NOAA Teacher at Sea
Chuck Gregory
Onboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson
August 12 – 24, 2007
Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: New York Harbor
Date: August 19, 2007
“Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Here’s the Plan of the Day (POD):
Sunrise = 0610h Sunset = 1950h
0000h Ship at Sandy Hook, NJ anchorage
0745h Launch safety brief (Survey)
0800h Deploy Launches
1745h Retrieve launches
Tides for Sandy Hook High @ 0031h (4.2 ft.) & 1307h (4.7 ft.); Low @ 0627h (0.8 ft.) & 1913h (1.2 ft.). Currents in Sandy Hook Channel Ebb: 0356h (1.3 kts.), 1638h (1.2 kts.); Flood: 1011h (1.8 kts.) & 2234h (1.3 kts.). Weather from Sandy Hook to Fire Island AM: NW winds 5kts., seas 1-2 ft., PM: S winds 10 kts., seas 2-3 feet.
Today’s goal: Conduct a few of those interviews. I’m not going out on the launches so I should have time to interview, do a little exercise and continue typing. The skies are overcast, but the seas are calm. I hope the calmness lasts throughout the day.
The interviews went well. I was able to talk with CO Schattgen, my roommate Ensign Ostapenko, Senior Hydrographic Survey Technician Peter Lewit, Assistant Hydrographic Survey Technician Melody Ovard, Chief Electronics Technician Eric Thompson, and Chief Steward Dave Fare. I’d like to do two or three more before my cruise is done. I was pretty impressed with myself when, once again, I exercised! The exercise room is packed with a stationary bike, treadmill, free weights, and a few other pieces. It’s never packed with users, and I was able to get right on the stationary bike for 20 minutes. A note to anyone interested in going on a TAS cruise: take the time to exercise. You can’t continue to eat three-plus square meals a day and not gain some serious weight.
While interviewing the CO, he again stated that tomorrow I would be able to steer the ship when we go out to sea to dump the “wet” trash. He reviewed the equipment I would use (wheel, compass, etc.) and commands I would hear from the “Con” (or controller). He also went over my responses to the commands. I am looking forward to this experience. Today ended with a light rain, a good dinner (turkey), and a bad movie (“Vacancy”).
