Among many honors bestowed upon Henry Stommel were the National Medal of Science, being presented at left in 1980 by President George Bush, and oceanography’s whimsical Albatross Award, given to Stommel in 1966 “for abandoning the cherished chairs of oceanography.” Humor was an important element in any encounter with Hank—one colleague said in the Oceanus tribute issue, “The main reason I adored Stommel so much was that he helped me understand that it was OK to have fun.” Another wrote, “My most compelling memory is of gales of Hank’s laughter echoing down the halls of the Oceanographic. He found fun in chasing and discovering ocean problems, and in all the mad adventures of life at Sippewissett Farm.” (Left photo by David Valdez, The White House. Right photo courtesy the Falmouth Enterprise) 

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