The Sally Ride is a veritable seagoing laboratory , offering cutting-edge technologies for sampling , data collection , computing , analysis and communications .
to replace an aging Intermediate Class . The two new energy-efficient ships would feature increased endurance , technological capability and a greater number of science berths . They ’ d also perform better in rough seas , opening up a wider seasonal window for research . Though fully oceangoing , they wouldn ’ t have quite the geographical reach of larger Global Class vessels , which travel to the most remote corners of the world , but would be nimble enough to perform an impressively broad range of research under variable conditions .
GETTING SHIPSHAPE ( L – R ) R / V Sally Ride mariners Buck Sampson , the ship ' s oiler , and First Engineer Matthew Peer make final inspections before setting sail .
Appelgate spearheaded the Scripps proposal to operate one of the new ships . “ We started with the leadership at Scripps and went all the way up through UC San Diego to the chancellor , and even to the president of the University of California ,” he explains . “ Their support was great recognition that Scripps Institution of Oceanography really is a marquee program of the UC system . It ’ s very unique . There ’ s nothing else like it .”
Scripps Oceanography Director Margaret Leinen echoes the sentiment , and agrees that Scripps was the right place for the Sally Ride . “ The proposal had a lot of information about our infrastructure and capabilities for operating ships as part of the national fleet , as well as an expectation that we would provide resources for it — our pier facilities , as well as some institutional resources ,” she says , highlighting how the Sally Ride ’ s future home port at Scripps ’ Nimitz Marine Facility in Point Loma includes berthing facilities that received a $ 25 million upgrade last year to enable the next century of expeditionary ocean research .
But it wasn ’ t just university leaders offering their unwavering support . “ The real work was done by the women and men here at Scripps who go to sea ,” says Appelgate . “ They contributed a lot of time and effort to writing the proposal . They understood that this was something important for us .”
The immense efforts paid off . In May 2010 , the Navy announced that Scripps would operate one of the still-unnamed Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research Vessels , or AGORs . Now they just had to build it .
ALL ABOARD !
Life on a research vessel is an adventure few will experience , but a new exhibit at Birch Aquarium at Scripps will share the realities of conducting seagoing science aboard the R / V Sally Ride , from the playful moments ( shrinking polystyrene cups to tiny miniatures by sending them to the ocean floor on a CTD rosette ) to the mind-blowing ( piloting a remotely operated vehicle into an erupting volcano 2000 meters below the ocean surface ).
“ Our exhibit will share the real stories of the scientists who spend weeks or months aboard the R / V Sally Ride ,” says Harry Helling , Revelle ’ 80 , executive director of Birch Aquarium .
Hands-on activities and multimedia installations will introduce visitors to the unique features of the ship , and whenever possible , scientists at sea will connect live via telepresence to interact with visitors and talk about their work and life at sea .
— Hallie Johnson
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