GENERAL LEG INFORMATION

On the second half of Leg 171, 16 holes at five sites were drilled on the edge of the Blake Plateau. The Safety Panel directed us to drill from the deepest to shallowest sites, because of concern that gas may be a problem in the shallowest sites. Hole 1049A was spudded about 2000 hr on 13 January. Pipe was pulled and thrusters raised for each of the short transits between sites, as currents in the area were too strong to consider moving with the thrusters. Permission was granted to change the order of drilling the holes when gas problems were not observed. Drilling operations ceased after redrilling our deeper-water second site with RCB to collect another K/T boundary and to reach deeper objectives. Although a beacon was dropped at the former site, permission was received to continue using the earlier site number (Site 1050). After logging the hole and pulling pipe, the ship sailed at 0500 on 13 February for port call in Charleston, South Carolina.

Port Call Activities - Barbados
There was an 8 hr port call in Barbados at 0700 on 8 January 1997 to unload the LWD tools and support personnel, pick up air freight, and welcome the participants joining 171B. Care was made to ensure that all non-U.S.A. residents had proper visas for the return to the United States. Some fresh produce was received. There was a brief inquiry about an expected replacement valve that did not arrive. The ship was under way by 1515 for the Blake Nose region off northern Florida to begin Leg 171B.

Under way from Barbados
Leaving Barbados, navigation watch began at 2100 on 8 January. Magnetic data collection was delayed while passing to the east side the West Indies Islands and sailing in shallow water. The JOIDES Resolution arrived at the drilling sites on 13 January. A 6 hr seismic survey was conducted over several of the sites to link other records together. The initial deep site was close to a DSDP site where some of the navigation was done using LORAN. A Teledyne single channel hydrophone array was used beginning with a 200-in3 water gun and ending with an 80-in3 water gun for comparison. The analog records collected were good, and processed data was satisfactory.

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