Going to sea on a research vessel is not like taking a vacation on
a cruise ship. It's hard work and long hours in
unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous, conditions. It's also quite rewarding and a necessary part of doing oceanography.
And sometimes you have the unexpected...
As reported in Flying Magazine:
"The crew of a trawler which sank in the
Sea of Japan claimed the ship went down after being struck by a cow which fell
out of the clear blue sky and went straight through the hull. No one believed
their tale until, a few weeks later, confirmation came from Russia that the
crew of its military cargo jets had stolen a cow they found wandering on a
Siberian airfield and loaded it aboard... At 30,000 ft, the terrified, unrestrained beast ran amok, so the crew lowered the cargo ramp and it
jumped out."