NOAA Teacher at Sea
Tom Savage
Aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
August 6 – 23, 2018
Mission: Arctic Access Hydrographic Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: Point Hope, northwest Alaska
Date: August 17, 2018
Weather Data from the Bridge
Latitude 64 42.8 N
Longitude – 171 16.8 W
Air temperature: 6.2 C
Dry bulb 6.2 C
Wet bulb 6.1 C
Visibility: 0 Nautical Miles
Wind speed: 26 knots
Wind direction: east
Barometer: 1000.4 millibars
Cloud Height: 0 K feet
Waves: 4 feet
Sunrise: 6:33 am
Sunset: 11:45 pm
Personal Log
I was asked yesterday by one of my students what life is like aboard the NOAA Ship Fairweather? So I thought I would dedicate this entry to address this and some of the other commonly asked questions from my students.
Life on board the ship is best described as a working village and everyone on board has many specific jobs to ensure the success of its mission; check my “Meet the Crew” blog. The ship operates in a twenty four hour schedule with the officers rotating shifts and responsibilities. When the ship is collecting ocean floor data, the hydrographers will work rotating shifts 24 hours a day. With so much happening at once on a working research vessel, prevention of incidents is priority which leads to the ship’s success. A safety department head meeting is held daily by the XO (executive officer of the ship) to review any safety issues.
During times when the weather is not conducive for data collection, special training sessions are held. For instance, a few days ago, the officers conducted man over board drills. Here, NOAA Officers practice navigating the ship and coordinating with deck hands to successfully rescue the victim; in this case it’s the ship’s mascot, “Oscar.”
(Fun fact: at sea, ships use signal flags to communicate messages back and forth [obviously, this was more prevalent before the advent of radio]. For example: the “A” or “Alpha” flag means divers are working under the surface; the “B” or “Bravo” flag means I am taking on dangerous cargo [i.e. fueling]; and the “O” flag means I have a man overboard. The phonetic name for “O” is, you guessed it, “Oscar” … hence the name. You can read about other messages here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_maritime_signal_flags).
Precision and speed is the goal and it is not easy when the officer is maneuvering 1,591 tons of steel; the best time was 6:24. This takes a lot skill, practice and the ability to communicate effectively to the many crew members on the bridge, stern (back of boat), and the breezeways on both port and starboard sides of the ship. Navigating the ship becomes even more challenging when fog rolls in as the officers rely on their navigation instruments. Training can also come in the form of good entertainment. With expired rescue flares and smoke grenades, the whole crew practiced firing flares and activating the smoke canisters. These devices are used to send distress signals in the event of a major ship emergency. I had the opportunity of firing one of the flares !
What are the working conditions like on board?
At sea, the working environment constantly changes due to the weather and the current state of the seas. Being flexible and adaptive is important and jobs and tasks for the day often change Yesterday, we experienced the first rough day at sea with wave heights close to ten feet. Walking up a flight of stairs takes a bit more dexterity and getting used to. At times the floor beneath will become not trustworthy, and the walls become your support in preventing accidents.
Where do you sleep?
Each crew member is assigned a stateroom and some are shared quarters. Each stateroom has the comforts from home a bed, desk, head (bathroom & shower) sink and a port hole (window) in most cases. The most challenging component of sleeping is sunlight, it does not set until 11:30 pm. No worries, the “port holes” have a metal plate that can be lowered. It is definitely interesting looking through the window when the seas are rough and watching the waves spin by. Seabirds will occasionally fly by late at night and I wonder why are they so far out to sea ?
Generally, when sharing a stateroom, roommates will have different working shifts.
Meals are served in the galley and it is amazing! It is prepared daily by our Chief Steward Tyrone; he worked for the Navy for 20 years and comes with a lot of skills and talents ! When asking the crew what they enjoy the most on board the ship, a lot of them mention the great food and not having to cook.
Are there any activities?
Keeping in good physical shape aboard any vessel out at sea is important. The Fairweather has a gym that can be used 24 hours a day. The gym has treadmills, elliptical, weights and a stair climber.
There is the lounge where movies are shown in the evening. Interestingly, the seats glide with the motions of the waves. Meetings are also held here daily, mostly safety briefings.
What are the working hours like?
During any cruise with NOAA, there is always things that come up that were not planned, staff and schedules are adjusted accordingly. On this leg of the trip during our transit back to Kodiak Island, we stopped by Nome, Alaska, to pick up a scientist from NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Lab PMEL office. One of their research buoys separated from its mooring and went adrift in the Bering Sea (it drifted over 100 miles before we were able to catch up to it. The Fairweather was dispatched to collect and store the buoy aboard, after which it will eventually be returned to PMEL’s lab in Seattle Washington.
The place with the most noise is definitely the engine room. Here, two sixteen piston engines built by General Motors powers the ship; the same engine power in one train engine ! It is extremely difficult to navigate in the engine room as there is so many valves, pipes, pumps, switches and wires. Did I mention that it is very warm in the room; according to the chief engineer, Tommy, to maintain a healthy engine is to ensure that the engine is constantly warm even during times when the ship is docked.
Until next time, happy sailing !
~ Tom
That’s very cool Mr. Savage! I can’t wait to hear more about your trip when you get back!!
Looks like you’re eating some good food for it being out at sea. How many days worth of supplies do you have? Is all you need for the entire trip or do you restock periodically?
Tyler, plenty of supplies ! The food is amazing and the chef has over 20 years experience. The bbq chicken and fresh salmon last night was award winning.
Hey Mr. Savage! Hope you’re having so much fun in Alaska. Think you could bring me something back from your trip? Like a keychain or something? Did you guys see any animal life while on the trip? Were there any ice burgs around? Should I go for a degree in Marine Biology? Do you think it’ll work for me? How do you think you will cooperate with the different time zone when you come back? Are you excited to see us again? We promise we’re not crazy haha. Anyway, till the next time!
-Von
Von, Oh my, lots of questions at once, wheeew. So …. I will try to bring something back. yes Humpback Whales, Killer Whales and Puffins ! No Ice in the ocean, but glaciers on the mountains of the Aleutian Islands, beautiful.
If marine biology fits your passion. Take some courses in marine biology, biology and anatomy and physiology. If you enjoy the subject matter it is worth exploring. UNC Willmington has a great program.
Have you seen any interesting animals while you have been there?
Keith, yes Humpback Whales, Killer Whales and Puffins !
This is so so cool! Mr. Savage please take a bunch of videos, so that you can show us even more when you come back! We are all so glad that you get to experience this! Remember to enjoy every single second! We miss you, but we are also glad that you are having the time of your life! Also, quick question, when you say that you guys watch movies in the lounge, are they science related movies or are they regular movies, you know, like the ones that we love to watch here back on land (hahahaha). It’s also super cool that you guys have a gym! Alright! Enjoy your time Mr. Savage, and also that amazing food that you get to eat (those donuts look really good)! Peace!
-Alexla
Alexla, They are hollywood movies ! It is nice to escape the science for a while. The movie room is fit for the purpose with comfortable seats (better than the movie theater). By the way, I got talked into played the bass guitar for the first time last night with the rock band on board. Yeah, the ship has talented musicians, they gave me a quick tutorial. It is pretty neat playing with the officers and having a great time. I know you are going to ask what songs we played. Tunes from Boston and a few other bands that I did not recognize, it didnt matter it was fun!
Has there been any storms while on the ship?
Efrain, Yes, we had to alter our course a few times due to remnants of tropical storms coming in from the southwest (Japan region). The satellite images of these storms looked nasty ( well circulation pattern in the clouds) from our standpoint. The good news is most dissipated quickly once it hit the cooler ocean waters,
How many times have you used the exercise room?
Emilee, I try to use it everyday, though it depends on the seas.
How long does it take to get used to living at sea? Do you plan on bringing a souvenir?
Andres, It took a few days to getting used to it, and five days learning where everything is on board. I purchased a few items at the ships store. I am bringing back ocean floor samples we took and using it in a lab when we examine soil classification.
Is it hard to use the exercise room with the ship moving?
Dylan, yes, jogging on the treadmill is the most challenging, It is like jogging along short rolling hills with the ground moving up and down and sideways. I look at as an amusement park ride.
How long did it take to get use to being out at sea and adjusting to time zones?
Jacob, The hardest part is the sun setting near midnight. Walking on deck at 11pm and the sun setting is different.
Do you ever get seasick on the boat?
Madison, We went through some days the seas hit 10 feet, but I have not gotten motion sick. Drinking lots of water helps
How hard is it to adjust to life in Hendersonville compared to life at sea.
Janet, The hardest part is making sure that you pack everything you need. The convenience of driving to a mall is not here, though we have a ship store with limited items such as t-shirts etc.
Is it real cold up there? Does the weather make it hard to sleep?
Katherine, No, it is not cold. Because we are on the ocean, it regulates the weather and climate here, thus it is warm. This am while walking on the breezeway, no coat required. We will learn more about climate and how the oceans regulate climate when we cover meteorology.
What is your favorite room and why?
Nathaniel, The bridge (pilot house) You have a good height advantage, and the views are great!
What is your favorite part of Alaska?
Sophia, Seeing Alaska from the ocean is spectacular.
How many times have you seen a whale breach?
Joslyn, None, though we have seen at least 75 whales so far. they have shown off their flukes (tail) and flippers.
Is the food better than school food?
From Jonathan
What’s it like trying to exercise on a ship that moves too much
This is a fun question, jogging on the treadmill is like going along a constant change in slope/hill. Imagine jogging a track with constant hills that are also in motion, sideways and up and down, along the path. It is not easy and I find myself holding on to the support bars most of the time.
Is it hard to stand whenever the boat lists so much? -Casey Varble
Casey, the ship constantly moves, and it depends on the seas. The walls can become the floor and the floor can become the wall, it is all perspective of movement
Regan R, Nora Cornelison, Anna Davenport, Jose Santeliz-Cifuentes. What is your favorite part about being on the boat and why?
Hello, So far my favorite part is driving the ship. The ship reacts to the slightest movement, Lots of power behind the helm.
What crewmembers work is the most important? – Jill, Ronald, Cole, ABby
Jill, Great question with a good answer; they all are equally important. Regardless of position, if that job does not get done, the mission suffers.
Whats your favorite part about Alaska?-Mark Puebla Sandoval
Today, It has to be the amazing views of the Aleutian Islands ! We have amazing weather today. Tomorrow we will be deploying the drifter buoy
Mark, It has to be the whales and views of the Aleutian
You got a window in your room?! Jealous! 🙂 JK… hope you are having a wonderful time! I loved my time on Fairweather!
Vickie, Great to hear from you, the window is definitely a plus 🙂 This has been an adventure! Lots of new material for the classroom ! Today was whale, puffin & amazing views day.
We have been traversing the Aleutian Islands today, sunny day ! The two days prior it was a fog show.
Also, I am deploying a drifter buoy tomorrow, your class will be able to track it for about a year. My blog in a few days will have the exact web address and other info, stay tuned