SCHEDULE FOR EXPEDITIONS 303 AND 306

Expedition 303 and most of Expedition 306 are based on Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) drilling proposal number 572-Full3 (available at iodp.tamu.edu/scienceops/expeditions/exp303.html). One site to be occupied during Expedition 306 is based on proposal number 543-Full2 and 543-ADD (available at iodp.tamu.edu/scienceops/expeditions/exp306.html). Following ranking by the IODP Scientific Advisory Structure, the expeditions were scheduled by the IODP Operations Committee for the research vessel JOIDES Resolution, operating under contract with the U.S. Implementing Organization (USIO). Expedition 303 is currently scheduled to depart St. Johns, Newfoundland (Canada), on 27 September 2004 and to end in Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands (Portugal), on 14 November 2004. In addition to time for travel to and from port, a total of 43 days is available for the operations described in this report for Expedition 303. At present, Expedition 306 is scheduled to depart Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands (Portugal), on 4 March 2005 and end in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 22 April 2005 (for the current detailed schedule, see www.iodp.tamu.edu/scienceops). Note, however, shifting Expedition 306 to a more ideal weather window will be under consideration at upcoming IODP science planning meetings. This shift in schedule is being considered as one possible scenario in an attempt to drill the Irminger Basin sites (see 572-Full3 available at iodp.tamu.edu/scienceops/expeditions/exp303.html), which are excluded in the present weather window by request of the ship's operator. In addition to time for travel to and from port, a total of 45 days will be available for the drilling, coring, and installation of the subseafloor observatory described in this report for Expedition 306. Further details on the JOIDES Resolution can be found at iodp.tamu.edu/publicinfo/drillship.html.