Cheryl Milliken: We’re Steaming across the Gulf, July 26, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Cheryl Milliken

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 26 – August 10, 2025

Mission: Bottom Longline Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Coast of Florida

Date: July 26, 2025

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 29° 32.4’ N

Longitude: 087° 53.2’ W

Wind speed: 8 knots (peak 36 knots)

Wave height: 3’ swell (wind waves 1-2’)

Air temp.: 32.6° C

Sky: Cumulus and cirrus clouds, ⅜ cloud coverage

Science and Technology Log

Although we are going to spend a couple of days steaming before we reach our sampling stations on the Atlantic (east) side of Florida, crew and staff having been gearing up to prepare for the work ahead. 

Personal Log

After a stormy start that delayed our departure by a day, I’ve officially embarked on my journey aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II. Though the thunderstorms on Wednesday and Thursday scrambled flight plans, the extra day in Pascagoula turned out to be a gift — a chance to explore this small but vibrant coastal city and ease into ship life.

I moved into my stateroom Thursday morning, a cozy space shared with Lila Xenakis, a grad student from Florida Tech researching sharks. The room is compact but comfortable, featuring a bunk bed, a personal sink, and a mini-split A/C unit that’s been a lifesaver in Mississippi’s sweltering July heat. Although Lila and I are on different watch shifts (she will work from midnight until noon, while I will work from noon until midnight), we had a great time getting to know each other before departure.

Photos, L to R: Bunk bed and sink viewed from your door; our storage cabinets behind the door; cabinet in our room with emergency gear and a foldout desk.

Lila and I walked 6 miles (three each way) to see the beach. Top 5 things we saw there:

5.  Buffett Bridge – apparently, Jimmy Buffett lived here as a child, so they named this bridge in his honor. You can also see his house, but it was not along our route.

 4. The trains and bridge – many trains pass through Pascagoula, and they need to cross the Pascagoula River. The CSX Transportation railroad drawbridge, a bascule bridge (according to my research), is operated by a bridge tender in Mobile, AL. It was eye-opening to see such long trains coming through this city (I counted 44 cars on one train Thursday evening) and to think about all the industry going on in the southern states.

Photos, L to R: Buffett Bridge along Pascagoula coast; train coming over Pascagoula River; pogie boat passing under drawbridge.

3. Downtown Pascagoula – full of local color, murals, and culinary gems like “Jack’s by the Tracks,” where I chose shrimp and grits one night and mahi mahi tacos the next. The sushi might be the local favorite, but I have no regrets. We spent some time with other crew members, who have been very helpful and kind in welcoming us aboard.

2. Coastal nature – we walked past towering Southern Magnolias and graceful Coastal Live Oaks, plants that rarely survive back home on Cape Cod. The beach itself, rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina (2005) and restored post–Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010), stands as a testament to the Gulf’s resilience and the hard work of conservation teams.

Photos, L to R: live oak on our route; magnolia in bloom; beach.

1. NOAA Ship Oregon II – our home for the next couple of weeks! Built in 1967, this vessel has aged gracefully, with modern updates and full air conditioning throughout. Getting around her isn’t always straightforward (still learning how to get from the stern to the flying bridge), but I’m eager to call her home as we head into the Gulf.

Photos, Clockwise from left: NOAA Ship Oregon II docked in Pascagoula; plaque on Oregon II acknowledging its origin at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS; view of forward deck from above.

Special thanks to my friend, Laura, for showing me around Ocean Springs, MS, on Thursday! We had a great time exploring such a charming place.

Did You Know?

The Gulf is home to more than 1,443 finfish species, 51 shark species, and at least 49 species of rays and skates. Source: sign hanging in the hallway of NOAA Fisheries building in Pascagoula, MS.

Animals Seen Today:

• Many birds in port and on the way out to the middle of the Gulf:
  • Brown pelicans – they sit on every channel marker out of Pascagoula
  • Laughing gulls 
  • Black skimmer – striking black and white with distinct orange and black bill
  • Sandwich terns – identified by yellow-tipped bills like mustard smears
• Bottlenose dolphins! (Tursiops truncatus) – right next to NOAA Ship Oregon II in the Pascagoula River!