After watching The Never Ending Story the night before—the movie version of the story that is the source of the ship’s namesake, Falkor the “luck dragon”—the final morning of mapping came and went faster than expected. While those on watch were hard at work in the science control room making sure all of the equipment was running properly and watching the last hours of data come in. Those with free time took advantage of the observation deck, taking in final views of Lāna‘i, Kaho‘olawe, and Maui. A few whales and a false killer whale were also spotted.
Then it was suddenly time to prepare for our return to dry land. Before long, we had to recover the magnetometer and halt the flow of information. Rooms were cleaned and bags were packed.
On this short cruise we were able to collect roughly 500 miles of sonar, gravity, and magnetics data. Students aboard Falkor are already sorting and refining this data in order to plot it and integrate it with previous research. The gravity data will perhaps be the most useful, as we will use it to fill a hole for the Maui Nui region where none had been previously recorded. By filling this gap, those studying the region will have a more complete picture of the Maui Nui complex, which will provide better opportunities for piecing together the region’s history.
A fantastic Easter lunch with bonus hidden eggs full of candy was part of the send off we received before leaving. After an amazing and educational weekend at sea, the students of the first leg seemed torn between desires to return to land and remain at sea. The opportunity to collect data and learn from the crew and marine technicians while aboard Falkor was an unforgettable opportunity.
