Tara is a 36-metre French-registered marine research schooner which has an “excellent chef” on board, according to chief scientist Emmanuel Boss.
It has been commissioned by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) for the Traversing European Coastlines (TREC) project, which has been in Galway as part of its work taking a snapshot of Europe’s land and sea coastal rim.
The schooner, which is based in Lorient, France, is ice-strengthened to work in - and cope with being ice-locked in - the Arctic.
It is financed through a mixture of private and public funds, with French designer Agnes B as one of the main sponsors.
However, it is a bit different to normal research vessels; everyone on board “gets to clean the toilets”, Boss says.
“It doesn’t matter if you are chief scientist or captain of the boat – everyone has to do their chores as part of a roster,” he said.
“This makes for “far better relations” and no hierarchy, Boss said – “the relationship between crew and scientists is tighter than on any other boat I have been on,”he said.
Tara, the 36-metre French-registered marine research schooner docked in Galway
Over 150 research teams from over 70 institutions in 29 European countries are involved in the TREC project, which is being co-ordinated by the EMBL, working with local partners such as the Marine Institute in Galway.
(Above and below) The Traversing European Coastlines (TREC) projec has been in Galway as part of its work taking a snapshot of Europe’s land and sea coastal rim
In an interview for Wavelengths – also on RTÉ Countrywide – Boss, the professor explained how the TREC project works and how Tara is equipped.
More information on the TREC project and EMBL is here
