-11-
It was felt by Keith Coberly and the Chief Engineer, Monroe Wrightman, that the
severe pounding and vibration that the ship was taking would be much improved by
alternate tacks.
This proved to be the case.
steaming time from Rongelap to Utirik.
However, it greatly prolonged the
It appeared for a number of hours that
we would be unable to reach the Utirik pass during daylight and would have to
remain off Utirik during the night.
However, by skillful seamanship they reached
the pass while the sun was still high enough to make a safe entry.
We then
steamed across the lagoon and were greeted by the officials of Utirik.
again retrieved two oil drum rafts left there from previous visits.
The ship
One was placed
under the accommodation ladder, the other was secured at the waterline ashore.
However, because of the gradual shelving of the beach and the height of the tide,
the single raft ashore was partially effective in achieving easy access to the
whaleboats by the patients going to the ship.
the boats and climb over the gunnels.
In many cases they had to wade to
I would strongly recommend that two or three
extensions to this platform be fabricated and that spuds be driven into the bottom
to stabilize these floats so that we have an adequate floating dock for future
operations.
The medical work at Utirik went extremely well.
The people were very friendly
and cooperative and we were invited to two banquets given by the people.
departed from Utirik on 4 October in the mid-afternoon.
The ship
In the process of exiting
the harbor, the ship scraped the bottom lightly but proceeded on through the pass.
Immediately thereafter Monroe Wrightman and Jan Koscian put on diving gear and
inspected the bottom carefully to ensure that no damage had been done.
No evidence
of grounding was noted and the ship continued on course, arriving in Kwajalein
Cm dychetretedele )
early in the morning of 5 October.