Jeff, Greg, Jonathan, and Danny have morning and evening conference calls every day with their shore-based crew to go over what needs to be done and what problems they expect to encounter. This helps greatly in planning dives. It also ensures that all our topside crew and Aquanauts are on the same page. You'll be happy to know that Herbert is still around and seems well adjusted to our frequent visits. It's amazing how well he blends in with the green sponge he mimics. I know he's there and still I have to look for a while to see him.

We had a pretty strong current Wednesday. Danny and Greg were out on a dive to do some coral science and they decided to abort, as it would be too difficult to use transect tapes with such a current. Jeff and Jonathan were on their way to meet Greg and Danny when they met up on the excursion line. With a little extra time, the crew took flight. I was out on hookah, which is an air hose tethered to the habitat for the technicians to use, and joined the fun as they returned to Aquarius. We spent about thirty minutes hustling against the current and ducking behind a base leg to get in the lee. To make a long story short, grown men do play. It was a great time.

Today marks the halfway point and I hate to think that we're on the downward side of the mission. I feel I've made some true friends and from what I can tell, it seems we all feel the same. A mission inside Aquarius is a very personal thing, as is evident from reading the other guys' mission journals (and those of other missions for that matter). It's nice to read and discover the different perspectives of my fellow aquanauts. There are six different ways of describing the same day. Some of the excitement and wonder makes it through in these journals. We were discussing Wednesday night how a picture or even a video just doesn't do the experience justice. Maybe we can bring you closer to Aquarius and our surrounding ocean with our journals - and your imaginations.

Smitty