NOAA Teacher at Sea
Karen Meyers & Alexa Carey
Onboard NOAA Ship Albatross IV
August 15 – September 1, 2006
Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring
Geographical Area: Northeast U.S.
Date: August 30, 2006
Weather Data from Bridge
Visibility: 10-12 nautical mile
Wind direction: 3.7 o
Wind speed: 8.5 kts
Sea wave height: 1’
Swell wave height: 2-3’
Seawater temperature: 18.8 C
Sea Level Pressure: 1014.2 mb
Cloud cover: 7/8
Science and Technology Log
There was a spectacular sunrise this morning and then, during our next-to-last station Steve pointed out a sun dog in the sky above us. We’ve got one more station left to do – in Cape Cod Bay and then we’ll sail through the Cape Cod Canal and back to port at Woods Hole, about a day and a half early. We will have completed 138 stations in total. It will all turn into a set of numbers put out on the Web, at some point, and, when I see them, I’ll now know what went into producing them.
Personal Log – Karen Meyers
The photo contest entries are up. The “kids” watch came up with several entries and some of them are pretty cute. I especially like the one of me, with a shrimp on my shoulder, on the cover of Time magazine, labeled “Teacher of the Year” and the caption “Teacher discovers the oceans are teeming with life.” I still think we’ve got a good shot at winning. Voting opens at 1100 and closes at 1600. The suspense is killing me! It’s been a wonderful trip and there’s a lot about this life that I’ll miss including the constant and ever-changing beauty of the sea; the clean, fresh air; the spectacular sunrises; the 3 meals a day cooked for me; but, most of all, the camaraderie with an interesting and fun-loving group of people.
Personal Log – Alexa Carey
All the photos are up and the competition is over with. It’s great what the other group has come up with. There’s a picture of Tamara and Karen peaking over the bongo nets, Don getting eaten up by the grab and Jerry “pickled” inside of a sample jar. So far, we have no idea who’s going to win. I love our picture of Tony as a fairy. As soon as you know Tony, though, that makes the picture all the more entertaining.
We’re almost off the boat. I’m going to miss the crew terribly, especially Tony, Mike, Steve, Tim, Lino and Orlando. Okay, I admit it…I’ll miss every single person A LOT! =) I’ll miss talking with Kurt (XO/CO) and the rest of the officers, Tracy and Alicea. It’s terrible that I miss these people already…especially because I haven’t left yet.
As soon as we get into port, many of the crew will head off to their homes. It’s difficult on them because they are away from land for such a long period of time. Respect is definitely deserved for these men and women who dedicate such a large part of their lives to helping forward knowledge of the oceans and its inhabitants. I promised Orlando a picture of the Ling Cod I caught (my first fish ever) the week before I came out. Although there is quite a bit of distance between all of us, I’ll give it my all to keep in touch with everyone when I get home.
