diff --git a/Visualization_tools/get_date.m b/Visualization_tools/get_date.m
index fba77ff45fe69aeaad3964e94b6b230b0a1a6f46..657197d66763e906728ea81c6c2c36d585fc4155 100644
--- a/Visualization_tools/get_date.m
+++ b/Visualization_tools/get_date.m
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ if isempty(Yorig)
   Yorig=nan;
 end
 %
-nc=netcdf(fname);
+nc=netcdf(fname,'r');
 time=nc{'scrum_time'}(tindex);
 if (isempty(time))
   time=nc{'ocean_time'}(tindex);