Albatross IV - Northeast Fisheries Science Center - NOAA

Ship Changes
When I first came aboard the Albatross IV, it was only 10 years old but it already looked like it had had a
hard life. Although I didn't take many inside shots, my mind's eye still can recall what certain spaces looked
like. Starting on the port side and stepping into the wet lab, it pretty much was always a wet lab. At one
time in the late 70s, we tried to do all of our weighing, measuring and dissections inside this room, so we
set up a sloping conveyor system with metal rollers on it so we would push or pull the wire baskets of fish
up the sloped ramp and immediately the baskets would land on top of a giant circular scale that was on a
pedestal (where the metal table and label printers are currently located against the port bulkhead). The
baskets would then be pushed along a horizontal ramp of metal rollers and the cutting would take place in
various corners of the room (where the plankton jar cabinet is currently located) and next to the sink. There
was also a large multi-shelf stainless steel rack near where our current foul weather gear locker is where all
of the empty/full stomach jars were stored. We called it the 'bread rack." This attempt to work inside didn't
work out well since people needed more fresh air, and when whole fish came in, pieces and parts of fish
had to go out the double doors; sometimes that caused a basket traffic control problem on the ramps, plus
the inside decks got slippery with the gurry and blood (we didn't have non-skid decking back then).
The next room up from the wet lab didn't originally have a table and seating area there...that's where the
foul weather gear was stored against the wall adjoining the wet lab. The current dive locker room was
originally a dark room for film development, but by the time I got on board, it was the reel-to-reel
projection booth which was aimed at the wall behind where the officers currently sit. The wall, and
eventually a screen, was used to see the movies we were given (one for each day we were out which was
shown twice the same day...2:00 and 7:00 pm). In what is now the chief scientist's office were two low-tothe-ground
chairs where the desk currently is. We used to tie them down with net twine to keep them in
place. Next to them was a narrow table that a few of us used to take cat naps on. This room also did not
have the current seating and table arrangement; when facing the aft deck of the boat from this room, it had
a slanted wooden chart table on the right side and an entry way into what is now the CTD room. In between
these two rooms was a machine that told us the depth.
Just before going into the mess deck area, there's a small room just forward of the chief scientist's office
which currently is called the "Fish Basket," where the safe, a small fridge with soda, and shelves of candy,
cookies and chips are available for purchase. This room was originally a linen closet, then a snack bar that
was opened after supper for 15 minutes, then a dive locker, and eventually to a 24/7 honor system snack
room.
The scientific sleeping areas have stayed the same other than the
addition of a berth in the chief scientist's room. The three person
room that the junior officers have used was originally the hospital
room, which was then transformed into the chief steward's room.
The washer and dryer that everyone used was forward of the chief
scientist's room (there's now another machine down in the winch
room/scientific freezer area).
Going up two levels to where the officers and engineers sleep, the
room facing you if you now stop at the head of the stairs and begin
to take a slight right to go towards the scientific lounge is where the
original scientific lounge used to be...I think it had a couch and a
couple of chairs, a bookcase and small TV. As you go towards the
captain's cabin, in what is now the medical locker, once was the
area where the officers could keep extra food and beverages for
their enjoyment. Heading back aft at this level, there were no rooms beyond the current electronics
technician’s room. That was all open space with a locker area in one section where water bottles were kept,
since the 12-bottle rosette system used to be stored at/deployed from this level. This area has been enclosed
and now houses a comfortable TV/lounge area, computer and ET working space and an office for the
officers. There was also no enclosed area for the winch operator...he was completely exposed to the
elements.
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