9.3 Patrick the Safety Penguin

Affectionately referred to as Patrick the Safety Penguin, this (un)official mascot of the scientific research vessel JOIDES Resolution has been spotted at the base of the gangway while the ship is docked in ports around the globe. While the ship is underway, Patrick is safely tucked away and secured on the level above the Bridge Deck. Many selfies have been taken with Patrick, and just the mention of this penguin dressed in his nautical uniform brings a smile to the faces of those that have met him. But where did Patrick come from, and how did he get the opportunity to have a permanent berth on the JR? (*a berth with fresh air and an amazing view, no less!)

This story begins in 2013, when JOIDES Resolution was transiting from Balboa, Panama, to Victoria, British Columbia (IODP Expedition 341T Transit). The JR departed Panama on February 12 and arrived in Canada on March 4. The ship remained in port until May 19, when it spent nine days at sea for Expedition 341S (SCIMPI & 858G CORK).

Victoria is the home to The Maritime Museum of British Columbia. Opening in 1955, the museum has a mission to “engage communities in witnessing and preserving maritime heritages.” Since 2004, the museum has held an Annual Massive Marine Garage Sale as a fundraiser to support museum programming, exhibits, maintenance, and a variety of other projects. In 2013, the Garage Sale was held in the Pier A warehouse building at Ogden Point (the cruise ship terminal) on April 20, from 9AM to 1PM. Admission to the event was $5, and the prior year’s Garage Sale had brought in $12,000 for the museum.

So what could one find at this event in 2013, the 10th annual museum fundraiser? The Garage Sale welcomed anything to do with boating, including marine electronics, anchors, sails, and even small boats.

The story now shifts back to the JR, docked in Victoria during the month of April and beginning of May in front of a cable repair ship. One of the crew from the cable repair ship purchased a giant penguin statue from the Garage Sale and brought it back to their ship where the statue sat on the dock. In fact, when the ship left port, it left the penguin behind. The JR technicians eyed this abandoned statue and dragged it down to their ship. The JR’s Chief Mate, a Siem Offshore crew member, connected with the harbor authority to get in touch with the cable repair ship. Did they mean to leave the penguin behind? Did they still want the statue? That ship gave permission for the JR to keep the statue, and the JR deck crew and technicians began repairs and provided the penguin a fresh coat of paint and a name.

It turns out the JR was welcoming a statue with prior mascot experience at sea! The title across the base of the penguin statue revealed its origin and identity. Star Cruises was a cruise line that operated in the Asia-Pacific region from 1993 until the company declared bankruptcy in 2022, reportedly from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The official mascots of Star Cruises were the penguins Captain Charlie (pictured below) and Charlene. Cruise Weekly described Captain Charlie as “honest, intelligent and brave, with a heartfelt mission to teach children about professional marine knowledge.” Captain Charlie would host a summer camp at sea for kids as part of the Junior Cruisers Program and played a key role in Star Cruises’ Children’s Wishing Well project to assist underprivileged families in Singapore.

On left: Captain Charlie, before his transformation to Patrick the Safety Penguin (photo from K. Bronk, used with permission); On right: IODP/JRSO’s Kristin Bronk worked as an X-ray/Microbiology Laboratory Technician on the JR and helped refurbish the abandoned penguin. (photo used w/permission).

The JR said goodbye to Victoria on May 29 and continued to Valdez, Alaska (Expedition 341 Southern Alaska Margin Tectonics, Climate & Sedimentation) with Captain Terry Skinner serving as Master of the Drilling Vessel. The JR had a fresh rotation of scientists and technicians on board, as well as a new, permanent passenger with a new name and mission – Patrick the Safety Penguin.

Interestingly, there isn’t an official photo of Patrick on JOIDES Resolution in the photo archives until later that year from Expedition 346 (Asian Monsoon, July 29-Sept. 27). Below is that image with the description from the IODP JRSO MerlinOne photo archive.

Enjoy these additional photos and selfies from the archives with Patrick the Safety Penguin. A special thanks goes out to JR Captain Jake Robinson, Dr. Brandi Kiel Reese (Univ. South Alabama), Jennifer Hertzberg (IODP JRSO), Kristin Bronk (IODP JRSO), and The Maritime Museum of British Columbia for helping piece together the story of how this penguin found a home on the scientific research vessel JOIDES Resolution.

This page is a repost of an existing blog entry on the Journeys of Dr. G blog from Laura Guertin, originally titled The Journey of Patrick the Safety Penguin and published February 24, 2024.