Lane, Geophysical Operator

"For me it is a privilege to be able to experience different roles. I've worn a number of hats over the years, which makes me a more flexible and a more valuable employee. I can sidestep into different roles based on the need."

I've been working on this boat since it was built and I have worked with Fugro for 17 years prior to that. I've had very short periods where I was a party chief at sea and I keep coming back to the the most hands on operator side of it. It's just who I am. Over the four years that I've spent on this boat, I've moved into navigation, into HSE. I have also done AUV for a while, which I loved, but then there was a need for geophysical, which is also what I am most experienced at.

The role of a Geophysical Operator

As a Geophysical Operator I operate and troubleshoot a suite of equipment from side-scan sonar, magnetometer, and the sub-bottom profiler. We also keep an eye on the multibeam, although we don't actually have to control it. The purpose of the Geophysical Surveys that we conduct is to facilitate the installation of wind farm turbines.

Back in the eighties, I was a touring roadie running around the country with bands. I largely view it the same as my touring days. You don't have the crowd, the adulation and the band. But on our view, when we pull on the location and deploy the gear, that's the show! We load in, we do the show, we load out and move on to another site. It's the same thing, you just don't have fans.

My background was largely with oil and gas petroleum industry in the Gulf of Mexico. I had often said that I would change job if the need arose. And now, with the whole world going green, I have the same job with a green goal and this makes me feel good.