The Station arrives!

We were given a spot in the MRDF office to install ourselves and were busily working when a couple entered behind my back. I turned and saw a face that I had put on many a web page but had never seen in person: it was Dennis Chamberland, the builder and commander of the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station and his wife, Claudia. I introduced myself, though we already had a long-time communicating. It's fun to share a first handshake with someone you already consider a friend.

The word was that the station was expected at any moment, and as soon as we all assemble at the launch to boat over to the John Pennekamp Park where the Station would be launched. Below I will share the experience in pictures:

On the launch with Captain Chris, we're on our way to John Pennekamp Park to meet the Station. Dennis and some of his family are on the left (Dennis is in the red jacket) On the right you can see Robin and Bill. Center is Gail.

The sights along the way were gorgeous. Here a heron takes advantage of a fish trap to make his hunting easier!

There it comes! Our first sighting of the truck hauling the SCSAS

With the station "parked" in the lot near the launch ramp, some folks (Chris and Dennis on left) seriously contemplated the next move, while in the shot at right, others (most notably Russ front, left) took their bows.

Serious work then followed as the legs the station will stand on (left) were removed. The transfer from ship-over-land mode to haul-over-water mode took hard work and intricate coordination, but at last (at right) Joe was ready to brief the gang on the plan for launching the station into the water and towing it to the Emerald Lagoon.