To the UC Davis Community: The last week of March 2000 will be remembered forever at UC Davis. It was a week of tragedy, of sorrow, of heroism. Loved ones were lost, hearts were broken and lifetime bonds of kinship were forged in the struggle for survival. It began with all the excitement that a mission of experimentation and data gathering can generate. Research is about ferreting out new knowledge in new ways, in new places, a pursuit that is utterly natural to the human character. The required long hours of work can be tedious, to be sure, but research offers, as well, in those golden moments when confusing bits and parts of information come together into concordance and revelation, the most exhilarating and gratifying moments of one's life. At some level, especially for those visiting the Sea of Cortez research site for the first time, surely there was a sense of great anticipation. But scientific research has an inescapable element of danger, as well. After all, it is the exploration of new territory, whether in the laboratory or the field. The source of its excitement, exposure to the unknown, is also the source of its risk. That danger came to those nine members of our extended UC Davis family in rapid, unpredictable fashion on Monday, March 27. After they were well out to sea, Dr. Gary Polis and his core group of eight students, postgraduate researchers and visiting scholars saw sudden, strong winds generate unusually high waves that, in turn, capsized their boat. They all had flotation devices, but those life jackets and strap-on seat cushions did little to protect them from greater perils. Large, intermittent waves continuously battered them away from the still floating upside-down boat. Worse, hypothermia, with the various problems it can cause, was a looming threat. Rescue retrievals of those washed from the boat were performed many times by several people. Some who finally survived were themselves rescued earlier in the ordeal by ones who eventually perished. There are many stories of heroism to be told. Our hearts go out to the families of those who died. Perhaps the most poignant moment, for me, came on Thursday. We had met, at the San Diego airport, with the arriving family members of the Japanese visiting scholars who perished. They were headed to Mexico to identify and claim their loved ones' bodies. After describing to them what we knew of the events of the previous days, we asked if they would like to wait for the survivors, who would be arriving soon by ground transportation from Mexico. After one hour together, survivor Becca Lewison said to those Japanese family members, through sobs and tears, "I wish more than anything that we could have brought (your loved ones) and everyone else back with us. They saved our lives." The light of UC Davis is diminished by our loss. Gary Polis and Michael Rose were everything we hope for in scholarship and character. Our hearts go out to Sharon, Evan and Maia, and to Susan. An exciting, novel experience turned tragic for Drs. Abe, Higashi and Nakano. The loss felt by their families is felt by us. We are, as well, so very grateful that Gary Huxel, Becca Lewison, Sarah Ratay and Ralph Haygood are still with us. This is for them a significant life-changing experience. We can only hope that with time the memories of March 2000 will be increasingly dominated by their recollections of all that we cherish about Gary Polis, Michael Rose, Takuya Abe, Masahiko Higashi and Shigeru Nakano. Chancellor Larry N. Vanderhoef