Month: March 2014

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Suzanne Acord: Underway off the Kona Coast of the Big Island, March 18, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Suzanne Acord
Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette
March 17 – 28, 2014

Mission: Kona Area Integrated Ecosystems Assessment Project
Geographical area of cruise: Hawaiian Islands
Date: March 18, 2014

Weather Data from the Bridge at 08:00
Wind: 20 knots
Visibility: 12 nautical miles
Weather: Clear
Depth in fathoms: 2,521
Depth in feet: 15,126
Temperature: 23.5˚ Celsius

Science and Technology Log

Kona cruise map
2014 Kona IEA Cruise Map

HARP (High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package) deployment: 06:00

Ali Bayless leads this early morning deployment of the HARP, or High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package. This is an instrument that monitors marine mammals and studies ambient ocean noise over long periods of time. Peruse the cruise course map above to find the red circle with H1. This is where the HARP was deployed. We will pick up another HARP in the location marked H2 later during the cruise. The H1 HARP will be at the bottom of the ocean for a whole year recording all acoustics in the vicinity. We are listening for various species of cetaceans in order to determine their presence near this unique oceanographic feature, the Jaggar Seamount. This is a first because a HARP has never been dropped in the area. Sixteen discs of data will ultimately provide a snap shot of what has been happening acoustically in the area. Unfortunately, we can’t take a sneak peak at the data prior to the HARP’s retrieval.

Marine Mammal Observation (MMO) training by Ali: 08:00

Ali is also our Marine Mammals Operations lead. While on the flying bridge, Ali encourages our team to keep an eye out for sperm and pilot whales. Each MMO participant will serve 45 minutes on portside and 45 minutes on starboard side in rotating shifts. We must be sure to complete the sighting form to ensure we keep track of our mammal friends. Ali provides illustrations for our team and points out a few key features of marine mammals so that we can more effectively identify them.

MMO watch
Suzanne and Beth on MMO watch in the flying bridge 

MMO begins: 09:30

Scientists rotate through the flying bridge throughout the day with handy binoculars. When we see a mammal, we radio acoustics to let them know the location. This is more fun than it sounds. Ocean + binoculars + flying bridge = awesome!

Science Party Interview with Aimee Hoover

Official title: JIMAR Research Data Specialist

Aimee Hoover
Aimee Hoover at the acoustics monitoring station

Aimee has spent the past two and a half years with JIMAR (Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research). She is technically a State of Hawaii employee who often has the opportunity to work with NOAA.

Her job is flexible. She can analyze data on a variety of projects. In addition to our IEA, Aimee has worked with swordfish and tuna long line fisheries, species composition, and the size and structure of animals. She frequently examines large oceanographic features such as transition zone chlorophyll front (TZCF). She analyzes the movements and the locations of the TZCF, which travel from the north to the south. She mentions that turtles often feed off of this mysterious matter.

Aimee’s favorite job task: Cruises.

On this cruise, Aimee is hoping to find: Squid in the acoustics.

Coolest thing Amy has ever seen at sea:  In Maui, Aimee witnessed a female humpback riding next to and under their ship to avoid potentially mating males. This lasted for two hours!

Personal Log

My first days on board have been a whirlwind. Our push off time was delayed by six hours. Despite this, the NOAA crew was sure to use every moment of our delay wisely. We practiced our abandon ship drill and fire drill in addition to receiving a ship safety and etiquette briefing by OPS Officer, Ryan Wattam. It looks like my muster point during emergencies is on the Texas deck, port side. There is so much to learn and so much to do aboard the Sette. I have eaten great food, visited the bridge, assisted with a CTD deployment, and have met countless amazing crew members and scientists. It is only day two!

Pre boarding
Prior to boarding at Ford Island
Abandon ship
Note to self: Get suit and lifejacket and head to the Texas deck when I hear seven blows of the horn

Did You Know?

What is the difference between a rope and a line? “A line is a rope with a purpose,” according to Mills Dunlap, NOAA crew member.

A Tasty Surprise

Lines were immediately cast once underway. During an intense moment, Mills Dunlap ran toward a starboard line off the stern of the ship. Excitingly, an Ono would serve as our first catch. An omen? I think so. The food aboard the Sette is delicious!

Mills catches an Ono
NOAA crew member, Mills Dunlap, with a recently caught Ono
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Suzanne Acord: Preparing to Embark! March 12, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Suzanne Acord
(Almost) On board NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette
March 17 – 28, 2014

Mission: Kona Area Integrated Ecosystems Assessment Project
Geographical area of cruise: Hawaiian Islands
Date: March 12, 2014

Personal Log

Aloha, from Honolulu, Hawaii! My name is Suzanne Acord. I teach high school social studies with Mid-Pacific Institute in Honolulu, Hawaii. More specifically, I teach Asian Studies, World History, and IB History. I also teach one Pacific Island History course with Chaminade University. In addition to teaching, I advise our Model United Nations delegation and coordinate our school’s History Day efforts.

Prior to teaching in Hawaii, I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Yap, Micronesia. Two years of living a subsistence lifestyle in Yap helped me to understand our intimate and reciprocal relationship with our earth. Yap State Legislator, Henry Falan, sums up this relationship by stating, “In Micronesia, land is life.” Both man-made and naturally occurring disasters can be felt throughout the Pacific. World War II, El Nino, tsunamis, and nuclear testing are just a few world events that have left their mark on the Pacific Ocean. Their impacts on the reefs, the fish supplies, and the water quality are apparent daily.

Peace Corps hut
My first hut in Yap, Micronesia. I lived here while serving in the Peace Corps.

I applied for the NOAA Teacher at Sea program to gain a better understanding of the human relationship with our oceans. My history students frequently determine how our relationship with the ocean changes as a result of environmental change, political change, economic change, and cultural change. My experiences during this cruise will allow my educational community to consider real world solutions for the environmental challenges we face and will face in the future.

I couldn’t be happier to set sail on NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette on March 17, 2014. We will travel from Ford Island (a WWII place of interest) to the Big Island of Hawaii, which is also known as Hawaii Island. The Big Island is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands and is the home of Volcanoes National Park. Most of our time will be spent on the Kona coast of the island.  One of the many goals of the Kona Area Integrated Ecosystems Assessment Project is to gain “a complete understanding of the Kona ecosystem, from the land to the ocean…to provide scientific advice used in making informed decisions in the Kona area.”

Suzanne at desk
Anticipating the adventure in my classroom.
Photo credit: Scot Allen

The thorough NOAA Teacher at Sea training has given me peace of mind. I feel much better prepared for the TAS journey now that I have read the official requirements and the tips from past Teachers at Sea. The videos helped me to visualize the experience. Don Kobayashi, our Chief Scientist, has kept all members of the scientific expedition in the loop throughout the planning process. I was excited to see my name listed on the “science party” document and amused when I learned that my daily shift would span from 3 am to noon daily. I will surely experience amazing sunrises over the Pacific. This will definitely be an intellectually stimulating adventure!

My next blog will be written aboard the Sette. Aloha for now.