This morning as we were heading out to the North East site we swam by a scene that reminded me of the Smoky Mountains. A stingray had been feeding in a sand channel in the reef, and it looked just like a misty valley early in the morning. I started reminiscing about hiking on the Appalachian Trail, and then it hit me… saturation diving is a lot like long distance hiking. We awake early each morning, evaluate our aches, blisters, and itches, and roll out of bed. Everyone wolfs down coffee, oatmeal, powdered eggs, etc., and assembles equipment for the morning's work. We then sling the heavy aquanaut dive gear on our backs and head off for the morning excursion. There are no trail markers down here, but we do have travel lines, which guide us safely to our research sites. In addition, all aquanauts carry and use compasses and maps, which are just as necessary for underwater navigation as well as wilderness exploration. We take breaks throughout the day at the underwater communication and fill stations to recharge our tanks, drink Gatorade, and snack on Power Bars. By the time we come back to the habitat at the end of the day we often feel very tired, but the thought of dry clothes, lots of food, and a warm bed keep us going. Many of us wear polar fleece and wooly socks down here, because it's always cool in the Aquarius. For the most part, we eat Mountain House dehydrated meals, which is great for a few days, but no substitute for pizza and ice cream. Some of our favorite snacks are jerky, nuts, cheese, chocolates. No campfires at the end of the day down here, but we do get to watch the fish through the galley view port. I really enjoy working down here, but I am looking forward to the final ascent this Wednesday.