NOAA Teacher at Sea Log: Deborah Moraga
NOAA Ship: Fulmar
Date: July 20‐28, 2010
Mission: ACCESS
(Applied California Current Ecosystem Studies)
Geographical area of cruise: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries
Date: June 25,2010
Weather Data from the Bridge
Start Time: 0610 (6:10 am)
End Time: 1630 (4:30 pm)
Position:
Line 5 start on eastern end: Latitude = 37o 48.87 N; Longitude = 122o 52.74 W
Line 5 end on western end: Latitude =37o 48.078 N; Longitude = 123o 23.04 W
Present Weather: Cloud cover 100%
Visibility: greater than 10 nautical miles
Wind Speed: 5‐10 knots
Wave Height: 0.5‐1 meters
Sea Water Temp: 12.86 C
Air Temperature: Dry bulb = 11 C
Barometric Pressure: 1014.0 mb
Science and Technology Log
Imagine standing next to an animal that is 12 times the length of you. It happened to us aboard the R/V Fulmar. Today, humpback whales where milling around our 67 foot boat. We were able to take some great pictures and some video.
The humpback consumes krill and small fish. Krill is a small (1.5 inches in average length) shrimp like organism. Krill is a primary consumer. They feed on phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is a producer in the ocean ecosystem. These small “plants” absorb light energy from the sun and through the process of photosynthesis they make energy for the consumers to ingest and use. Krill feed on this phytoplankton at night just below the surface of the ocean. During the day the krill swim to deeper parts of the water column to avoid predators like the humpback whale.
Other organisms observed today, included a pod of Pacific white‐sided dolphins, a Tufted puffin, and South Polar Skuas.
