The Future of the R/V HERO

at Palmer in the old days

Well, okay. Above is another NOAA photo of the Hero at Palmer Station during her first season of operation, 1968-69. No, another trip back here is not in the immediate offing, but who knows? As of late spring 2004 the ship was still at Port Dock 5 in Newport...and since this was not exactly the tourist season on the Oregon Coast, she was still shuttered and winterized. As for the long term, I leave you with a quote from a fellow HERO fan: "...just like the FRAM, she should still be afloat and sound a hundred years from now."