NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 10, 2006
Seal Rocks are a group of islets. The largest stands at 287 feet and has an arch through it.
Final Log
We’re about three hours from arriving in Seward. I’m looking forward to being on land again. Although I’ve enjoyed my time on the RAINIER, I can say that ship life is not a way of life for me. ☺ As we make our approach to Resurrection Bay, there’s some beautiful scenery and lots of little islets are popping up. It’s as if we’re being greeted by them. It also serves as a sign for me that land is near.
I’ve been quite impressed at how well things run aboard the ship. Everyone is very hard working—the deckhands, the engineers, the electrician, the cooks, the hydrographic technicians, and the officers. People are where they need to be when they need to be there. Many of the people have crazy schedules, even when we’re anchored. There are always people awake and working in some capacity 24/7 on the ship. Engineers need to be on watch in the engine room food preparation for the day and don’t finish until about 7pm! Even when we dock in Seward in a few days, people will still be working to maintain and secure the ship.
Deckhands aboard NOAA ship RAINIER prepare the lines for our arrival in Seward, AK
I’d like to thank NOAA for providing me the opportunity to be a Teacher at Sea. It has been a wonderful experience that I will be taking back to my classroom and my colleagues. I am especially thankful to the officers and crew of the RAINIER for being so open, friendly, welcoming, accommodating, and helpful. They all made the time on board a pleasure. I learned a tremendous amount from them. They were all very giving of their time, even when they were busy and tired.
I’ve met great people these past few weeks. I’ve had many laughs and excellent conversations along the way. Everyone I’ve had the opportunity to talk with and get to know has such interesting stories to tell about themselves, their travels, and life in general. Some of them are very good storytellers and instigators (no names mentioned Dennis Brooks). There is such a variety of walks of life on the ship. I feel lucky to have gotten to be a part of their world for this short time. When we get to Seward, some of the crew will be leaving the RAINIER for new jobs and life endeavors. I wish them the best. To all aboard the RAINIER, I wish safe travels.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 9, 2006
Weather from the Bridge
Skies: Cloudy (CL)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 0-1 foot
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 11.1
Sea Level Pressure: 1010.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.2 (air temperature)
Port-side engine on the NOAA ship RAINIER
Science and Technology Log
Since I’ve been aboard the RAINIER, I’ve wondered how the ship has been able to go for so long on fuel and water given that we are at sea for 19 days. I also wanted to know what happens to all of the sewage we’ve been creating. I spoke with 1st Assistant Engineer Glen Quintino and General Vessel Assistants (GVA) Chris Zacharias and Milton Ellison from the Engineering Department to find out. There are 2 engines on the ship, one on the starboard side and one on the port side. The engines run on diesel fuel. There are 26 diesel fuel tanks on the ship with a total capacity of approximately 114,000 gallons. Since there’s a lot of added weight from the fuel, as it’s used, the fuel needs to be moved around from tank to tank to keep the weight evenly distributed. Although the RAINIER does not use all of the fuel on a leg as long as this one, they do re-fuel when they get into port.
One of the two evaporators on the NOAA ship RAINIER which processes salt water into fresh water
Fresh water is made on board the ship. There are two water tanks, each with a capacity of about 8000 gallons. Salt water is pumped into the ship from below and heated to a very high temperature in the evaporator in order to evaporate the water and leave the solid salt behind. Once the salt is removed and disposed of, the desalinated water is then further purified by the addition of bromine and used as fresh water on the ship for drinking, cooking, and bathing. I’ve been drinking it since I arrived and it’s great! The toilets do not use freshwater; they use salt water to flush everything out. Any of the sewage waste created aboard the ship is also treated. The sewage is literally electrocuted using a Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). Between the salt in the sewage water and the electricity, sodium hypochloride (essentially chlorine) is created. The treated sewage is placed in a holding tank and then pumped into the sea.
The Marine sanitation Device (MSD) which treats the sewage produced aboard the NOAA ship RAINIER
Who’s Who On the RAINIER?
In the Engineering Department, the 1st Assistant Engineer is Glen Quintino. Currently a resident of Seattle, WA, Glen is originally from California. He has been with NOAA for six years, first working on the NOAA Ship McARTHUR before joining the RAINIER. Glen went to a trade school in Denmark to study being a machinist. He then worked for a company that made non-ferrous propellers, oil filters, and ship windows before joining NOAA in 1998. Glen was recently married in February 2006.
Engineering GVA Chris Zacharias and GVA Milton Ellison were both in the Navy in their former lives, each for 10 years. Chris is from Kansas where he still resides with his wife. Milton is originally from Tennessee, however, his residence is currently Michigan where his wife’s family is from. Milton has been with NOAA and on the RAINIER for 4 months. His prior experience was working in Engineering on commercial vessels in the Great Lakes area.
Many of the crewmembers, like Glen, Chris, and Milton, are married or have significant others at home. Almost everyone I’ve spoken to agrees that one of the most challenging parts of their job is to be away from their loved ones for extended periods of time, especially the ones on board who are newlyweds.
RAINIER’s First Assistant Engineer, Glen Quintino
Personal Log
We continue our journey back to Seward, AK traveling at approximately 13 knots. It feels like we’re speeding compared to the speeds we were going for the past few weeks. Although cloudy, the water is still amazingly calm which I am very grateful for. It seems we may have left the blue skies and sunshine back in the Shumagin Islands since the extended forecast for the Seward area calls for rain or showers. We’re currently scheduled to actually arrive early in Seward if the weather and mechanics of the ship cooperate. I’m looking forward to being back on land and checking out Seward before I depart for Anchorage Friday evening and a short excursion up to Denali National Park before flying home next Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed and eyes open for more animals!
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 8, 2006
Kim Wolke raising the American flag on the fantail of NOAA ship RAINIER
Weather from the Bridge
Skies: Cloudy (CL)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 0-1 foot
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 11.1
Sea Level Pressure: 1010.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.2 (air temperature)
Winding Down
I’ve been keeping a running list of the Alaskan wildlife that I’m seeing along this excursion. Some of the animals I’ve mentioned already are the puffins, bald eagles, Orcas, and Dall’s porpoise. Occasionally while out in a kayak or survey boat or on a beach along the coastline I’ve also spotted harbor seals. Their adorable little faces will emerge from the beneath the water and bob around, almost appearing at first to be kelp floating in the water. While kayaking I’ve also seen two hauled out on rocks where they were almost mistaken for pieces of logs washed ashore. They are very quiet and easily disturbed if you get too close.
A harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) on a rock.
Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are marine mammals most often associated with coastal waters. They periodically haul out of the water on sand and gravel beaches, reefs, sand bars, and glacial and sea ice to rest, give birth, and nurse their pups. Unlike many marine mammals, harbor seals do not make long annual migrations, however, they do move around considerably in a more localized area. At birth harbor seals weigh about 24 pounds. They gain weight rapidly during a month long suckling period. Average adults weigh 180 pounds. Until about 5 years of age, there are approximately equal numbers of male and female harbor seals in a population. After that, mortality rates are much higher for the males, therefore female harbor seals becomes much more abundant. Adapted to life in the sea, they can dive up to 600 feet (183 meters) and remain submerged for 20 minutes! Some adaptations that allow for oxygen conservation in harbor seal are reduced peripheral circulation, reduced heart rate, and high levels of myoglobin (an oxygen binder). Harbor seals move under water by using their hind flippers for propulsion and their fore flippers as rudders. In Alaska harbor seals commonly eat walleye, pollock, Pacific cod, capelin, eulachon, Pacific herring, salmon, octopus, and squid.
The NOAA ship RAINIER in the distance in East Bight, Nagai Island, AK
Personal Log
Today after all of the survey boats return we will begin our journey back to Seward, AK. This leg of the RAINIER’S travels, as well as mine, are winding down. All of the surveying is complete until the RAINIER leaves Seward, AK for its next leg early next week. I’ve already taken some meclizine to hopefully ward off any potential seasickness, as we will be underway for about 2 days once we take up the anchor. It appears that with this end of surveying and the turning back of the ship there has also been a rather symbolic turn in the weather. It has gone from incredible weather yesterday to a falling barometer, heavily cloudy skies, and a forecast calling for higher winds and waves. I’m glad I went kayaking the past 2 days!
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 7, 2006
Weather from the Bridge
Skies: Cloudy (CL)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 0-1 foot
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 11.1
Sea Level Pressure: 1010.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.2 (air temperature)
Moonrise in Porpoise Harbor, Nagai Island, after 11pm!
Science & Technology
Today has been the absolute best weather we’ve had since we left Kodiak. The skies were clear, the water was calm, and the temperature was perfect! This is after having a beautiful moonrise last night. At 0700 I joined three other crewmembers for a few hours of shoreline surveying in the Porpoise Harbor area. Shoreline surveys are different from the work we were doing previously. We needed to go out an hour earlier during the low low tide since rocks, ledges, and other shoreline features are more exposed at this time. The purpose of our survey today was to confirm or disprove the existence of certain shoreline features that could not be verified by the LIDAR, such as the existence of rocks or islets. Prior to the RAINIER doing their survey work, planes flew over the area using a technology called LIDAR, which stands for LIght Detection and Ranging. The distance to an object or surface is determined by the time delay between the transmission of a laser pulse and the detection of a reflected signal. This information helps in forming a model of the area. The laser uses shorter wavelengths than radar would, therefore, a higher resolution image is produced.
TAS Kim Wolke operating the echosounder on a hydrographic survey of the Shumagin Islands in Alaska
The survey boat we were using today was equipped with a single-beam sonar system since we were in very shallow water. The deeper water we were surveying on the other boats used a multi-beam system. The boat went to designated areas and slowly moved in a series of figure 8s to get readings from the transducer mounted on the hull (bottom). In addition to the readings being recorded on the computer system, an echosounder created a visual image of the soundings being received, called a “paper trace”. My job was to operate the echosounder when we were logging data. Once we returned back to the ship, the data needed to be processed, similar to the processing of the data taken from the line surveys to eliminate any “noise”.
An immature Bald Eagle taking flight
While we were out on the survey boat, we saw an immature Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a log on the coastline. The distinctive white head and tail of the adult Bald Eagle are not seen for 4-5 years on the immature eagles. Bald Eagles, which are the symbol of our nation, are the second largest raptor (bird of prey) in the state of Alaska, with a wingspan of up to 7 ••• feet (2.3 m) and weights of 8 to 14 pounds (3.6-6.4 kg). The Stellar Sea Eagle is the largest. The Bald Eagle is more abundant in Alaska than anywhere else in the United States. Their largest nesting densities occur along the islands of Southeast Alaska. Bald Eagle nests are usually built close to water. They will often use and rebuild the same next each year. The male and female eagle work together to build their nest in early April and two to three eggs are usually laid by late April. Once the chicks hatch after 35 days of incubation, they stay in the nest for another 75 days to grow and develop. The main diet of Bald Eagles is fish such as herring, flounder, pollock, and salmon as well as waterfowl, small mammals, sea urchins, clams, crabs, and carrion.
Kim Wolke hoisting up the anchor ball as the ship anchors in East Bight of Nagai Island, AK
Personal Log
We moved the ship to the other side of Nagai Island again, this time to East Bight. Each time we anchor, we need to hang out an anchor ball over the bow of the ship as a signal to other ships that we are anchored. I had the opportunity to be the person to hoist up the anchor ball today. Like other things on the ship, there are certain traditions. I had to actually wait for the anchor to begin being dropped before I could hoist up the anchor ball.
What amazing scenery surrounds us! In mid-afternoon I went kayaking again with the acting CO, CDR Julia Neander. We were able to get close to the shoreline and discovered that there were little caves that went under the rocks in front of us. It was tempting to explore further, but my better judgment restrained me from doing so. There are such incredible geological formations in these rocks! As we paddled, many puffins circled around us and floated in the water. Not only did we see the horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata) today but there were also tufted puffins (Fratercula cirrhata). One easily recognizable difference in the two birds is the yellow tuft of feathers on each side of the tufted puffins head. Every time I tried to get a photo they’d all fly away!
CDR Julia Neander, acting Commanding Officer of RAINIER, kayaking in East Bight of Nagai Island
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 6, 2006
Weather from the bridge
Skies: Cloudy (CL)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 0-1 foot
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 11.1
Sea Level Pressure: 1010.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.2 (air temperature)
TAS Kim Wolke kayaking in Porpoise Harbor in the Shumagin Islands in Alaska
Today was an absolutely beautiful day here in the Shumagin Islands. By afternoon the clouds cleared out and the blue skies and sunshine took over. The acting Commanding Officer (CO) Julia Neander invited me to go kayaking with her, which I eagerly said yes to. We paddled along the coastline right into seagull territory. Although the sounds of the ship’s engines were fading, the screeching seagulls filled our ears.
We also encountered many horned puffins (Fratercula corniculata), which are the cutest and silliest looking birds. They appeared to have some nesting areas on the rocky cliffs which they were trying to distract us from locating since they kept circling above us and flying away from the cliffs. Puffins typically stay out on the open sea through the winter but come to the land in late spring to breed. They are better built for swimming than flying which is evident when you see them fly. Under water their wings are used to propel them while their webbed feet are for maneuvering. To get airborne, they must run along the water surface before taking off. From land, they dive off cliffs to gain enough speed for flight, using their feet to help change direction. Puffins feed in flocks, eating mainly fish and zooplankton. They will dive straight into the water and continue their motion as they swim to get their next meal.
Seagulls perched on a rock in Porpoise Harbor
LT Ben Evans, the acting Executive Officer (XO), invited the other TAS, Jackie Hams, and me to dinner in the Wardroom this evening. Traditionally, the Wardroom is where the officers eat. Upholding tradition, the officers on the RAINIER have their meals there. There’s even a seating arrangement, also based on tradition. I felt honored to be asked to eat with the officers since the rest of the crew eats in the Crew Mess, which is where I’ve had all of my meals as well. After dinner this evening, I joined three of the NOAA divers and AB Leslie Abramson, who was snorkeling, as they did a recreational dive close to the ship. Since I am not a NOAA diver I was only able to stay on the skiff as they went under water. The water temperature was relatively warm at 52 degrees Fahrenheit. The divers all wore dry suits while Leslie wore a rather thick wet suit (7mm). Everyone wore a hood, booties, and gloves, all as protection from the cold water temperatures.
SST Erin Campbell and SS Corey Muzzey check each other’s dive equipment before a dive.A horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata) sitting on a cliff on St. Paul Island, AK.
Who’s Who on the NOAA ship RAINIER?
What I’ve recently learned and find very interesting is that there are several NOAA scuba divers onboard. Being a recreational diver, I was curious to learn about the NOAA divers. To become a NOAA diver, you need to complete the NOAA diver-training program through the NOAA Diving Program (NDP). Most of the training takes place at the facility in Seattle, Washington, however, in January there is also a class held in Key West, Florida.
Currently, there are six NOAA divers aboard the ship. They are: LT Ben Evans, ENS Sam Greenaway, Seaman Surveyor (SS) Carl VerPlank, SS Corey Muzzey, Senior Survey Technician (SST) Erin Campbell, and Able Seaman (AB) Jonathan Anderson. Another NOAA diver not on this leg is the 3rd Assistant Engineer Mike Riley. In the fall, ENS Nathan Eldridge, SS Eric Davis, and AB Leslie Abramson are going for their NOAA diver training, which takes place over a three-week period. SST Campbell and ENS Greenaway will also complete their Dive Master training in the fall.
AS Leslie Abramson putting on her hood in preparation for snorkeling.
NOAA divers have various jobs depending upon their locations. Divers can deploy and retrieve scientific instruments, document fish and marine animal behavior, perform emergency and routine ship repair and maintenance, and investigate submerged objects such as shipwrecks for nautical charting. Aboard the RAINIER, one of the common jobs of the divers is to install tide gauges 10-15 feet below water.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 3, 2006
Weather from the Bridge
Skies: Cloudy (CL)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 0-1 foot
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 11.1
Sea Level Pressure: 1010.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.2 (air temperature)
One of the many life rings
Safety
We had a Damage Control (DC) training program this morning, run by Chief Boatswain Jim Kruger. Damage control is another means of keeping the ship and the crew safe. If there was ever a fire, leaking pipe, flooding or any other emergency that puts the integrity of the ship in question, it’s important for the crew to know where the proper equipment is located and how to respond to such emergencies. More detailed training is done on responding to various emergencies and using the equipment at other times.
I’ve mentioned in other logs how important safety is on the ship and how much it’s emphasized. Some of the things I’ve identified since I’ve been onboard as part of the ship’s safety are: the wearing of hardhats and float jackets on the deck when deck work is being done, wearing safety glasses when working with paint and chemicals, wearing long pants and long sleeves on the deck, tying long hair back, fire hoses and fire extinguishers located all over the ship, eyewash stations, damage control lockers on various outside decks with equipment for emergencies, closing all hatch doors after you pass through them, storing all gear and equipment properly, as well as frequent safety drills (fire drills, abandon ship, and man overboard).
A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which supplies air if needed
All of the things done here on the ship are very similar to the types of safety precautions taken at school in the science classroom. Although a different environment, many of the same safety hazards exist. The Boatswain Group Leader Steve Foye was telling me about some of the chemicals used on the ship. Some of them were chemicals used in some of the chemistry labs we do! He said there was no way he’d allow his workers to work without the proper safety attire and these are adults!
Personal Log
Last night while I was standing on the bridge, I was given the opportunity to steer the ship for a little while which made me the helmsperson. Another one of those experiences where it looks a heck of a lot easier than it really is. It takes awhile to get the feel of the ship. I also had a chance to control the engines as we were anchoring. I was better at this task since the ship’s momentum didn’t effect what I was doing.
I’m learning that there’s a special language used aboard a ship. Aside from there being different names for parts of the ship, there’s also a special way to communicate. For example, while I was on the bridge as helmsperson and controlling the engines, I needed to repeat the directions given to me (ex. “all ahead 2, aye”) so the Officer on the Deck (OOD) knew I heard him. Once I completed a command, I needed to repeat the command again. The OOD then lets you know he/she heard you by saying “very well”. Sometimes commands came faster than I was completing them but as long as I was listening and we were communicating all was “very well”.
TAS Kim Wolke at the engine controlsNOAA ship RAINIER’S engine control console on the bridge
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: August 1, 2006
Weather from the bridge
Skies: Cloudy (CL)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 0-1 foot
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 11.1
Sea Level Pressure: 1010.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.2 (air temperature)
A pod of Orcas (Orcinus orca) seen off the ship
Science and Technology
I was out on another survey boat today from 0800 to 1630. It was a long day since we were running rather long lines using the hull-mounted (on the bottom of the boat) Elac multi-beam echo sounder system, which is used to obtain full-bottom coverage in depths ranging from 40-400 meters. The other day when I was out the sonar used was called a Reson, which used to obtain full-bottom coverage in depths ranging from 4-150 meters. The lines took about 40 minutes each to do due to their lengths as well as the fact that we couldn’t go above 8 knots. The coxswain today, Ken Keys, allowed me to drive the boat for a while which I thoroughly enjoyed. Ken did a great job teaching me how to stay on the lines and turn from one line to another. I was very happy when I completed one line and made the turn to another one successfully with no help.
A minimum of 12 Orcas if you count the fins
At about 2200 I was on the bridge chatting when Lieutenant (LT) Ben Evans opened the door and informed me that there were Orcas off the stern of the ship. Once I retrieved my camera, I joined some other crewmembers for about 20 minutes watching the pod (group) of Orcas swim through the cove which we are anchored in. There were at minimum 15 Orcas, maybe more. It appeared that the pod was perhaps hunting salmon or some other fish. Orcas are also known as killer whales, however, they are not really whales. They are in fact the largest members of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). They are called killer whales because they attack and consume whales or other large prey, such as sea lions and seals. They’ve also been known to feed on river otters, squid, and several species of sea birds. The Orcas we were watching displayed characteristic hunting behavior since they stayed in their pod and a smaller group hung back in shallower waters to possibly chase the fish into the deeper waters where the rest of the pod was. They often feed in this cooperative manner.
Personal Log
Every job on the ship has so many details to it. Initially one might think they could do the same job easily. It has been quite an awakening for me to learn just how much goes in to all of the various jobs on the RAINIER. Everyone has been so patient and excellent at demonstrating and explaining things to me. Many of them would be excellent classroom teachers. Ken did a great job today getting me relaxed and comfortable with the task of driving the survey boat on the line. Thank you Ken! •
Seeing the Orcas this evening was one of those moments where I stood back and just lived in the moment. It was truly amazing. Everyone on the ship that was watching was silent as we listened and watched the Orcas swim through the water, blow water out of their blowholes, flap their tails (tail lob), and occasionally jump straight up out of the water (called a spy hop). Spectacular!
Who’s Who on the NOAA ship RAINIER?
Since March 2004, Tonya Watson has been working for NOAA aboard the ship RAINIER. She originally began working in Engineering and in September 2005 she joined the Survey Department. Currently she is a Hydrographic Junior Survey Technician (HJST). Recently she and her husband relocated their home to Phoenix, AZ, however, Tonya has been on the ship working since her move.
In her previous life, Tonya spent 4.5 years in the Navy working with passive sonar. She has an A.A. degree from Shasta College in California and has studied biological oceanography at Chico State in California and Auburn University in Alabama. Her Navy experience definitely helps her with the hydrographic survey work she is now doing with NOAA.
Tonya enjoys her work very much. She really likes to go on the survey launches, seeing wildlife, being out on the ocean, and traveling to new places. In her down time she likes to read, watch movies, listen to music, water ski, and bike ride. Occasionally, Tonya says, the logistics of ship life and following strict schedules can be challenging.
There are some very important skills needed for the type of work Tonya does. In her opinion, reading and writing skills are imperative. Individuals need to be able to communicate effectively and fill out various forms. In addition, keyboarding/computer skills are also needed. Individuals should be able to display self-discipline, be dependable, and have good people skills. On the ship, many people rely on each other to carry out a task successfully.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 30, 2006
Weather from the Bridge
Skies: Partly Cloudy (PC)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: West (W)
Wind Speed: 27 knots
Waves: 1-2 feet
Sea Water Temp.: 9.4 ° C
Sea Level Pressure: 1015.3 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 12.8 (air temperature)
TAS Kim Wolke driving a survey boat with Able-Bodied Seaman Jodie Edmond looking on.
Science and Technology Log
Today I went out on my first survey boat. After finishing up some survey work in the Porpoise Harbor area, we were supposed to join another boat on the other side of the island at a place called East Cape Wedge to run some lines. Before we could get there, the other boat was calling back to the ship regarding the weather conditions. They had winds of about 20-25 knots with swells of 4-5 feet in the water…not very favorable for driving a survey boat in. They decided to err on the side of caution and headed back to the ship before the conditions worsened. It’s amazing how we can be in such close proximity to one another but separated by some land and have different weather conditions. The boat I was on was completing some of the survey lines called holidays. A holiday can occur for many reasons when lines are run. Basically there was a gap in the data that was acquired by another boat, therefore, those sections of lines needed to be revisited to acquire the data in order to get a complete model of the sea floor.
A CTD, which gets lowered into the water prior to beginning surveys to get a reading on the speed of sound through the water.
Before we could begin collecting data today, we needed to do a CTD cast. This was done on the ship earlier in the cruise when we were doing surveying from the ship as well. The cast data supplies the given speed of sound through water in a particular location. This information gets input into the program used to process the sonar data so that it can be adjusted for the speed of sound of the water being surveyed. The multi-beam sonar, which is mounted on the underside of the boat, has what is called a transducer on it. The transducer converts electrical energy into sound and emits the sound waves through the water. These sound waves will eventually hit an object (ie: a rock or the sea floor) and reflect back up to be recovered by the transducer. The transducer will measure the angle at which the sound returned, the time it took for the sound to be received, and the intensity of the return. Each transmission received back appears as a dot on the computer monitor. Where a solid object likely exists the dots are clustered together and can give a visual model of what the sounds waves hit. Like in all science, there are possibilities for biases in the data collected. In this case, there are several reasons for such biases. First, not all of the sound waves are reflected perfectly. Some of the sound waves are absorbed by the surfaces of objects. Second, sound waves may reflect at an angle that the transducer cannot pick up. Third, some sound waves may ricochet off of a few surfaces before making it back to the transducer, therefore, it gives an inaccurate reading how far the wave traveled, its intensity, etc. Another reason for biases is that the boat may be pitching, heaving, or rolling too much to get good data, which is one of the reasons one of the survey boats returned early today.
The POS MV aboard one of the survey boats.
It’s impossible to eliminate all of the biases, however, there are measures incorporated into the data collection to minimize them. One of the ways some of the biases are accounted for is the use of a system called POS MV. There are sensors in the unit which record the movement of the boat and correct for these movements and their effect on the data. The POS MV also measures the vessel’s position with Differential Geographic Positioning System (DGPS) receivers, accurate to approximately 3 meters! NOAA requires accuracy to within +/- 5m. A regular GPS is only accurate to within 10m. When you’re talking about making a chart of the ocean, it’s rather important to be more accurate with your location. Once all of the data is collected other technicians back on the ship process it. Processing the data helps in “cleaning it” to eliminate “noise”, therefore making the image a truer and cleaner representation of the sea floor.
Personal Log
I had a chance to drive the survey boat today. I really enjoyed that. The driver is called the coxswain. There’s a small monitor mounted by the steering wheel, which shows you a chart of the area you’re in with an overlay of the survey lines. It’s the coxswain’s job to navigate the boat as straight as possible along each of the lines at a certain speed. It looks a lot easier than it really is. ENS Olivia Hauser displayed a few lines for me to practice on. I suppose if the water had been calmer and flat and there had been no wind it would’ve been easier. With winds of 15-20 knots and two-foot waves, it made it challenging to get the boat exactly on the line. I did improve the more I practiced.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 29, 2006
Weather from the Bridge Skies: Partly Cloudy (PC)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: Wes/southwest (WSW)
Wind Speed: 20 knots
Waves: 1 foot
Sea Water Temp.: 9.4 ° C
Sea Level Pressure: 1023.9 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 13.3 (air temperature)
A partial line plan for an area surveyed by the ship
Science and Technology
Another survey launch went out again today to do survey lines in Porpoise Harbor, which is where the RAINIER is still anchored. A survey area is divided into sections by parallel lines. Depending on the already known depths of an area (based on existing navigational charts), the distance between each line varies. Shallower areas will have lines closer together, whereas deeper areas will have lines further apart. It’s along these lines that the ship or the launch boat travels to acquire readings of depth as well as images of what lies beneath the water. The transducer, which is mounted on the bottom of the vessel, sends out a beam from the bottom of the vessel that forms a triangular shape. The distance along the sea floor covered by this beam is called a swath. Underwater, these swaths overlap so that the area between all of the lines is actually covered, although the vessel only moves along the planned survey lines. All of the data received is ultimately compiled and creates a visual image of the sea floor (bathymetry). Tomorrow I’ll be joining a survey that will be out from 0800 until 1630. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot more about data acquisition and how it’s processed once I’m actually doing it.
A POD for today
Aboard the ship, a schedule is posted each day called the POD or Plan of the Day. The POD can be found all over the ship so that everyone knows what his or her job will be for the next day. In addition to identifying who will be doing what, the POD also shows the ship’s position, who the Officer on Deck (OOD) is, when sunrise and sunset will be for the following day, what time the high and low tides will be, the forecasted weather for that day, as well as any additional notes. It is absolutely imperative ad expected that everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing AND that they’re on time for it.
The POD for today had me scheduled for Deck Training. I, along with the new people aboard the ship, spent the better part of the day learning how to handle the lines (ropes) that secure things, tying knots, and becoming familiar with the interior of the launch boats and their safety features. The part of the training that I enjoyed the most was learning how to raise and lower the launch boats from the ship. I had to stand on the back (aft) of the launch and make sure that the large metal hook that lifted and lowered the launch was removed and put back on properly. This was not as easy as it originally appeared since there are specific things that need to be said and done at specific times, not to mention that the metal hook was extremely heavy and I was partially responsible for keeping it from swaying when it was dangling above my head. Because of the hazards involved in moving things overhead on the ship, it is absolutely mandatory that everyone wear a hardhat as well as their float jacket. Safety is definitely emphasized.
Like almost everything on the ship, there is tremendous teamwork and communication involved in making sure the launches are moved safely and properly. For moving a survey launch I’d have to estimate that there are at least 9 people involved. Everyone works together like a very well oiled machine. It seems that there are always people like Steve Foye (Boatswain Group Leader) or Jim Kruger (Chief Boatswain) watching to make sure all of the deckhands and others involved are doing their jobs correctly. Since so many jobs aboard the ship do depend on a team of people, it is critical that everyone is on time. People get awfully upset if you’re late or not where you’re supposed to be.
Lowering a survey launch…. teamwork!
Personal Log
The weather has been very favorable the past few days. It was partly cloudy and sunny most of the day. Since Mother Nature has been cooperative, we were able to have a cookout on the fantail of the ship for dinner tonight. The cooks definitely put out a spread for us. It was great sitting outside on the fantail, in the sun, enjoying the good food and company. It’s been challenging going to bed at night since it’s so light out so late, especially the past few days with the clear skies. Last night at 10pm it felt more like late afternoon.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 28, 2006
Weather from the Bridge Skies: Partly cloudy (PC)
Visibility: 10 nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: Southwest
Wind Speed: 18 knots
Waves: 1-2 feet
Sea Water Temp. (°C): 10
Sea Level Pressure: 1024.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 15 (air temperature)
Lowering a survey launch off the ship
Science and Technology Log
We finally anchored later yesterday afternoon in Porpoise Harbor. It’s nice to have the ship in one place after 4 days of being underway. I seem to be adjusting much better to the motion of the ocean. Today began with the first two launches going out at 0800 to begin the small boat surveying of this leg of RAINIER’S journey. As long as the weather is good and there are no major issues with the survey launches, the boats stay out working from 0800 until 1630.
The smaller launches are able to cover areas that are shallower than the water’s the ship was surveying the other day since they have slightly different technology on them and because of their smaller size. Each of the two launches had four people on them, a coxswain who drove the boat, and three other people who assisted with the hydrography surveying. One of the people is the head hydrographer, one works the computers that are collecting the data, and the other assists. Each day that launches go out, the people aboard them will rotate. I’ll have my first chance at going on a survey launch in a few days. I’ll likely have a better understanding of the technical aspect of the hydrography once I’m actually on a launch.
Beautiful blue skies with a great view
I volunteered myself to join a launch boat that was heading to a small fishing village called Sand Point on the western side of Popof Island about 20 nautical miles away. We left the ship at 1100 after getting water out of the launch. Our ride to the village was a bit choppy since the wind was coming towards us and the waves were a bit higher. It was very cloudy until we turned a bend. All of a sudden, the sky was clearing and the water was calming. As we reached the village, it was totally sunny and calm. YAY!! We only had about an hour in the village since our main reason for being there was to pick up a crewmember that had been on loan to another NOAA ship, the OSCAR DYSON. It was great to just walk for a bit and eat some wild ripened salmonberries.
NOAA ship RAINIER anchored in Porpoise Harbor
As we made our way back to the ship still anchored in Porpoise Harbor, the sunny, clear skies followed us. What gorgeous scenery! There were also lots of puffins that flew over the water surface as we startled them going by in the boat. They’re such cute and funny looking birds with their chubby bodies and colorful beaks. Some of them had little tufts of yellow feathers on the tops of their heads. We also had a couple of whale sightings in the distance. One was close enough that I could’ve taken a decent picture if I had had my camera ready. Oh well. We had a special treat when we arrived back on the ship. It was close to dinnertime and we were pleasantly surprised with a feast of the fresh halibut that Lt. Ben Evans (acting Executive Officer–XO) caught yesterday morning. The cooks did a great job preparing the fish. Thanks to the XO and the kitchen!
Assistant Hydrography Survey Technician Marta Krynytzky
Who’s Who on the NOAA ship RAINIER?
Marta Krynytzky, an Assistant Hydrography Survey Technician, is the newest crewmember aboard the NOAA ship RAINIER. This is her first cruise on the RAINIER as well as working for NOAA. Marta finished her Bachelor of Science degree in June 2005 in oceanography, specializing in marine geology and geophysics at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. After finishing college, she worked two cruises for Raytheon Polar Services Company. Her first cruise was to Antarctica as an intern aboard a ship called the Nathaniel B. Palmer. Her second cruise, also to Antarctica, was aboard the Lawrence M. Gould where she worked as a marine technician. Marta says that, despite how physically challenging the work can be aboard a ship, the two previous cruises she’s worked on were half female.
Marta enjoys doing fieldwork, which is one of the reasons she wanted to work for NOAA. She looks forward to seeing different places and trying different positions within NOAA. When she’s not working, Marta enjoys hiking, backpacking, snowboarding, skateboarding, canoeing, and surfing. From her experience, Marta believes there are a few important requirements for the kind of work she does. As far as coursework, she believes a strong math background is important. In addition, computer skills are needed as well as having working knowledge of programs such as Excel for organizing data, preparing spreadsheets, and creating graphs and charts. Another important quality for working on a ship is being able to work as a team with other people. Much of the work involved living and working on the ship is not done independently. Everyone relies on everyone else to keep the ship running smoothly so the objectives of the ship can be met.
I wish Marta the best of luck on her new career with NOAA!!
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 26, 2006
Assistant Survey Technician Nick Gianoutsos showing off his SECOND halibut!
Weather from the Bridge Skies: Cloudy
Visibility: 10+ nautical miles (nm)
Wind Direction: South/southwest
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Waves: 1 foot
Sea Water Temp.: 10.7 ° C
Sea Level Pressure: 1024.0 millibars (mb)
Temp. (°C): 11.7 (air temperature)
Science and Technology Log
Today began with clear, blue skies and calm water. It was a very welcome change for me from the rocking and rolling we’ve been experiencing as well as the clouds and drizzly rain. Since we finished all of the survey lines that were planned for the Semedi Islands area, we are now underway to our next survey spot in the Shumagin Islands which we should reach and anchor at by this evening. We did some “biological sampling” this morning as several crewmembers cast their fishing lines off the fantail (back) of the ship. Since the first spot wasn’t producing as expected, the ship was moved to a second notable location. Within minutes of the fishing lines being out into the water, 4 halibut and 1 Irish lord were on deck. The Irish lord was put back into the water, but the halibut were filleted on the deck. Maybe that’ll be dinner one night!!!
An Irish lord fish…so ugly it’s cute!
Another nice surprise this morning were the sightings of whale in the distance as they blew water and swam around. A pod of Dall’s porpoise also played again on the bow (front) of the ship for a while. I felt like they knew I was watching them so they were showing off.
Who’s Who on the RAINIER?
There are many roles that people have aboard the RAINIER, all of which collectively keep the ship running safely and efficiently. Steve Foye has been a member of the RAINIER crew for approximately 15 years, but has been with NOAA for over 25 years. He has worked on other NOAA ships, including the McARTHUR, the DAVIDSON, and the FAIRWEATHER. Steve’s original ship training came from his “on the job” training he received being in the Navy and from working on freighters. Prior to working with NOAA, Steve worked for Boeing in a guided missile factory.
Boatswain Group Leader Steve Foye aboard NOAA ship RAINIER
Steve’s title on the RAINIER is currently Boatswain* Group Leader. He reports directly to the Chief Boatswain and has a number of deckhands onboard that report to him. The Boatswain is in charge of a ship’s anchors, lines, wires, the deck crew, the ship’s boats, the rigging of the ship, and overseeing the general maintenance of the ship. The specific tasks that Steve oversees on the RAINIER are imperative to the functioning of the ship. All of the ship’s wires need to be slushed, which means they are greased regularly to keep them from rusting. There are quite a lot of wires on the ship to hold things in place as well as to move equipment around using cranes. All of the mechanical equipment on the deck must also be lubricated and kept in working order, including the davit winches, cranes, and anchor windless, which controls the anchor. In addition to maintaining this equipment, the Boatswain and his crew are the ones who also operate the equipment. Steve mentioned that “chasing rust” was another important part of the ship’s upkeep. This is where rusty areas are prepped with a wire brush to clean them. Then they’re-primed and repainted. General maintenance of the ship is something else the Boatswain oversees, making sure that the passageways and general interior of the vessel are clean.
A crane on the bow of NOAA ship RAINIER
On the RAINIER there are 6 survey launch boats. It is Steve’s responsibility to make sure that the boats are launched properly. This involves some safety checks ahead of time as well as the use of davits, which are machines that lower the launches into the water. It is critical for the hydrography work that the RAINIER does to keep these boats and the equipment that maneuvers them on to and off of the ship in working order. When Steve isn’t busy training someone new to the ship or overseeing the use of a crane or davit, he enjoys taking photographs. He told me he has over 2000 pictures so far this year alone! He enjoys being away from home cruising to new places. He has maps that he marks to show the places he’s been to on all of his cruises. From talking with him, it seems that Steve enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with others. He’s also a very funny man.
The anchor windless on NOAA ship RAINIER. Each chain is about 1080 feet long. The anchor itself weighs about 3500 pounds.Davit winch, which helps to move the survey launches.Boatswain Group Leader Steve Foye taking pictures.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 25, 2006
ENS Olivia Hauser retrieves the CTD, which contains data that will provide a baseline reading of the speed of sound through the water. This information will assist in the sonar readings that will be taken of the sea floor.
Science and Technology Log
The purpose of the hydrography work that the RAINIER is doing is to collect data using sonar readings of the ocean floor to provide a picture of the topography of what’s under the water, otherwise known as bathymetry. Are there volcanic pinnacles or other underwater hazards that we are unaware of? Updated NOAA charts need to be made to show more detail and the complexities of the waterways due to a large increase in Pacific Rim ship traffic between Asia and North America.
We began surveying the Semedi Islands area from the ship today. At 0800 a crew went on to the fantail (back deck) of the ship to lower a device called a CTD. This canister-like apparatus takes measurements of Conductivity, water Temperature, and Depth, from which the speed of sound through the water can be calculated. These measurements are taken every 4-6 hours and are used to calibrate the readings taken by the ship’s multi-beam sonar mapping system. For a few days we will continue to do these ship surveys since the water’s depth is greater in this area. The ship’s sonar can cover a wider area at a lower resolution than the smaller launches that we will use to survey the shallower waters in the Shumagin Islands.
The area inside the square being pointed to is where the NOAA ship RAINIER is surveying to take measurements of water depth as well as to locate any underwater features such as rocks and volcanic pinnacles.
ENS Sam Greenaway, who is a Navigational Officer, spent time showing me nautical charts of the areas that we will be working in. There is a lot of very important information found on these charts, which are used by anyone operating a vessel on the water (fisherman, Navy ships, Coast Guard ships, cargo ships, etc.). In addition to showing water depths, these charts show where there are lighthouses, rocks, ledges, buoys, coastlines, and other potential hazards or physical locations. A ship like the RAINIER relies on these charts as a means of planning a route to follow.
ENS Sam Greenaway works on a nautical chart.
Personal Log
I had a good night’s sleep last night. I think the gentle rolling motion had something to do with it as well as the sound of the water lapping up against the ship. I only wish the rolling and swaying motion I feel was so comforting during the day! After getting sick this afternoon, I finally gave in and took some seasickness medicine. I might have to take it everyday if I’m getting sick in rather calm seas. I did find out that once we get to the Shumagin Islands in a few days we will be anchored. I’m definitely looking forward to that. Earlier today there were three Dall’s porpoise riding the bow of the ship. They like to play and swim along the wake of the ship as we move forward. Yesterday there were some sea otters spotted as well as several clusters of puffins. We’ve been told on the RAINIER’s last trip to the area we’re going that there were a lot of humpback whales. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Computer showing data being acquired from the RAINIER ship sonar. The blue color means deeper water. The green color is shallower water.
We had our first fire and abandon ship drills today. Safety has definitely been emphasized by the location of safety gear around the ship, the requirement for wearing hardhats and float jackets when on deck, and the safety drills. We all have these papers called bunk cards that we must hang on our bunk beds in the stateroom. The cards tell each person where they should muster (meet) on the ship for each type of drill as well as what type of extra gear they are responsible for bringing. I needed to photocopy my card to carry around with me since I can’t remember exactly where I’m supposed to be for which drill. The sun broke through this afternoon….very exciting. It’s been very cloudy and drizzly ever since I arrived on Saturday.
Keep shining sunshine!
TAS Kim Wolke showing off her float jacket and hardhat after a fire drill.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 24, 2006
Kim Wolke in her immersion suit during safety training.
Personal Log
Right after breakfast this morning we had a safety demonstration by the Deck Utilityman Kenneth Keys. The five of us who are the “newbies” on the RAINIER for this leg had to be issued a life vest, a float jacket, and an immersion suit, otherwise known as a “gumby suit”. Of course, it’s not enough to just have this safety equipment, we also needed to put it on. The immersion suit was quite an experience to say the least.
By 1600 hours today we were departing Kodiak Island to begin our cruise to the Shumagin Islands. As we were leaving the dock, I stood on the fly bridge to observe the deckhands at work. It’s quite an undertaking to depart port. There’s definitely a lot of teamwork involved. As we were making our way into Chiniak Bay, I stood on the port side of the ship (which is the left side) talking with ENS Sam Greenaway. He pointed out to me the red buoys that we were passing which were on the port side of the ship. The buoys basically serve as a guide for the ship in areas where they may be shallow waters such as he channel we were passing through. In the United States, as a ship is leaving, the red buoys should stay on the port side. If we were returning, the red buoys would be on the starboard (right) side of the ship.
Deckhands at work as the ship departs Kodiak.
As we started getting into a bit rougher water, I really started feeling the pitching and rolling of the ship. The pitch is the forward to backward movement and the rolling is the side-toside movement. Many of the crewmembers had taken some medication earlier to avoid seasickness. I was not one of them. Gradually I became dizzier and dizzier and started to feel nauseous. I stood on the bridge for a bit and watched the horizon before I finally found an empty couch and just laid down. The bridge is the part of the ship where the ship’s navigational controls and other essential equipment related to ship operations are located and operated. Hopefully I develop my “sea legs” and I can avoid taking any of the seasickness medication.
Tomorrow we’re supposed to begin doing some ship hydrography which means that all of the work that will be done will be from the ship itself and not from the smaller launch boats that are also used. I’m excited to see how all of the cool technology works.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kim Wolke
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 23 – August 11, 2006
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Shumagin Islands Geographical Area: Alaska Date: July 23, 2006
NOAA ship RAINIER docked at the US Coast Guard base in Kodiak, AK
Personal Log
Hello! I finally arrived on Kodiak Island yesterday after 3 different planes and a 4hour time change. I was met with a smile by Ensign (ENS) Jamie Wasser who brought me to the RAINIER, which is currently docked at the Coast Guard base here on Kodiak Island until our scheduled departure on Monday, July 24. As we approached the ship, ENS and morale coordinator Olivia Hauser greeted us and invited me to join a group to go out for sushi. I started jumping up and down–SUSHI!!! I can only wonder what thoughts were running through her head, as this was our very first meeting.
After quickly being shown my “home” for the next 3 weeks and meeting Jackie Hams, the other Teacher at Sea who is on the cruise, we all piled into the shuttle van to go for our sushi dinner. I immediately felt comfortable as we talked and laughed. I was also growing more and more tired as I had been up for almost 24 hours at this point.
After returning to the ship, I met my roommate Dorothea “Doe” Mackey, one of the stewards who works in the kitchen. I unpacked and had a tour of the vessel. Initially I was a little overwhelmed by all the twists and turns and stairs, but after exploring for a bit, I’m getting more comfortable with the maze. Since we’re not scheduled to leave here for another day, I’ve had some time to get acclimated and talk with many of the crew. So far the crewmembers I’ve met have been very friendly, informative, and helpful. There are some very interesting personalities on board. •
Being a rather tall individual, the close quarters will take a little getting used to. I have the top bunk in my stateroom. I usually like the top bunk, however, this one will take some getting used to. The ceiling is about 2 feet above the bed, which makes for quite a claustrophobic experience. It took me about 10 minutes to get down from the bunk this morning since I couldn’t sit up and I kept hitting my head on the ceiling. My apologies to Doe if I woke her with all of the ruckus.
