MARION EXPEDITION TO DAVIS STRAIT AND BAFFIN BAY S 



this level, under the living- and messing- spaces, were shallow holds 

 that were used as magazines and storerooms. 



A number of extra items of equipment were installed on the Marion 

 prior to her departure from the United States. The principal ones 

 were a radiocompass, a short-wave radio set, two oceanographic 

 winches, an electric salinometer, a fathometer, several extra banks 

 of storage batteries, a special generator driven by an internal-com- 

 bustion engine for running the oceanographic winches, and another 

 for charging the numerous banks of batteries needed for the radio 

 and the fathometer work. All the ice patrol's deep-sea thermom- 

 eters, thermographs, Greene-Bigelow water bottles, Avater sample 

 bottles, and other articles of scientific apparatus were taken on board 

 for use. One of the items of special equipment was the bottom 

 sampler. There was amply sufficient apparatus on board for com- 

 prehensive oceanographic research, including the occupation of a 

 large number of stations at which serial temperatures and salinities 

 were determined for the purpose of working out the dynamic currents 

 of the area traversed. 



It was intended to make the vessel self-sufficient throughout the 

 expedition, so a tremendous load of stores and many spare parts 

 were carried. Below deck, almost all available spaces were filled 

 with coal for cooking and heating and with food. On deck, around 

 the rails from stem to stern and completely filling the extreme after 

 deck space, were lashed no less than 78 drums of petroleum products. 

 The principal item here was diesel fuel oil for the main engines, but 

 there were also many barrels of lubricating oil, kerosene, and gaso- 

 line. A spare electric winch for use at oceanographic stations and 

 two extra dories were also carried on deck. 



At the time of departure from Sydney, Nova Scotia, the Marion 

 carried sufficient fuel to cruise a total of almost 7,000 miles, and this 

 figure represented the limits northward to which the ship could 

 range. Later on in Godha\ai, Greenland, we were surprised to find 

 a plentiful supply of Diesel oil, which permitted the oceanographic 

 program to be greatly extended. In order to conserve fuel the 

 Marion at the start was operated with only one engine at a time, 

 alternating motors at the end of each 4-hour watch. In this manner 

 we cruised along at the slow rate of 6 miles per hour. After 

 arrival at the northern terminus, Godhavn, and learning of the 

 available oil supply there, the ship was cruised with both motors and 

 maintained a higher rate of speed, averaging almost knots. 



PERSONNEL 



The complement of the Marion during her regular Coast Guard 

 duty was 3 warrant officers and 18 enlisted men. On account of the 

 large amount of work of a special nature to be done in the north, just 

 prior to the start of the Marion expedition, the personnel was in- 

 creased to the following : 2 commissioned officers, 2 warrant officers, 

 and 23 enlisted men. All of the latter were easily accommodated 

 on board in the large crew spaces, those men for Avhom no bunks 



