After last evening's heroics, we would like to pay tribute to the crew of the KAHAROA, without who's hard work and dedication this exedition would not happen.

Evan, the captain, has skippered research ships for many years. He has to know a lot about the sea, the weather, the winches, A-frame and other heavy equipment on the deck. In addition, the bridge is filled with computer screens showing all sorts of information about the sea surrounding the ship. A former fisherman, Evan is very knowledgeable about the many species of New Zealand fishery resources, the distribution and habitat of fishes and how to catch them.

Jo, the first mate, is a very knowledgeable woman. She has the night watch aboard the KAHAROA, so we see her briefly when we come on board early in the morning before she goes to sleep, then again in late afternoon just as we are leaving the ship. Her quiet personality belies her awesome capability as a sailor. She enjoys baking delicious cookies and desserts, which appear magically each afternoon in the mess. And she's good at tying knots!

Bill, the chief engineer, Harvey, the deck hand, are crew members who fill in everywhere a job has to be done. They are excellent seamen and are good at interpreting the captain's hand signals from his perch on the bridge. This is very important in order to achieve an efficient and safe launch of the sub.

A most important crew member is Mahu, the cook. Whereas most of the crew is shifted between the NIWA research vessels, Mahu stays full time on the KAHAROA. This is his ship. He doubles as deck hand when the sub is deployed and recovered. Mahu is an excellent chef and is proud of his Maori heritage.

KAHAROA has a tender, the RUKUWAI. Derrick, John, and Rod taxi people to and from shore. They also keeps curious boaters at bay, when the submersible is under water. Brandon, the diver, who manages the lines on the DEEP ROVER before and after deployment stays on board the RUKUWAI in case of an emergency.

The film crew is made up of Jo, Alastair and Katie, who look after all the logistical headaches that are bound to arise in this complicated production. Peter, the surface cameraman and Hammond, the sound technician with his "fur"-covered microphone, is Peter's shadow.

The good humor and sense of cooperation between all these participants, who clearly want to make this expedition a success, is a joy to observe. We represent four nations - USA, Canada, England and New Zealand. Working together for the same goal, and over coffee and sumptuous lunches on board, we are getting to know each other well. We all speak the same language but have a lot of fun learning the many different words from each country that apply to the same thing. Mahu takes great pleasure in teaching us Maori words. Kia ora tatou (greetings my friends).

Ingrid