Wahoo Search Newsletter #4 - August 13, 2002

Project Dry Dock

Although the heat of the summer is long from waning in Tokyo, the U. S. and much of the Northern Hemisphere, our project is window rapidly coming to a close in the Soya Strait for the year 2002. The rainfall almost triples from 90 mm (3.5 inches) in August to 231 mm (9.3 inches) in September. The water temperature begins to decrease and the environment generally grows more inhospitable as autumn approaches. What does this mean for the project? Considering all the factors, we determined to move the project into dry dock for the year and begin planning for spring of 2003. Although tough for the project team which was nearly in a peak state of readiness, this will give us more time to reconsider the scope of the project and consider things that we did not have the time or resources to before.

So stay tuned. You will hear more from us before the next spring as we continue to prepare. The focus for the foreseeable future will be:

• Continue to work with our Russian friends as to the best time and way to search in their waters.
• Consider different technologies that we did not have the time or resources to consider before.
• Working with project sponsors.

Be sure to stay informed by visiting www.mackinnon.org/numa.