Protea Expedition Leg 5 WECB Melville Directors Office SIO. Departed Cape Town uneventfully early evening fourteen January scientific party of twenty one from three United States and two South African institutions. Abilities and interest of varied groups beginning to coalesce. Making very long south-southeast traverse with water gun, magnetometer, and two depth recorders functioning well. Mid-water trawl and neuston tow made at 40S, 22E. Expect commence intensive dredging program on 20 January. Weather brisk and seas lively. Bob Fisher Melville/WECB Ck 219 241200Z January ’84. Protea 1200Z 17 January to 1200Z 24 January. Ran south to vicinity 53S 25E to delineate and sample intersection of Du Toit fracture zone and southwest Indian ridge. Locality is southwest anchor for Protea 5 investigations and abuts South African sector. Magnetic and single channel reflection profiling routine although water gun construction light for work. Extensive, cavitations pitting being documented by Melville’s medical photographer. Explored and sampled huge wave-flattened horst reaching shoal depth of 207 meters that lies within intersection on west side Du Toit fracture zone. At depths 1000 to 1400 meters obtained large complex haul of moderately serpentinized lberzolite, harzbugite, and dunite together with abundant multi-specied gabbros. Some mafics are wave-rounded boulders. Haul in right valley to east of fracture zone yielded only basalt chips minor basalt glass some pumice and Antarctica erratics. Four station profile across Du Toit at 53-08S. Plagioclase olivine diabase and metabasalt at 4600-5500 meters on east flank. Overlying station yielded serpentinized lherzolite, harzburgite and olivine gabbros. Uppermost eastern haul final haul at 3500-3900 meters on west flank principally serpentinized peridotite. For past four days fantail crew ahs weathered icy rain squalls and snow flurries while voicing plaintive call of proverbial key-bird. Melville profiling north-northeast to relatively restful roaring forties. Bob Fisher Rtty Melville/WECB 311520Z January ’84. Protea 1200 24 January to 1200Z 31 January. Despite alarms and excursions programs proceeds apace. Emphasis most of past seven days on dredging huge linear fracture zones in sectors 47-40S to 44-42S, 32-04E to 35-10E. Ten hauls that environment yielded varied but coherent assemblages of diverse peridotites and serpentinites, assorted gabbros. Diabase and metadiabase, pillow breccias and basalts, greenstones, some peridotite mylonites and occasional hydrothermally enriched pillows with associated high ore-grade iron and copper sulfides. All specimens being sawed and classified before bagging. One awesome seventy-two minute hang-up at 21000 to 27000 tensions revealed most comforting rough weather seamanship on part lab watch and Melville Bridge. Now completing four dredging stations on ridge crest between Prince Edward and Discovery Two fracture zones. Obtaining fresh basalt glass dear to hearts of geochemists and television viewers. Six days ago spanking new compressor blew critical cooling forcing premature shutdown key seismic reflection program for remainder of Protea. Two days later Chief Engineer Bob Fish and cohorts improvised substitute design that permitted immediate resumption of seismic profiling. Fisher, Hubenka now nominate Fish and colleagues to receive Gene Trease Perpetual Trophy for creative engineering in face of scientists. Water-gun itself is functioning in spite of cavitation destruction of one of our four stanchions and progressive pitting of another. Bob Fisher Melville 071735Z February ’84. Dredging program continues unabated. Eleven more hauls have sampled and characterized petrologically the Discovery Two and Indomed fracture zones and intervening spreading center environments. Various gabbros, common peridotites, some serpentinites, assorted basalts and diabases becoming routine. Trachytes and high Ti-Ferrogabbros drawing more attention. One bountiful mid-water trawl taken near 42ºS 42ºE. Two very black and dispiriting days this week. Saturday night dredge wire parted at considerably below rated limit causing loss of pinger and putatively full dredge haul. May have been sawed by outcrop. Alternatively may have been weakened in Friday failure. On Friday full dredge plus pinger plus 3489 meters trawl wire lost when cable breaking strength exceeded during routine maneuver to free hang-up. Effect obvious but cause still subject to informed debate and judgment. Now dredging seamount forming base of 103 meter Melville bank discovered in 1978. R. Fisher Melville/WECB 131910Z February ’84. Protea 1200Z 7 February to 1200Z 14 February. En route Cape Town with expected arrival 0600Z 15 February. Only 3.5 kHz eel and magnetometer deployed. Seismic reflection profiling program terminated six days early to permit urgent return of small parts borrowed from ship service compressor. Otherwise all scientific objectives this leg accomplished. Made three more dredge hauls this week and also midwater trawl number three near 36S, 28E. Only equipment losses those reported last week. Batted .971 on 34 dredging attempts while fourteen of these hauls yielded some glass for alchemistry. Petrologists put weight of recovered igneous rock at 7850 kilograms. Traces of channel fever detectable but spirits high. Melville crew thoroughly professional. Principal credits due to acting chief cook Harold Fejerang assisted by Doug Smith. Team consistently produces delicious and modern meals served con brio and pride. Offerings enhanced on occasion from excellent cellar or more accurately perhaps bilges. Most hands enthusiastic at prospect welcoming out Cape Town at joint formal shipboard reception on eighteen February. Some hands containing. Enthusiasm. Bob Fisher