We boarded the drilling vessel M/S Norskald in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 22 August 1998 and departed the following morning. During the short transit across the Denmark Strait, we established the laboratory (thin sections, X-ray fluorescence [XRF], and paleomagnetic) and computer (database and digital photography) facilities. The geographic locations of the drilled sites on Transect SEG66 are summarized in Table T1. We arrived at the Site SEG01 in good weather late on 24 August and immediately commenced drilling. Bedrock coring and recovery at Site SEG01 began in the early morning of 25 August, but drifting icebergs forced us to abandon the site the same evening. Drilling at Site SEG02 started early the next morning. The recovery rate was high despite slow penetration rates (1 m/hr) and frequent withdrawal of the core barrel. The recovered cores were consolidated diamicton overlying highly fractured basalt. By late afternoon, increasing wind and bad weather forecasts forced us to terminate drilling, recover the seafloor template and drill string, and reposition the ship in less ice congested waters a few kilometers to the southeast.
During the night of 26 August, the storm intensified to Force 10/11. At 0130 hr on 27 August, the fire alarm sounded from the engine room. Rescue procedures were initiated with all crew and scientists summoned to their muster points. The fire was quickly contained and the alarm called off. Inspection of the damage, however, showed that one of the two main generators used for the dynamic positioning system was damaged. Repair of the generator was not possible at sea, and proper inspection would require a port call. Because of the length of the expected port call and the unusually poor ice conditions off East Greenland, the Shipboard Scientific Party elected to terminate drilling operations for the 1998 season. We began the demobilization of our equipment en route to Reykjavik, Iceland. We arrived in port in the early afternoon of 29 August after a short, but eventful cruise.