The Explorer was unloaded at Paita on July 19, and reached Talara 

 under her own power the next day (Figure 10). During July 21 through 23, 

 the scientific equipment was brought ashore and stored in a room kindly 

 provided by the International Petroleum Corporation. Housing facilities 

 for the members of the expedition were organized, and the Explorer's 

 engines overhauled. The kind cooperation of Mr. Murray Matheson, Man- 

 ager of I.P.C., and of Mr. Richard Goodwin of Grace Company is acknowl- 

 edged. 



The port of Lobitos, 8 miles north of Talara ( Figure 10), being closer to 

 the fishing grounds off Cabo Blanco, was decided upon as a temporary 

 anchorage for the Explorer. She was moved to this point on July 24, and 

 exploratory cruises began on the same date. It was soon discovered that 

 the permanent, extremely rough condition of the sea would not allow the 

 undertaking of long offshore cruises. After a visit to Cabo Blanco on the 

 25th, it was decided to leave the Explorer there and utilize its more ad- 

 vantageous facilities as a permanent anchorage. In addition to being at the 

 doorstep of the fishing grounds, Cabo Blanco was located with regard to 

 proposed oceanographic cruises into the Gulf of Guayaquil to the north 

 and Punta Agujas to the south. 



During the sixth trip out off Cabo Blanco on July 29, three plankton 

 stations were occupied. During the seventh trip, July 30, two plankton 

 stations were occupied. 



On the basis of reliable information that sea conditions in the Gulf of 

 Guayaquil, immediately to the north of Cabo Blanco, would be much 

 better, it was decided to conduct a two-day cruise into that area during 

 August 2 and 3. Five plankton and three bathythermograph and salinity 

 stations were occupied during this cruise. Several patches of Red Tide 

 were investigated close to shore oft' Zorritos. Samples were taken and pre- 

 served. As predicted by our hydrographers, the ocean turned from very 

 rough to smooth north of Punta Sal (lat. 4° S) with a simultaneous rapid 

 increase in water temperature from 18°c. off Cabo Blanco to 23.7°c. off 

 Zorritos, 48 miles to the northeast. The various exploratory cruises from 

 July 24 indicated a decrease in temperature as one travels away from 

 shore and from north to south as one travels close to shore. 



Arrangements had been made for the use of a tuna clipper from which 

 detailed hydrographic observations were to be made. These failed to ma- 

 terialize and the bathythermograph records were reduced in number due 

 to the difficulty of taking them by hand over the fish roller stem of the 

 Explorer. Off the coast of Chile this was not too difficult, since sea condi- 

 tions were fairly good. Off the coast of Peru, however, the sea was con- 

 tinuously of sufficient strength to handicap such work on a small boat. 



In the Cabo Blanco area marlin were not too plentiful at first, but during 



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