Oceanographer

Ship Oceanographer OSS-01 was the flagship of the U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey and my home for two years. I was ship's photographer on her maiden voyage to South America to study a total solar eclipse and on her subsequent eight-month global scientific expedition circumnavigating the Earth eastward from Jacksonville, Florida to Seattle Washington taking aboard scientists from various countries along the way. We made ports in Plymouth, England; Monaco; Odessa, USSR; Massawa, Ethiopia; Bombay, India; Penang, Malaysia; Fremantle, Australia; Sydney, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand; Valparaiso, Chile; Callao, Peru; San Diego, California; and finally our new home port Seattle, Washington.

Baley over the side to get the shot with a Mamiya 6x6.

Plymouth, England

The natives were friendly!

Lt. Cdr. Renworth Floyd of Belfast, Maine (on right) was a whistle blower and hero who took down the ship's second in command Cdr. John Plaggmier who was a full-blown crook and all-round bully that was supposed to take command of Oceanographer when we made port in Seattle completing our eight-month cruse. Instead of the great welcoming ceremony and transfer of command, the FBI came aboard and interrogated Plaggmier. He was later arrested. His accomplice, purser William Davis (who never wanted to be photographed), disappeared when the ship made port in San Diego (just before Seattle) never to be seen again.