Photo of the Week: All Decked Out

R/V Sally Ride sits in drydock in Alameda in this photo by third mate Randy Christian.

"The ship has gotten new paint, including anti-fouling paint on the underwater portions, which will discourage marine plants and animals from attaching or growing there," Melissa Miller writes on the official Sally Ride blog. For a little while, the ship looked very different, as the undercoat is black. Soon enough, it was back to the usual red color. Next up is the blue, which has been sanded and is ready for a fresh coat, though I kind of like the denim look it’s sporting right now.

Crewmembers comment that the ship is almost unrecognizable after undergoing so many changes (detailed on the blog post and earlier entries), Miller notes. The research vessel will return to San Diego waters later this summer.

Related Image Gallery: Photo of the Week 2017