Order Bulletin No. 14/2025
Subject: Access to the Communal Equipment Inventory
Issued by: Office of the Equipment Steward
Date: April, 2, 2024
Esteemed Members,
It is with both pride and considerable procedural obligation that the Order of the Great Fifth Sea reminds all Active and Concordant Members of their privilege to request access to the Chapter’s Communal Equipment Inventory.
This collection, painstakingly assembled and meticulously preserved over many decades, includes such notable instruments as the Leica M3 rangefinder camera, the mahogany-cased barograph, the collapsible canvas bucket, and—by special dispensation—the ceremonial WWII-era diving helmet.
However, members are hereby advised that the following Standing Procedures must be observed without deviation:
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Formal Application – Submit Form E-7 (Request for Temporary Custodianship of Communal Equipment) no fewer than 21 days prior to intended use.
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Statement of Purpose – Provide a clear, detailed justification for the requested item, including anticipated location, climatic conditions, and a projected philosophical or academic benefit to the Order.
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Approval Sequence – Applications must be reviewed and endorsed by the Equipment Steward, the Subcommittee for Artefact Preservation, and, in certain cases, the Presiding Concordant.
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Mandatory Induction Briefing – Attendance at the Custodial Equipment Handling Seminar is required prior to first-time use. Duration: 2.5 hours, plus question period.
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Logbook Documentation – All deployments must be recorded in the Official Sign-Out Ledger in ink, in the Member’s own hand, using proper penmanship and approved terminology.
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Return Inspection – Items will be inspected upon return by the Equipment Steward and two independent witnesses; any discrepancy in condition, however minor, will be formally noted.
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Post-Use Report – A 1,200-word field account, including photographs (archival quality), must be submitted within five (5) days of return.
While this process exists to preserve the dignity and functionality of our shared resources, members should be mindful that overly frequent requests may be construed as over-eagerness, which is contrary to the measured temperament the Order prizes.
Members wishing to view the complete list of available items may request the Annotated Catalogue of Communal Equipment (Vol. IX, Rev. 2024) from the Chapter Librarian, by appointment only.
In Service to the Great Fifth Sea,
Alistar Corvus
Presiding Concordant and First Keeper of the Hollow Compass