pontoons were removed and the habitat shifted from the holding site to the 

 ballasting site and moored tightly to prepositioned concrete clumps. Some 

 50,000 lbs, of ballast was transferred from the third causeway section 

 onto the service barge and warped alongside the habitat. A flexible 4-inch 

 pipe was then inserted into the habitat base and the opposite end lashed to 

 the side of the service barge. The individual drums, each weighing about 

 1,800 lbs,, were then over-turned and the punchings shoveled into the pipe 

 (Figure 16). The flexible metal pipe was sized to reach the base in the 

 final ballast stage and consequently was too long in the initial ballast 

 stage, requiring considerable separation between the barge and habitat. 

 The weight of the punchings created a catenary in the pipe requiring con- 

 stant adjustment of the warps and rigging. The ballasting procedure was 

 made more difficult owing to the service barge having to be constantly 

 shifted to new positions in order to load the ballast holds sequentially to 

 maintain trim. By day's end, less than 10,000 lbs. of ballast had been 

 loaded. The effects of the exertion and the frustration over how the set- 

 back might delay the schedule was evident throughout the group of young 

 diver technicians , many of whom were badly sunburned due to exposure on the 

 open barge. During the succeeding two days, however, out of sheer determin- 

 ation on the part of these support divers and the capable seamanship of 

 their supervisor, the remaining 150,000 lbs. of ballast was hand loaded, 

 completing the task which for a while, at least, had seemed almost 

 insurmountable. Other similar feats accomplished by this particular group 

 were almost commonplace during the preparation phase of the program. 



Figure 16. Drums of Ballast on Deck of Support Barge Being Shovelled 

 into Tube Leading to Ballast Chambers in Base of 

 TEKTITE II Habitat. 



11-22 



