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The Calm Before the Storm

WHOI dockmaster Mitch Medeiros hauls a thin “messenger line” tied to a much larger mooring line as part of the docking process for the research vessel Atlantis upon the ship’s recent return to Woods Hole, Mass. Line handling may look frantic, but to Medieros, it’s the calm before the storm. “It’s the offloads that are the real challenge,” he said. Once the ship is secured to the dock, it’s Medieros’ job to keep things moving smoothly and safely and ensure that science gear from the previous cruise comes off the ship and is properly stowed so the next group of scientists can move on. (Photo by Ken Kostel, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)