Cruise Report 4th September 1967

Cruise Report
F.R.S. "Explorer"
4th - 19th September, 1967.

Narrative: Explorer sailed from Greenock at 1300 hours on 4th September and after fuelling proceeded to Rockall Bank. Weather conditions at the start of the trip were very poor and prevented any work being done on passage to Rockall Bank, which was reached on 6th September.

The next 24 hours were spent working on echo-plankton grid to the north of the Bank and the trawling survey was commenced late on the 7th. Apart from a hydrographic transect of the Bank the trawling survey was continued until midnight on the 13th when a line of plankton and hydrographic stations was started to the Butt of Lewis.

Stations were worked every 30 miles and the line was completed by the evening of the 15th: for the rest of the trip trawling was carried out along the 100 fathom depth contour to the north-west of Scotland from latittude 59N to 60o30'N.

This survey was completed early on 18th September and Explorer docked in Aberdeen at 1300 hours on Tuesday, 19th September.

DFS Raitt
3rd November 1967