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High and Dry in Sydney, Part 2

We don’t often update and reissue a blog, but we felt that the journey that the Golden Shadow has undergone in dry dock is really cool.  Since we last put out this blog, the Golden Shadow has finished its repairs and been refloated.  To see the new things that have happened, check out the new extended photo gallery with captions that describe the finishing of the dry dock process.

Our Global Reef Expedition is one of the largest coral reef studies ever undertaken. Throughout the entire mission all our research is supported by the research vessel M/Y Golden Shadow. Now at 20 years old, Golden Shadow is required to undergo a series of inspections, surveys and thorough maintenance to ensure that the ship and machinery are in good condition. This detailed survey requires the vessel to be out of the water for just over a month.

Why is Golden Shadow Dry Docked?

And so that is why Shadow, as she is affectionately known, is in the Captain Cook Graving Dock in Sydney Australia, near the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge. There are only a few places in Australia that have the specialized facilities for a ship to be taken out of the water and dry docked. http://www.gardenisland.info/1-02-010.html

Over the coming weeks, the painting of the hull will be completed, the shafts and propellers will be fitted and the ship will be floated once more. The engines will be rebuilt and then the ship will be taken out for a day to conduct sea trials to ensure everything still works. Take a look at the photo gallery and captions to see exactly what is going on.

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