is primarily a combination of a UW Campus computer controlled lock system and a variety of local and campus alarms.  Every door and gate leading to the dock must now remain closed at all times and can only be opened using your UW Husky Card or a unique PIN.  Temporary PINs for temporary employees, authorized visitors and vendors, will be issued by Su Tipple.

Security for USCG Licenses – Effective January 13, 2006, an interim USCG rule requires ALL applicants for licenses (original, renewal and upgrades) to have their identity checked and fingerprints taken for a criminal record review by the USCG.  The new security requirements are similar to those that apply to merchant mariner's documents.

Ships Soon to be Propelled by Kites! – It's true.  A European company has developed a giant kite that get can be deployed from the bow of commercial ships and large yachts in order to reduce fuel consumption.  The first kite will soon be installed on a 460' freighter currently under construction for Beluga Shipping.  http://skysails.info/index.php?L=1  Maybe the AGORs are next.  Stay turned!

Hurricane Relief Supported by MarAd Ships   - On March 3^rd The Massachusetts Maritime Academy training ship Empire State left New Orleans marking the end of an unprecedented six-month mission for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MarAd). Ten of the agency's ships were activated to aid in recovery and relief efforts in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This marked the first time the ships of MarAd's Ready Reserve Force were activated at the request of the Secretary of Transportation to deal with a domestic emergency, and the first time training ships provided by MarAd to State maritime academies were pressed into service to provide food and shelter. Six ships of the Ready Reserve Force: Cape Kennedy, Cape Knox, Cape Vincent, Diamond State, Equality State, and Wright; three training ships, State of Maine, Empire State, and Sirius, and one other ship from MARAD's National Defense Reserve Fleet, the Texas Clipper II, answered the call. They brought urgently needed supplies, including water; they provided assistance for oil spill cleanup; they generated electricity, and provided 269,000 meals and 83,165 berth nights for recovery workers and evacuees.

We Welcome New Permanent Sailors Aboard the RV TGT – AB Larry Mezzano from Washington and AB Pamela Blusk from Michigan.  We're glad to have you sailing with us.

Safety First on the Ship, the Basics – Protect your knees from the steel decks and metal grating!  Wear knee pads.

Fun and Interesting Stuff Happening Around the Waterfront -

• 3/29 Seattle Navy League's Canada Night at The College Club www.seattlenavyleague.org/id7
• 4/29 Annual Steamship Dinner at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront www.seattlepropellerclub.org
• 5/6Seattle Yacht Club Opening Day (Caribbean Carnival) http://www.seattleyachtclub.org
• 5/6  Seattle Maritime Festival and Tug Boat Races http://www.portseattle.org/news/events/
• 5/22  National Maritime Day http://www.marad.dot.gov
• 7/1 to 8/6 The SEAFAIR festival www.seafair.com
• 9/29 International Maritime Organization's World Maritime Day http://www.imo.org/home.asp
• 11/16 Pacific Marine Expo www.pacificmarineexpo.com

Get Involved with a Maritime Organizations – Interested in taking a more active role in supporting the maritime industry and community here in the greater Seattle area?  Check out these great organizations and consider becoming a member or volunteer.

·   Navy League of the United States (Seattle Council) -www.seattlenavyleague.org

·   The Propeller Club of the United States (Seattle Chapter) -   www.seattlepropellerclub.org 

·   The Marine Technology Society (Puget Sound Section) –  www.mtsociety.org

·   Youth Maritime Training Association (Seattle based) –   www.ymta.net

·   Seattle Sea Scouts (affiliated with the Boy Scouts) – www.seattleseascouts.org

·   The Transportation Club of Seattle - www.transportationclubofseattle.org

·   The Mission to Seafarers (Seattle & Puget Sound) -  www.missiontoseafarers.org

Here's an Interesting Local Fact – Where is the largest man-made island in the United States?  Right here in Seattle!  That's right, Seattle is home to Harbor Island which is the largest man-made island in the United States.  Located in the mouth of Seattle's Duwamish Waterway that empties into Elliott Bay, the island was built by the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company in 1909.  The island was built from 24 million yards of earth from the dredge spoils of the Duwamish River and the soil of Jackson Hill and Dearborn Street re-grades.  At 350 acres, it was the largest artificial island in the world when it was built.   In 1967, Harbor Island was increased by additional fill to 395 acres to surpass Treasure Island in San Francisco and regain its title.  Filling in the vast tide flats south of downtown Seattle, the dredging also created the area now occupied by Union Station, King Street Station, Seattle's sports stadiums, and much of the city's industrial base.