December 21, 1999

Station electrician, Dan "Sparky" Weisblatt.

With the Gould on Station, one of the day's tasks was to set up an sacrificial anode array off the dock. Over the years, there has been concern regarding the steel sheathing of the pier. Solutions have included replacing the entire structure to using a corrosion prevention strategy that will arrest the process of oxidation, or rusting. The approach involves positioning two zinc anodes in the water, immediately off the pier. An electrically induced current is passed to these "terminals" with the result that they release ions into the water in the vicinity of the pier--in effect, they rust, while preserving the steel nearby. Dan "Sparky" Weisblatt, the Station electrician, and other ASA personnel began the work last season and spent much of the past week drilling out the pier, preparing conduit and assembling the long zinc anodes and their fiberglass housing that will be rest at the bottom of the inlet. The process of placing these required the Gould's cranes, as well as Station moving equipment, and nearly a dozen people in a choreographed maneuver that took several hours.

Anode being lowered into the water using the Gould's stern crane. Note the concrete anchor, the anode, black channel and metal "L" of conduit which comprise the assembly.

Meanwhile, I worked on writing, editing and mixing a half hour program about the soundscape in the area for New Zealand Radio. The piece will air on Sunday, January 2, 2000 at 2:05pm (local time) from Wellington--as part of the Millennium weekend festivities. I feel fortunate in recording. We have had good weather, as well as a tremendous amount of technical support and, of course, plenty of vocalizing creatures!