Robert Markuske: Land to Sea, Early Days, August 17, 2025

Robert Markuske 

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

August 13 – 29, 2025

Mission: Long Shark and Snapper Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America

Date: August 17, 2025

Weather Data from the Bridge:

Greenwich mean Time: 23:51

Latitude: 25 22.739′ N
Longitude: 82 24.980′ W
Relative Wind speed: 2 Knots
Wind Direction: North – Northwest
Air Temperature: 32.8 Celsius
Sea Surface Temperature: 30.8 Celsius

Hello from the Gulf of America. Hereafter, it will be referred to as the Gulf.

We departed the Port of Miami at 14:20pm EST on August 13th. Below are my early experiences leaving port and getting a crash course before our survey starts. It’s been lots of info quickly; from living at sea on the Oregon II, how we fish, why we fish, what we use to fish, and all the different roles NOAA corps, Steward Crew, Deck Crew, Engineer Crew, and Science team do function on the water.

First and foremost, I have better service and internet at sea than I do at home—definitely better than at New York Harbor School. Maybe it’s time we really bring marine and maritime tech beyond the decorative portholes on our classroom doors. 😉

Although funny, it makes sense. At sea, doing scientific research on fisheries, things need to be a certain way—for the sake of quality science directives, the life of the organisms studied, and the quality of life for those walking the corridors and decks of the ship. While transiting from port to our first station in the Gulf, it’s been overwhelming—in a good way—but exciting, learning all that’s needed to truly be a part of the crew.

Why does the Oregon II even go to sea?

An assignment given to my students – albeit over the summer – comment on the blogs. Maybe they were hoping I’d have no internet connection. They were wrong. Let’s get those comments going.

Mission Objectives:

1. Conduct a study to assess the distribution, abundance trends, life history (age structure, growth, and reproduction), movement patterns, and habitat of coastal sharks and red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus).
2. Collect biological and environmental data at survey sites (including water quality parameters).
3. Tag and release sharks.

For some context on fisheries scientific surveys:

I’m currently on Leg 2. This survey has four legs. A leg is a separate time at sea within the overall survey. In each leg, different stations are worked to reach objectives. This survey runs down the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to West Palm Beach, FL, then transits back around past the Florida Keys, and into the Gulf to begin sampling again north of the Dry Tortugas. The legs in the Gulf , data is collected at three different depth strata: shallowest and closer to the coast (9-55 m), midway (55-183 m), and farther out on the continental shelf (183-366 m)—bouncing back and forth along shelf as we move up the western coast of Florida..

The gear used on this survey is bottom longline. But first—safety. I’ll get to the science and tech in a bit.

Safety Training & Protocol

Before the ship got underway, we went over a lot of safety procedures in case something were to occur while at sea. We went over what emergency signals are: fire is a 10-second alarm, man overboard is three long blasts, and abandon ship is six short blasts and one long. We were given cards that list our locations for where to muster in the event something occurred. We went over protocol and procedures if any of these events happen. While underway, we did some drills.

While on the ship, we did some drills. I would have to say, practicing for an event where I have to abandon ship was a little fun and emotional. Putting on the immersion suit to save my life—keeping you warm, afloat, illuminated, and with your head above water—in the event I need to abandon ship, is an iconic “teacher at sea” shot, I am told. I should have known; we have them at Harbor School. I’ve seen lots of selfies of kids and VIPs in them, but never had the chance. It’s an exciting and necessary drill aboard a working vessel.

We were demoed and practiced two types of flares to be used in different emergency situations. It was the best birthday candle I’ve witnessed to date. I got to set off the parachute flare, and some folks lit off other flares with a birthday serenade. It goes without saying, the reusable Grateful Dead birthday candle from Clara—my partner—is out of the league of candle celebrations. But the flare demo came close.

While underway, I’ve noticed and learned little things I would normally take for granted and that we don’t need on land.

Red lights at night help preserve night vision and are just being kind to our shipmates. Watch for the red light blinking on top of the engine room—that means someone’s coming up the stairs. The office chairs don’t have wheels. The computers and equipment are cantilevered to the wall. Hard hats go on when things are overhead, and a PFD (personal flotation device) goes on when working close to the edge or near the stern. And when handling animals or fishing gear, we’ve got different gloves for different jobs.

My coffee cup really needs a stabilizer for this table. Honestly, I might bring one of these into the classroom—I’m forever spilling or misplacing my coffee.

And of course, the big reminder out here: follow directions. Listen, read, communicate. Feels like I’ve heard that a million times—pretty much every teacher, whether at sea or on land, says it.

Life at sea has its own lessons. Out here, everything needs backups, and things have to work a certain way. We’re living, working, and doing science on a ship that never stops moving and is always a long way from shore.

Shout out to BK Roasters for supplying a critical piece of material for this mission, good smelling, roasted coffee from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in NYC. My shipmates are saying it’s super smooth!

Science and Technology Log

In order to conduct the data collection and research on sharks, lots of scientific protocols and technology, both computer-based and mechanical, go into the survey. First and foremost, we are fishing. The techniques are similar to those of commercial fishermen. On the longline shark and snapper survey, we use bottom longline.

Bottom longlines have a mainline weighted to the seafloor with buoy lines marked by flags on either end, called high flyers.

Typically, per watch from 12 p.m.–12 a.m. and/or 12 a.m.–12 p.m., there are 3–4 sets, depending on how far away the stations are and conditions in the Gulf. An orchestrated ballroom dance across the Gulf, except the dance floor is wet, moving, with predictable and sudden changes in environmental conditions. Oh right, and sharks. Brings “the floor is lava” to a new level.

Gangions—short lines clipped to the mainline with hooks—are baited and attached to the mainline (4 mm thick). We bait 100 gangions (3 mm thick) with Atlantic mackerel and circle hooks. This one-nautical-mile line is then deployed off the stern. Note: we use a data collection system on a Toughbook to mark, map, and catalog the numbered hooks that are baited to use later on when hauling.

The most interesting thing I learned, or rather don’t emphasize when I teach about fishing gear types, is that longlines are detached from the vessel. There is a winch (like a big reel) that trails the line from the bow to the stern to set the gear and haul the gear. Upon set, it is released from the ship. Upon hauling it in, we reconnect to the harvesting system.

To set the longline, it’s deployed in this order:

As things go into the water, data is collected on the gear—quantity and location.

This all happens from the stern (back of the ship) of the Oregon II:

• Buoy, High-flyer (high visibility, designed and lit) – tossed out at the station coordinates.
• Weights – connected after some slack from the high-flyer to keep the line on the bottom.
• 50 gangions with bait, numbered 1–50 – spaced out along half a nautical mile of mainline.
• Weights – to keep the middle section on the bottom.
• 50 gangions with bait, numbered 51–100 – spaced out along another half nautical mile of mainline.
• Weights – attached at the opposite end to keep the line on the bottom.
• High-flyer, Buoy (high visibility, designed and lit) – with some slack given after the weight to keep things accurately placed.

During the soak of the 100 gangions, we are also completing water quality data via a CTD Device ( Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) that measures conductivity, depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and Ph. I will describe this in more detail in a later post.

CTD water quality monitoring device; Watching data on descent and ascent

After being deployed its time to let the longline soak for an hour. Then we flip it and reverse it with some twists.

A big twist through the whole process is that you will have live animals on the ship that need to be returned to sea. The idea is to study these animals.

Lastly, as you are hauling up the line, you are simultaneously thinking of the next set. For example, keeping numbered gangions in order and placing hooks correctly in the barrel. If not careful, things can get squirrely quickly.

Note: as things come out of the water, data is collected on the gear—quantity, location, and status of the hook. How’s the bait looking? Is there a fish on!?!?!

Happens from the bow (front of the ship) of the Oregon II:

• Buoy – High-flyer (high visibility, designed and lit) – A grappling hook is tossed to nab the mainline and pull it toward the vessel. The buoy and high-flyer are pulled onto the vessel, detached from the mainline, the mainline is reconnected to the harvesting winch, and the highflyer brought back to the stern.
• Weights – Pulled onto the vessel.
• 50 gangions with bait – Status of the hook. How’s the bait looking? Is there a fish on!?!?
• Weights – Pulled onto the vessel.
• 50 gangions with bait – Status of the hook. How’s the bait looking? Is there a fish on!?!?
• Weights – Pulled onto the vessel.
• High-flyer (high visibility, designed and lit), buoy

During the hauls, data is collected on the animals; fin clips taken for genetics, sexed, measured, and weighed. Some animals are tagged.

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Fish Hauled in the early days of this mission

Silky Shark – Carcharhinus falciformis

Sandbar Shark – Carcharhinus plumbeus

Barracuda – Sphyraena barracuda

Speckled hind – Epinephelus drummondhayi

Yellowedge grouper – Hyporthodus flavolimbatus

Red Porgy – Pagrus pagrus

Tiger Shark – Galeocerdo cuvier

Sharpnose – Rhizoprionodon terraenovae

Gulf Smoothhound – Mustelus sinusmexicanus

Snake Fish – Trachinocephalus myops

Click Common Name for for more info

Personal Log 

I would say writing a personal log is probably the hardest. I’ve been so engaged in learning what we are doing, I haven’t really been thinking about anything other than being a student.

But after some reflection, some workout routines in the corner of the bow, listening to some music, and working off all the great food I’ve been eating—I am a dessert-after-every-meal type of person—the Chief Steward has won my heart. It’s hard walking past the galley and not grabbing the cooking of the day on a 12-hour shift, in between set and haul.

In the early days of taking this journey, it reminded me of my first year of teaching. With eight hours of doing it, the learning curve is steep and continues to climb. You kind of have no choice, especially when you aren’t getting off the vessel for 17 days.

All in all, I am so grateful for this experience. It’s made me realize how much I underestimate the appreciation I have for both the people who do the work to study our marine life and for those who fish the marine life as a wild food source. It’s a massive world out here on the Gulf—in some distances it’s 800 miles from Texas to Florida—and on the open ocean. It takes special people both to do the work of studying these animals and to fish them for money.

Instantly, stepping on this ship, it’s place-based learning in stakeholder engagement. It’s a wild world out there. Living and working on a vessel is both a good way and a crash course in stakeholder engagement and cooperation. You kinda have no choice. We could learn a few things on land from the folks that work on the water for research and/or their economic income, specifically when it’s in the realm of fisheries.

Moreover, from the shark wranglers that are my current shipmates.

Animal Sighting:

Brown Noddy ( Anous stolidus)

The brown noddy forages over the water and dipping down to catch small squid, other mollusks, aquatic insects and super small fish, like sardines and snatching insects in air too.

AKA -Tuna Bird – Fishermen see it as a sign that tuna are near.

Did you know? 

Sharks are fish.

They live in water, and use their gills to filter oxygen from the water. They don’t have bones. These are a special type of fish known as chondrichthyans because their body is made out of cartilage instead of bones. The further classification of sharks, rays, and skates are known as “elasmobranchs.”