What’s Up?

   Events planned by the Ancient Mariners for the 26 September event are still under discussion. A great deal of interest has shown up about SIO belt buckles made by Eric Shulenberger, and a number of people are bringing them. (For those who will not be here, I suggest that you not send yours with a request that it be returned.) Eric might provide two pewter buckles for an auction. Additional interest has shown up about T-shirts with a theme of SIO. So bring along as many as you choose; I think we shall have prizes for the oldest, the cleanest, the undeniably most spectacular, etc. Deborah Day would welcome a collection of T-shirts from SIO expeditions for permanent retention in the SIO Archives. If you are willing to donate any, bring it or get it to her [SIO Library, Mail Code 0219, followed by the street address above]. Please provide your name and address. Also, Deborah would welcome donations of any SIO expedition certificates ( also with name and address). There is talk of a fashion show —Wow! How about one of costumes most relevant to SIO in some manner? We haven’t completed plans, so you might think of bringing assorted items that pertain to Scripps’s history, to be included in a historic display.

 

Photos

  Retired technician Jan Lawson tells us that SIO has a great internet site with photos, called California Explores the Ocean. This was set up by archivist Deborah Day. It is “a marvelous research tool, for its visual impact,” says Lawson.

The general site is: http://ceo.ucsd.edu  To reach the photos directly, go to http://ceo.ucsd.edu/photographs/sioarchives/photographs/index.html

Use Internet Explorer, not Netscape.

 

  Lawson notes that you can use the search box for specific places or people, and Deborah notes also by expedition name. You may find yourself there!

 

 

The Ocean at the Fair

   At press time, Scripps Institution is celebrating its centennial by participating in the San Diego County Fair, the theme of which this year is “Commotion by the Ocean.” The Fair runs from 13 June through 6 July, closed Mondays. Our exhibit, called Scripps Ocean Explorations, is 20,000 square feet of displays, including a shark cage (for divers), deep-sea core samples, videos of research projects including deep-sea phenomena, and more. Displays range

from the fragile coastline to the mysterious deep sea. SIO scientists, from senior researchers to graduate students, will present talks each evening at 7:30. Staff and volunteers, including some members of Ancient Mariners (such as this editor), are providing information about SIO throughout the fair’s run. The institution and its Birch Aquarium “have worked hard to create an amazing exhibit,” says one announcement.

 

In Memoriam

   Harmon Craig (15 March 1926-14 March 2003). He joined SIO in 1955 and led a much-honored adventurous career with it in geochemistry, at sea and on land among the hot springs. As his former student Ray Weiss said: “He was a very dynamic man and he was a force to be reckoned with.”

 

   T. K. (“Tex”) Treadwell (died 31 March 2003). He received a M.S. from SIO about 1947, became C.O. of the U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office.

 

   Cecil Green (6 August 1900-12 April 2003), founder of Texas Instruments and later a philanthropist. Among his many donations was a fine sculpture, Spring Stirring, by Donal Hord, located at IGPP; an endowment of the Green Scholar program; funds for the Piñon Flat Geophysical Observatory; the first station in the IDA network; a multichannel seismic system for work at sea; funds for the Roger and Ellen Revelle Laboratory at IGPP, and for the cable-stayed bridge across La Jolla Shores Drive.

 

   Richard Greenbaum (23 May 1927-27 April 2003). He had his own oceano-graphic company before becoming business officer and MSO for the Marine Life Research Group and the Institute of Marine Resources until 1981.

 

   Arthur Flechsig (died 10 May 2003, age 78). Art was in marine biology at SIO for 25 years, was an early diver — one who participated in the successful underwater Sealab II off the Scripps pier in 1965. His final work was as marine adviser for fishermen under the Sea Grant Program.

 

A Gathering of the Clan

   On May 16 it was a fairly pleasant day (especially in May) for a TGIF, with sunshine until late afternoon at the dock at Marine Facilities. FLIP was there, as was the Robert Gordon Sproul and — preparing to go to sea — the BIG Roger Revelle. Some kind words were said about Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, for whom the Facilities are named. There were fewer attendees than at some of our gatherings, but many had gray hair, and the tales of old were as unreliable as always. There was even cake left over at the end.

 

Another Old Tale

   An oldtimer, Hiomi Nakamura, was recently interviewed by Deborah Day, SIO Archivist. He had been at the institution for several years from 1935 as an assistant in chemistry. Among his recollections was going to sea on the old Scripps, a 64-foot former purse seiner that preceded the E.W. Scripps:

   “I remember one trip going to San Nicolas. Getting there was kind of strange. I was the only one that knew how to row a boat. At San Nicolas there was a huge shore break, it was maybe 15 feet from shore. It was fairly common also that these waves would just rise up and crash down. I was rowing the boat, there were about half a dozen of us on board, including Roger [Revelle], and we got near shore, and Roger saw all these shore breaks crashing down. He says, “I’ll take the painter and jump ashore and pull you guys in.” So he got up in the bow, he jumped overboard. He thought the water was probably about 4 or 5 feet deep; it turned out to be about 8 feet deep. He went clear out of sight, came bubbling up. And the next wave came and really crashed down on us. The first thing he said was, “For God’s sake, save my shoes! Save my shoes!” He wore size 14 shoes, and they were very difficult to get.”

 

Solving Money Woes

   When the state budget found itself in trouble, the University of California system also found itself short. One item that was mentioned at SIO was cutting back on the institution’s collections (at least the curating of same): fishes, invertebrates, rocks, cores, plants, and such. Along came a suggestion that these needed a permanent endowment. So a new donor possibility has been created: Friends of the Collections. I joined promptly; after all, I worked for Carl Hubbs for 15 years, and became quite accustomed to seeing dead gray fish in various stages of undress. Researchers from all over the world wanted to borrow various of them. I admired a large manganese nodule in the museum, and I watched dredge hauls of rocks come aboard the research ship. The SIO collections represent invaluable information on past climate, Earth’s history, and marine biodiversity.

   The new organization has a membership charge of $1000 per year; for information, get in touch with John Steinitz in the SIO Development Office; phone: (858)534-3522; e-mail

Jsteinitz@ucsd.edu.

 

A Gift

Hey, Audrey Geisel contributed $25,000 to SIO for Centennial celebration expenses. Her late husband was Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss of Cat in the Hat fame. Thank you, ma’am!

 

Be a 3-day Host for a SIO Foreign Student

   Each year, the UCSD International Center sponsors the Host Family Program, in which volunteers from UCSD and the community take in first-time foreign undergraduates, graduate students or scholars during their first few days in San Diego, in late August and September (usually). The hosts provide airport pickup, a room and meals for several days plus transportation to the International Center, where the staff takes over and gives orientation and other assistance. Although the program requires a commitment of only two or three days, many hosts and their students continue to meet for special occasions throughout the year, and a number of long-term friendships have developed.

   This fall there will be about ten foreign students coming to SIO for the first time. As Ancient Mariners, we can be very effective hosts for these new students, to tell them about SIO and to welcome them into our community, especially important during this — our Centennial —year. Here is, in deed (indeed), an opportunity to “think globally and act locally.”

   If you would like to be a host, or to find out more about the program, contact Ruby Rosas at the UCSD International Center. Phone (858)534-3730; e-mail: hostfamily@ucsd.edu; web site:

www.ucsd.edu/icenter/isso

Please identify yourself as being interested in hosting a SIO student.

   My wife, Carol, and I have hosted foreign students for the last several years and have found it a very pleasant experience. We would also be happy to answer questions about the program.

 

Stu Smith, Co-Chair

(858)755-4239

e-mail: smsmith@ucsd.edu

 

 

CORRECTION

[Sometimes your editor does not stop and think. The previous newsletter should have been identified as Volume 4, No. 1. Sorry.]