A Special Note I know that I speak for each and every one of the Science Party in saying thank you to the crew of R/V Atlantis and the Alvin Group for an outstanding cruise and in wishing each of them the very best for the holiday season. To each of you out there on shore who have followed us during this extraordinary cruise: we thank you and hope that in letting you onto the ship and into our lives and our science, you have gained an appreciation for the importance of exploratory science and, more importantly, the process of science itself. From all of us aboard R/V Atlantis, we wish each of you the happiest of holiday seasons and following seas throughout the New Year. Craig Cary Chief Scientist R/V Atlantis Extreme 2004 - Exploring the Deep Frontier Extreme 2004 Science Team < Extreme 2004 Alvin Team Extreme 2004 R/V Atlantis Crew

From the Extreme 2004 Team!

The Extreme 2004 team is heading back home now and wanted to send you this special message using International Maritime Signal Flags. Can you decipher it? These flags can be used to spell out short messages, as we have done below. More commonly, they are used individually or in combination to communicate important messages to other ships such as "Man overboard," "I am altering my course to starboard," and other critical information when phone or radio communication is not available or when radio silence is required. Strung end-to-end and bow-to-stern from the rigging, these flags often are used to decorate a ship for ceremonial and festive occasions. To learn more, please see this page developed by the Australian government: http://www.anbg.gov.au/flags/signal-flags.html.

For the answer,