NOAA Teacher at Sea
Cassie Kautzer
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
August 16 – September 5, 2014
Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Survey: Woody Island Channel, Kodiak, Alaska
Date: August 24, 2014
Temperature & Weather: 12° C (54° F), Cloudy with Drizzly Rain
Science & Technology Log
Survey work continues today (Yes- even on the weekend) in the Woody Island Channel. While it is easy for me to see why this area is navigationally significant, it made me think about how one would identify which areas need to be surveyed. The National Ocean Service compiles data and prioritizes areas in need of surveying. Examples can be seen here for NOAA’s survey priorities in and around Alaska.
Using the areas of critical priority the Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD) writes project instructions. Project instructions include all necessary data and guidelines, including: project name, project number, assigned field unit (ship), assigned processing branch, planned acquisition time, purpose and location of survey, and necessary supporting documents. On the project instructions, the Hydrographic Surveys Division also splits the assigned survey areas into sheets, or manageable sections.
Each sheet is then assigned to a Hydrographic Survey Technician (HST), a Hydrographic Senior Survey Technician (HSST), or a NOAA Corps Officer. Usually, one person will be the sheet manager and another will be the sheet assistant. The sheet manager is often teaching and guiding the sheet assistant, to train them to be able to do this work on their own in the future. The sheet manager is also responsible for dividing the sheets into polygons. Polygons for hydro surveys are used to divide the survey into smaller sections. When planning polygons, it is important for the sheet manager to follow specific guidelines- shapes cannot just be randomly drawn on a sheet or chart. The deeper the water, the larger the polygon can be; the more shoal the area, the smaller the polygon should be. Polygons should be drawn with the ocean contours, and should be planned for launch boats to run them from offshore to nearshore. This is a safety step in that launches should be working from deeper areas up to shoaler areas near the shore. As the boats move back in forth collecting data, it is as if they are mowing the lawn. The boats always try to slightly overlap the last strip so that no data is missed. If a small spot or strip of data is missed, its like that little area of grass that didn’t get mowed. It is called a Holiday in the data, because we have to make a special trip back to gather data on that spot.
Once plans are completed, the Field Operations Officer (FOO) can plan how many survey launch boats will be deploying, who will be aboard each, and what polygons they will aim to cover each day. Aboard each launch a skilled coxswain (driver) and a Hydrographer in Charge (HIC) are needed. There is almost always a third person on board, as it is best/safest to deploy boats with one person at the bow (front), one at the stern (back) and one in the driver’s seat. Once on the water, the HIC and Coxswain have to cooperate and communicate to make an efficient and safe plan for the day.
Personal Log
Every day is an adventure! I so enjoy learning – and it’s a good thing – because just about everything here is new to me!
![Assistant Survey Tech Thomas Burrow [from Rogers, Arkansas :) ] processes multibeam data brought back from the launches.](https://i0.wp.com/noaateacheratsea.blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/img_9686.jpg?ssl=1)
For My Students
The survey says…
*What observations did you make in trying to answer the trivia question about what I found in the water? Did you decide you saw Harbor Seal, Otter, Octopus, Plants, or Aliens?
You were actually seeing a plant/plants called kelp. Kelp is a large brown seaweed that often has a long, tough stalk. Kelp can often be found growing in and around shoal, rocky areas in the ocean. A lot of kelp in the area is a warning to boats and other vessels that shallow areas or rocky obstructions may be near by, and caution is needed.
A new question for you:
1) What is a polygon?
2) What experiences have you had with the ocean?
Hi Cassie,
I have enjoyed reading your blog. I was on the Rainier May 2013 surveying in the Inside Passage. Fascinating work – been fun to recapture some of these memories through your writing. Sounds like a number of the same folks are around.
Embrace the adventure – truly a unique experience to be a Teacher at Sea.
Take care,
Bill Lindquist
Hi Bill!
I completely agree – such a unique experience and new perspective! Several crew just returned from helping the Fairweather through the Inside Passage. We are headed out on a new leg now, and I am excited to see life in motion!
Thanks for the message,
Cassie
Hi Cassie,
I’m so impressed with your adventurous spirit! It’s great to read about all the math connections your students are going to make with real-world science exploration.
Hi Monitor students – it’s Mrs. Groomer. Ms. Kautzer’s comment “…helping the Fairweather through the inside passage” reminds me of The Adventures of Captain Hatteras” by Jules Verne. Even though it’s set further north, it’s about exploring the Northwest Passage. It’s a great classic book. It’s so cool your teacher is an explorer!
I’ll be checking in to learn even more about hydrographic surveys; it’s so interesting. Take care; I can’t wait to see what you blog about next time!
Victoria
Hi V!
Thank you for the sweet message.
I am learning so much here – and making so many connections to school and our students in Northwest Arkansas!
🙂
Cassie
When you say the abbreviations in your blog, like (HIC), do you actually use that type of language or do you say the really long and big words?
is there a valcano or shipwreck where the black sand is
What happen if you didnt use a polygon what will happen if they use a triangle or a square or any shape.
Are you and your crew close to finishing your survey to measure the ocean?
On your job, What your favorite thing to do
How do you understand all the Hydraphic survreying that they use to map the oceanfloor?
I want to know what makes the ship float with all the heavieness of the boats attached to it and the people on it -Alexa
I know what a polygon is it a shape that has many sides.
Marlen Rodriguez
how long would it takes to survey the whole ocean
why is a sheet called a sheet . a polygon is a shape with no holes in the sides and has straight sides.
Why is the sande black
HI Mrs.Kautzer! when you go to the launch boat is it cramped or do you have alot of room
keyana poole
Have you gues seen a creach that is unexplaned.That you cant explane or say oh its a jelly fish or somthing else.
Have you seen a dangerous animal? I herd that ther are dangrous animals in the sea. Leonardo
DO you have a hard time driving the boat and understading what your spouse to do / just confused.And there would to be a storm and the waves start goining crazy what will happen? Also are you learning new things? HAPPY TOUR AND THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When you saw the shipwerck is the lighter the color more shallow or darker the color more deeper
Do the ship have 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class? When you looked at the binoculars what did you see? THANK YOU
What year,day or moth did the ship had the werck/
Wow it was kelp. Thats wierd. O ne time I thought it was a stingray or sea otters. what did u think it was. Hmm kelp is tricky. OH and i the the sand is black because its burned
Do you know what is the ship wreck boats name?
is the alasken water salty or fresh
What are the depth of te radar like the red,green,blue.
i miss u and was it fun on the boat?And how cold do u think the water is?And do u think if u go in the water u would turn into a big ice cube.
hi miss kautzer when you go out on the lunch boat do you have all your aqitment? like radaers and scanners ?
Have you seen under water caves.
How exited ,you were when you found the ship wrick.
what noise do you hear at the sea.
I’m curious why go back if you miss a few polygons if its a small ship that’s there for a long time it will rust and break wont it because I think it will and I think the sand is black because the stuff that could of spilled and piloted the water ore its a different type of sand that’s my guess well I hope your having fun and I cant wate to see you bye
Austin Roberts.
I miss you.And are you havin fun.And how are you.What have you seen the most out of animals?Anddo you likedriving the boat?iDIDT KNOW THAT in the pic of kelp in thuoght it was a jellyfish
the sand is black bekuz the bots lets gas off then the gas terns the sand black.