Today 231 feet of core has been recovered and stored. The current final depth is 377 feet (at 6:30 pm). Ed Stolper has arrived this afternoon.

We're off to a great start with 22 runs and 110 feet of recovered core on the first day!

This morning an Hawaiian priest blessed the HSDP drilling rig and the crew on-site. The drilling operation startet in the late afternoon. The first cores are expected for Tuesday morning. Stay tuned.

"..HOLE: $12 million drilling project gets underway .. -- .. involves drilling down 15,000 feet for rock scientists hope will provide new information about how the Hawaiian Islands were formed .." (Hawaii Tribune-Herald, 3/12/99). Probably the first cores will be recovered within the next two days. Stay tuned.

WE ARE NOW 31 DAYS AWAY FROM RECEIVING OUR FIRST CORES.