sproctor2017

August 2, 2017

Sian Proctor: A Fast Farewell!, July 22, 2017

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sian Proctor

Aboard Oscar Dyson

7/2/2017-7/22/2017

Mission: Gulf of Alaska Pollock Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska

Date: July 22, 2017

Life at sea can often be unpredictable. When I started my 4am shift I learned that we were having issues with the main engine on the NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson and had to return to Kodiak. This cut my adventure at sea down to just two weeks instead of three. An unexpected bonus from returning to Kodiak was getting to visit the Kodiak Fisheries Research Center.

Science and Technology Log: Kodiak Fisheries Research Center

The Kodiak Fisheries Research Center was built in 1998 using funds from the Exxon-Valdez Oil Spill (1989). The purpose of the center is to provide educational information about the wildlife, marine life, commercial fishing resources and fisheries research programs on the island. Click this link for more information: KFRC

Interview with Kresimir Williams

Fisheries Biologist

Kresimir in the Acoustics Lab Image from TAS Mary Murrian

Official Title
- Fisheries Biologist
Normal Job Duties
- On this cruise, I am responsible for collecting physical measurements of fish caught in our science trawls, as well as providing support for various acoustic and camera instruments we’re putting in the water.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- Since it’s first science cruise in 2005, but only for a few weeks each year.
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- I got hooked on sea exploration at an early age spending summers on the Croatian coast, snorkeling, fishing, and riding boats. The ocean represents an exploration opportunity that is more “accessible” to us, unlike the deep jungles or space. The edge of our knowledge is never very far in the marine environment. The more time I spend in ocean research, there always seem to many more questions than answers.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- I enjoy the scientific challenges and the things that are new each cruise, whether it is some unique types of fish we encounter, or new ways of exploring the sea, such as new instrumentation. There always seem to be new things to see, even after being on these cruises for 15 years. And there are also new people on board that are interesting to meet, people with new perspectives and ideas.
Why is your work (or research) important?
- There is a basic component to the work of essentially performing a marine “census” that is the backbone of resource management for the important fisheries that take place here. We have to have good information on the state of the fish populations in order to properly manage sustainable fish harvests. But the results of our surveys also provide essential data for many studies of the ocean, such as climate related fish distributions, questions of fish biology, and marine ecosystem functioning – critical research efforts that are carried on by academic and government researchers. On top of all that, we also do a lot of research into our survey methods, to develop new ways of collecting data and to determine the precision and accuracy of the tools we use. This latter part is more interesting to me.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- I was interested in all things oceanic from an early age. I always wanted to work specifically with fish. My toddler doodles were of fish. I’ve followed this path throughout my education and job history, and have no regrets.
What part of your job with NOAA (or contracted to NOAA) did you least expect to be doing?
- On the job I somewhat unexpectedly learned how to write computer programs, and to develop and design camera systems. But this is also a very rewarding activity for me.
What are some of the challenges with your job?
- As we incorporate more and more advanced technology into our work, trying to keep all of the systems operational requires a broad base of knowledge, spanning from computer networks, underwater optics, electronics, and engineering that can be a little beyond my background. So this is a challenge for me to keep myself up to speed on these aspects of the work and keep our instruments and cameras running smoothly. Also, as scientists we are obligated to share our work with others, which means writing papers and making presentations, which can be a challenge.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- I love discovering new ways of collecting data in the environment, and understanding how fish behavior influences our ability to observe them. Finding answers to research questions relating to these areas is a very rewarding experience for me. There are distinct moments, not very often encountered even in entire careers, when you know that you have found something, possibly something completely new, that produces an excitement that is almost difficult to describe.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- A positive memorable moment would be when we first started operating cameras inside the trawl and were able to distinguish how fish behaved within the trawl for the first time. The first few tows with the new camera equipment were very exciting. A negative memorable moment: We did run out of coffee on a cruise in the Bering sea a few years ago. Bad scene.

Interview with Caroline Wilkinson

NOAA Corps Junior Officer

Official Title
- Junior Officer
Normal Job Duties
- Standing bridge watch 8 hours a day, often with a Officer of the Deck in training. As Environmental compliance officer- ensuring the ship meets all required environmental standards for garbage disposal, discharge, etc. As medical officer- ensuring all personnel are physically and mentally fit for sea duty, keeping the hospital clean, tidy, and stocked, responding to medical emergencies at sea. As Imprest officer- maintaining our cash fund and reimbursing crew for missed meals. As Navigation officer- planning our route and ensuring the charts and electronic navigation reflects our intended tracklines.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- Since December 2015
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- I grew up spending summers on Long Island Sound and fell in love with the beach and the smell of the ocean.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- The amazing animals, land masses, and weather phenomenon that we get to experience.
Why is your work (or research) important?
- The work I do facilitates the scientists ability to collect the necessary data to ensure the pollock population remains sustainable.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- As a child, I spent a lot of time out doors looking for bugs and critters; a career in science seemed like a natural next step.
What part of your job with NOAA (or contracted to NOAA) did you least expect to be doing?
- I didn’t expect there to be so much paperwork involved with driving the ship!
What are some of the challenges with your job?
- The long stints away from friends, family, and civilization.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- Meeting a variety of incredibly smart and talented people and exploring parts of Alaska most people don’t get to experience.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- Being in the northern Gulf of Alaska at night and spending hours watching the northern lights dance across the sky.

Personal Log

Here is a quick video tribute to the NOAA Teacher at Sea program, the NOAA scientists and Oscar Dyson officers and crew. Thank you!

Education Tidbit:

I have one more NOAA website to share with you. It is a great resource for students who are doing a paper on a particular fish. I use the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center page and information on pollock as my example.

Did You Know?

That the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program has been around for over 25 years! You can learn more about the program by clicking this link: NOAA Teacher At Sea

July 20, 2017

Sian Proctor: It’s Getting Fishy, July 20, 2017

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sian Proctor

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

July 2 – 22, 2017

Mission: Gulf of Alaska Pollock Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska

Date: July 20, 2017

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 57° 47.02 N
Longitude: 152° 24.56 W
Time: 1700
Sky: Overcast
Visibility: 2 nautical miles
Wind Direction: variable
Wind Speed: Knots
Sea Wave Height: 0 foot swell
Barometric Pressure: 994 millibars
Sea Water Temperature: 11.9° C
Air Temperature: 12.2° C

Science and Technology Log: It’s Getting Fishy!

Alaska pollock are found in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska and are part of the cod family. The dorsal side of the pollock is speckled brown in color with a slight olive green hue and the ventral side is silver. They eat krill, copepods, and small fish – mainly their own offspring. They quickly grow into adults, reaching reproductive age after 3-4 years, and are very fertile, replacing harvested fish in just a few years. Pollock swim in large schools during the day and disperse overnight. They can be found throughout the water column, but young pollock tend to live in the mid-water region while the older fish tend to live near the sea floor.

Alaska_Pollock_-_source_NOAA_fishwatch.gov Science-based monitoring and management play a key role in the sustainability of the Alaska pollock fishery. It is managed by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council based on data provided by the NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The Alaska pollock fishery is the largest, by volume, in the United States and one of the most valuable in the world. Products made from pollock include fish fillet, roe eggs, and imitation crab. The entire industry is valued at over a billion dollars. It is also considered one of the best-managed fisheries in the world. Scientists from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center conduct acoustic trawl surveys to estimate the abundance of Alaska pollock using acoustics and by catching small samples.

While on NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson I had the opportunity to spend time in the fish lab learning how pollock data are collected.. This video is an example of what I experienced.

The main way commercial pollock is caught in the United States is by net. Scientifically trained observers are sent out on U.S. pollock fishing boats and, similar to the NOAA scientists, they collect sample data from each catch and send it back to NOAA. They also observe the fishing practices on the boat and report any regulatory infractions. All the collected data and interactions between the fishing industry and NOAA have been established to make sure the Alaska pollock fishery remains sustainable.

NOAA Opportunities for students: https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/education/students/careers.htm

Interview with Michael Martin

Fisheries Biologist

Official Title
- Deputy Director
Normal Job Duties
- Leadership and administration of the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division within Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC)
What is your current position on Oscar Dyson?
- Fish lab biologist
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- of and on for ~ 10 years
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- I loved exploring sea creatures a the beach as a kid; Jacques Cousteau.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- Getting out of the office; Seeing amazing scientists do their work and getting to participate.
Why is your work (or research) important?
- The information we collect plays a very important role in managing fisheries in Alaska, providing economic and food security for many people. We also do tremendous research that benefits the science community and subsequently people world-wide. We are among the leaders in understanding fish and invertebrate abundance and behavior in the world.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do if I grow up! Probably between 10 and 13 years old I developed an interest in the ocean.
What part of your job with NOAA (or contracted to NOAA) did you least expect to be doing?
- Dealing with bureaucracy.
What are some of the challenges with your job?
- Leading a group of scientists is, in some ways, like herding a group of very intelligent cats. They are very focused on their research and have very strong opinions about things that they feel could detract their ability to do the best job possible. This can be a challenge for me at times, but is a great problem to have!
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- Being able to facilitate scientists and help them accomplish their goals is very rewarding.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- Rescuing a family in a life raft that had been missing for 3+ days.

Interview with Meredith Emery

Fisheries Biologist

Official Title
- Survey Technician
Normal Job Duties
- As Survey Technicians, our primary responsibility is to monitor and maintain fisheries and oceanographic equipment. In addition, we have to run and verify the Scientific Computer System (SCS) is collecting quality data and all the ship’s sensors connected to SCS are working properly. We also are the liaison between scientists and the crew members, and assist the scientists with any part of their research. Survey Technicians have the unique opportunity to participate in all aspects of the fisheries or oceanographic operation start to finish. During the fishing operations: 1. Scientist communicates to the people on the bridge, deck and survey technicians when they are going to fishing. 2. We put the fishing equipment on the net, as the net is casting out. 3. Assist the scientists log net dimension data when the net is in the water. 4. As the net is being recovered, we retrieve all the fishing equipment. 5. We help the deck with emptying the catch on the fish table, when needed. 6. Lastly, which is my favorite part, is when we get to assist the scientists collect biological fish samples in the wet lab. During oceanographic operations we are in charge of deploying and recovering the equipment (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD)). In addition we verify all the sensors on the CTD are presenting quality real time data. From the CTD we can collect water samples that can be used for several studies, like salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, or micro plankton. We are able to see the operations in action, understand the importance of the research through the science perspective and ultimately know the reason the Oscar Dyson is in the middle of the Gulf of Alaska.
What is your current position on Oscar Dyson?
- I am one of two Survey Technicians on the Oscar Dyson.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- I have been working on the Oscar Dyson about 10 months.
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- My fascination for the ocean started when I was young playing with the anemones on the rocky intertidal beach. I’ve always enjoyed being at the beach and seeing the organisms there. I became curious of life at sea and really wanted to see the marine wild life in action, especially when the ice first melts and there is a high abundance of phytoplankton and zooplankton that attracts marine mammals, birds and fish to migrate there. Being on the Oscar Dyson, I was able to observe the fluctuation between high abundance of phytoplankton, zooplankton or fish, depending on the area and time of year.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- I enjoy seeing the scenery. Like the untouched lands, glaciers, marine wild life; the fishes, mammals or birds. Also I like seeing the endless blue of the ocean, especially calm weather. Really puts the vastness of the ocean in perspective.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- The reason I pursued a career in studying the ocean is because I come to realize that people take the ocean for granted and don’t recognize how much we depend on it. I obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology emphasis marine. One of my favorite college courses was oceanography. It was the first time for me to see the connection between geology, physics, chemistry and biology in one scenario like in the ocean processes. Each component relies on the other. First the geological features of the ocean floor and land masses influences the physics of the current flow, wave motion, and up-welling. Then the ocean movement determines the mixing and distribution of the water chemistry. Finally the biodiversity, location, and populations of marine organisms rely on the water chemistry, like nutrients or dissolved oxygen.

Personal Log

I really enjoyed learning about the variety of sea creatures in the Gulf of Alaska. Here is a video showing a few of the sea creatures I encountered. Totally amazing!

Education Tidbit: FishWatch Website

Another cool resources is the Fishwatch website. Here you can learn more information about sustainable fisheries and the science behind the fish we eat. It is worth checking out!

Did You Know?

Did you know that fresh pollock have a very distinctive smell that isn’t like any other fish? It’s not fishy – more like dirty feet!

July 14, 2017

Sian Proctor: Nothing But Net!, July 12, 2017

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sian Proctor

Aboard Oscar Dyson

July 2 – 22, 2017

Mission: Gulf of Alaska Pollock Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska

Date: July 12, 2017

Me next to chafing gear from AWT. Image by Meredith Emery.

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 56° 46.8 N
Longitude: 154° 13.7 W
Time: 0800
Sky:Clear
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Wind Direction: 279
Wind Speed: 9 Knots
Sea Wave Height: 1-2 foot swell
Barometric Pressure: 1019.9 millibars
Sea Water Temperature: 11.1°C
Air Temperature: 12.0°C
Sunrise: 0531
Sunset: 2300

Science and Technology Log: Nothing But Net!

Once the scientists determine where and how deep they want to fish, based on analyzing the echogram, then the boat moves into position and the net is deployed. Safety is the top priority when working on the vessel. The deckhands all have to wear life jackets, hard hats, and good boots when working on deck because the conditions can be sunny one moment and stormy the next. There is some serious hardware at the back of boat. There are cranes, winches, and spools of wire ropes & chains. The Chief Boatswain is responsible for all deck operations and deploying any gear overboard. The following video illustrates the sampling process using an Aleutian Wing Trawl net.

There is a camera (aka camtrawl) attached to the net along with a small pocket net. The pocket net is designed to catch tiny animals that slip through the AWT meshes. The pocket mesh only catches a small amount of escaping animals which can then be used to determine what was in the water column with the bigger pollock. The camtrawl has a pair of cameras that shoot stereo images of what is entering the net. The camtrawl was developed by NOAA scientists and its goal is to estimate the size and identify the species that enter the net using visual recognition software from University of Washington. The ultimate goal of the camtrawl is to be able to identify everything entering the net without ever having to actually catch the fish.

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A limitation of the AWT is that it can’t go closer than a few meters from the sea floor. Pollock are semi-pelagic so they are sometimes down at the sea floor and a different net is used. The Poly Nor’Easter (PNE) is used to trawl along the bottom of the Gulf of Alaska because the bottom can be rocky. The PNE has roller gear along its bottom to keep it from getting stuck. The opening of the PNE is 6 meters tall and 15 meters wide and also funnels to a codend.

There is a third net on Oscar Dyson called the Methot and it is used to catch large plankton such as krill. The Methot is so small that it sits on the deck and is easily lifted and put into the water. The net you use is determined by what you are trying to catch and where they are located in the water column.

Interview with Ryan Harris

Chief Boatswain

Official Title
- Chief Boatswain
Normal Job Duties
- I am in charge of the deck operations on board the ship from deploying gear over the side to up keep of the ship.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- 15 months
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- I get to see things normal people do not.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- 11 years ago I fell in love with the excitement of travel.
What are some of the challenges with your job?
- Trying to keep all the gear working to complete the mission.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- I get to serve my country and leave something behind that me and my family can be proud of.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- Seeing killer Whales 5 feet away.

Interview with Tom Stucki

Lead Fishermen

Official Title
- Lead Fishermen
Normal Job Duties
- I run the winches for trawls, Maintain and fix the nets, help with maintenance of our equipment. Paint and preserve the ship when time and weather allows, clean up inside of ship.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- 2 months this time and a month long trip last year. I am a relief pool employee. I fill in where the fleet needs me.
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- I grew up on the coast in a fishing community.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- The crew and work we do.
Why is your work (or research) important?
- Our work is translated back to the commercial fleets so we don’t end up overfishing.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- Once I got out of the Army and went on my first successful Salmon fishing trip.
What part of your job with NOAA (or contracted to NOAA) did you least expect to be doing?
- Traveling as a relief pool employee.
What are some of the challenges with your job?
- Working 12 hour days for months at a time.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- Knowing that the work I am helping with actually matters and hopefully will have positive implications down the road.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- There are lots but its always nice in the middle of a trawl when you look up the sun is setting the water is flat calm and you think to yourself “yeah, I get paid for doing this.

Interview with Jay Michelsen

Skilled Fisherman

Official Title
- Skilled Fisherman
Normal Job Duties
- Operations of equipment to facilitate the needs of the science party.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- two years
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- I love the challenge of creating something stable from something so uncertain and ever changing as the ocean.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- Seeing some of the creatures that the ocean has living in its depth.
Why is your work (or research) important?
- My work is important more for personal reasons, I am able to support my family and make their lives more comfortable. My work on the ship is nothing special besides understanding the rigging and being able to trouble shoot issues that arise just as quickly as they show up.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- I have wanted to pursue a career on the water for as long as I can remember, however it was my mother five years ago who pushed me to follow that desire.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- I enjoy seeing the creatures that we pull up from the ocean. The pay isn’t bad. If you are able to stay in for a long period of time, you can get a stable retirement.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- There was a time that we brought up a salmon shark in the net and I was able to get it back into the water by cutting a hole in the net and pulling it out with the help of another deckhand. It was exhilarating!

Personal Log

I will admit that my biggest concern with going to sea was the thought of falling overboard. Now that I have been on Oscar Dyson I have learned that safety is a top priority and there are a lot of procedures for keeping everyone productive yet safe. Every week there are safety drills such as fire, abandon ship, and person overboard. The one I like the most is the abandon ship because I get to try on the survival suit. The waters here are so cold that survival overboard is unlikely without the survival suit.

It is comforting to know that the crew of Oscar Dyson work hard to keep themselves and everyone on board safe. I am no longer afraid of falling overboard because I’ve learned to be safe when navigating around the vessel and I have finally developed my sea legs – well sort of! The weather has been amazing with smooth sailing almost everyday. We did have a few days with some rolling seas and I had to put a seasickness patch behind my ear.

Education Tidbit: NOAA Fisheries Website

Another cool NOAA website that lets you explore deeper into fisheries and this video shows you how to find information for educators and students.

Did You Know?

The average size of a Bering Sea commercial fishing net is 60m tall by 120m wide.

July 7, 2017July 8, 2017

Sian Proctor: Sea Sounds Visualized, July 8, 2017

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sian Proctor

Aboard Oscar Dyson

7/2/2017-7/22/2017

Mission: Gulf of Alaska Pollock Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska

Date: July 8, 2017

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 56° 13.6 N
Longitude: 156° 36.0 W
Time: 0600
Sky:Clear
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Wind Direction: 162
Wind Speed: 6 Knots
Sea Wave Height: <1 foot swell
Barometric Pressure: 1015.8 millibars
Sea Water Temperature: 13.2°
Air Temperature: 11.5°
Sunrise: 0524
Sunset: 2307

sproctor_Oscar_Dyson — TAS Sian Proctor admiring the view on board *Oscar Dyson* in Alaska.

Where Are We Going?

We are off and running in our quest to track Alaskan pollock. The first thing I realized was the complexity of fishing operations. There are so many parts to a successful operation and one of my favorite components is all the maps and navigation.

Science and Technology Log: Using Sound to See

Once the ship is navigated to the first transect line then the scientific research begins. A down-looking echo sounder system located in the centerboard of the ship has five transducers (18, 38, 70, 120 and 200 kHz) that emit short pulses of sound. This means that energy, in the form of sound waves, is being sent out from the bottom of the ship. When sound waves encounter a change in sound speed, density, or a combination of both, some of the energy is scattered (reflected) back to the ship. The amount of sound scattered by an object in the water column is a function of its physical characteristics and the frequency of the sound. In animals, important physical characteristics that affect the amount of scattering include the presence of a swim bladder (a bubble!), bone structure, and size. Various animal types with different morphological characteristic will scatter different amounts of sound as a function of frequency, which scientists can use to aid their interpretation of the observations. The NOAA scientists know, through research, that krill scatter much more energy at 120 kHz and 200 kHz than at 18 kHz, but pollock scatter similar amounts of energy at all of the frequencies used in the survey. Ultimately, the five frequencies are used to support decisions about the types of animals that are scattering the sound in the water column, but the scientist use only the 38 kHz transducer data to derive estimates of fish abundance.

NOAA Chief Scientist Taina Honkalehto analyzing echogram. — NOAA Chief Scientist Taina Honkalehto analyzing an echogram. The echogram is color coded to represent the density of biomass within the water column. Red are areas of high concentrations of biomass and blue are areas of low concentrations. The bottom of the ocean floor shows the rainbow of colors. The NOAA scientists note GPS coordinates spot to fish based on the echogram.

All of the scatter produced by the pollock, and other animals in the water column, is processed by the ship’s computers to produce an echogram. Each column in the echogram is a view of the spatial distribution of animals under the ship at that time. By moving around the survey area and “stacking” many observations a spatial view of the biomass distribution is created. NOAA scientists in the acoustics lab analyze the echogram not only to determine what is in the water column, but also where to perform physical samples (trawls). The ship then navigates to that location and the sampling process begins.

Meet the Crew

Before starting my Teacher at Sea adventure I had no idea that there was a career called ocean acoustics engineer. Everyday I have been interacting with NOAA Acoustics Engineer Chris Bassett and University of New Hampshire graduate student Alexandra Padilla to find out why they chose this career. One thing I notice is that they build really cool instruments and they are teaching me a lot about how we study the ocean using sound.

Interview with Christopher Bassett

Ocean Acoustics Engineer

Normal Job Duties
- I study the use of passive and active acoustics in marine environments.
What is your current position on Oscar Dyson?
- A combination of management of ET/IT support for survey operations and special research projects at night.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- This is my third field season. My first cruise was the summer of 2015.
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- A series of fortunate and unfortunate events.
- When I started graduate school I wanted to transition to working as an engineer in renewable energy. The economic conditions in 2008 resulted in the loss of funding for the project I was planning to work on. Instead I agreed to perform a short study on underwater sound in support of a tidal energy project in Puget Sound, WA. I fell in love with the work and have been studying acoustical oceanography ever since.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
- Going to sea in Alaska. It’s beautiful.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- Not until I started doing ocean research. Prior to that the idea had never occurred to me. I didn’t see an ocean for the first time until I was in my teens so the idea of working in ocean science was completely foreign. I did, however, know I was interested in science and engineering from a relatively early age. Nonetheless, pursuing a career in science never occurred to me until I first worked in the field and discovered my passion for the subject.

What are some of the challenges with your job?
- Working with data sets (biological or physical) obtained in the field. Working with data obtained at sea from uncooperative sources is not easy. My job also requires a variety of skills (e.g., engineering, math, coding), a willingness to learn about biology, and requires a lot of travel. Expanding my knowledge across these fields is a constant challenge.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- I learn something interesting every day.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- Sunset at the Islands of Four Mountains while one of the volcanoes was smoking. Little more can be said. It was a beautiful day!

Interview with Alexandra Padilla

Ocean Acoustics Engineer

Official Title
- Ocean Engineering PhD Student – and Sian Proctor’s awesome roommate aboard Oscar Dyson.
Normal Job Duties
- I am a PhD graduate student. I usually spend my time split between courses and research. I am about to start my third year at University of New Hampshire and I will be focused mostly on taking classes, passing my qualifiers, and doing research.
What is your current position on Oscar Dyson?
- I am an invited scientist.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
- This is my first time aboard the Oscar Dyson! Actually, it is the first time I have ever been on a scientific cruise.
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
- Oh Boy… That is a long story actually. Life.

Alex Padilla and Chris Bassett working on an acoustic research project aboard *Oscar Dyson*.

What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?

My favorite thing about going to sea is learning from all of the other people that are on Oscar Dyson – from NOAA Corps officers, crew member and fellow scientist.

Why is your work (or research) important?

My research is focused on observing methane seeps in the water column and quantifying the flux of methane within the water column and at the air-sea interface. This research is important for understanding how methane release in the ocean contributes to climate change.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
- I knew I wanted to be an engineer since elementary school, but I only realized that I wanted to be an ocean engineer during my third year as an undergrad.
What part of your job with NOAA (or contracted to NOAA) did you least expect to be doing?
- Counting krill!
What are some of the challenges with your job?
- Things don’t always work out the way you want them to and sometimes you don’t know how to fix them.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
- Doing unique research. Also, getting that sense of satisfaction when you fix that one problem that you thought you couldn’t do.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
- I have yet to have a specific memorable moment at sea but I do have a memorable feeling every time I look at the horizon when on the ship. It feels like freedom.

Personal Log

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I am enjoying being at sea. I think a big reason why is the smooth ride. The sea has been calm, the weather mild, and the sunshine plentiful. The scenery within the Shelikof Strait, particularly along Katmai National Park, has been stunningly beautiful. A perk of the early morning shift is seeing the sunrise. Take a look at the weather report above for the sunrise and sunset times. You’ll notice that the amount of darkness is minimal this time of year.

Sunrise in Alaska aboard Oscar Dyson. — Sunrise in Alaska aboard *Oscar Dyson*.

The hardest part of the journey so far has been my schedule. We work 12 hour days and my shift is 4 am to 4 pm. Yep, 4 am! I am not a morning person – but I am also not a late night person. So given the choice between getting up or going to bed at 4 am – I choose to wake up with the help of coffee – coffee – coffee.

TAS Sian Proctor and NOAA Chief Scientist Taina Honkalehto.

The NOAA crew are friendly, informative, and have made my adjustment to life at sea easy breezy. Every day I learn something new. The NOAA Chief Scientist is Taina Honkalehto. I was thrilled to learn that she’d be my mentor for the Teacher at Sea program because I am an advocate for women in science. I am also surrounded by other crew members, both men and women, who have taken time to teach, advise, and guide me every day. I will be trying to highlight as many of them as possible in my blog posts.

Education Tidbit

One thing I am learning is that there are so many different careers dealing with ocean science. Here is a great resources If you have students who are interested in a career in ocean or marine sciences.

There are so many things you can learn about sound and the sea. The Discovery of Sound in the Sea website is chuck full of information and educational resources.

Did You Know?

Did you know that there is a layer in the ocean where sound gets trapped and can travel across the entire basin. It is called the SOFAR Channel. Click this link to learn more: NOAA SOFAR Channel

NOAA diagram of how sound travels in the ocean.

July 5, 2017

Sian Proctor: A Ship & Seashells! July 3, 2017

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sian Proctor

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

July 2 – 22, 2017

Mission: Gulf of Alaska Pollock Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska

Date: July 3, 2017

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 57° 47′ 24″ N
Longitude: 152° 24′ 26″ W
Time: 1000
Sky: Broken Clouds
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Wind Direction: 068
Wind Speed: 5 knots
Sea Wave Height: <1 foot swell
Barometric Pressure: 1013.3 millibars
Sea Water Temperature: 9.0° C
Air Temperature: 9.8° C

NOAA Ship *Oscar Dyson* in Kodiak, Alaska

Science and Technology Log

Oscar Dyson is one of NOAA’s fisheries survey vessels. It was commissioned in 2005 and its home port is Kodiak, Alaska. The ship was named after the Alaskan fisherman Oscar Dyson who was an activist for improving the fishing industry. He passed away in 1995. The purpose of Oscar Dyson is to collect data on marine life and ecosystems primarily in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Most of the research has been focused on the management of Alaska pollock, which is the largest fishery by volume in the United States. The ship houses a crew of up to 24, which includes NOAA Corps officers, engineers, deck hands, survey technicians, stewards, and electronic technicians along with up to 15 scientists. They all work together to make daily operations on the Oscar Dyson a success.

The 208 ft. long Oscar Dyson runs on 4 super charged diesel engines. The engines are designed to produce up to 3 megawatts of electricity a day. The alternating current is converted into direct current in order to power the two propulsion motors. Oscar Dyson’s engine room is fully automated and will add or remove diesel generators based on load demand. Oscar Dyson has a cruising speed of 12 knots and a range of 12,000 nautical miles.

I was pleasantly surprised by how spacious my accommodations are on Oscar Dyson. I am in a 4-person room but have only 1 roommate. Her name is Alex Padilla. She is an ocean engineering graduate student from University of New Hampshire interested in studying the acoustics of bubbles. Our room has bunk beds on both sides of the room, a desk, multiple storage lockers, a toilet & shower, and a large wall mounted TV with movies and Direct TV.

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Just down the passageway from my stateroom is a crew lounge where we can gather and watch movies. There is a mess deck (cafeteria) that serves three meals a day and is open 24/7 for soup, salad, and snacks. Oscar Dyson has a variety of labs that I will cover in future blogs. I was fortunate to have 3 days on the ship before our departure and have become somewhat familiar with the layout of the ship.

Click here for more specification on the Oscar Dyson: NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson Specification

Personal Log

I got to go on a field trip to Fossil Beach before leaving Kodiak and here is a short video about my experience.

To dive deeper into the fossils and geologic history of that region you can click this link for Allison and Marincovich Jr’s geologic survey paper: A Late Oligocene or Earliest Miocene Molluscan Fauna From Sitkinak Island, Alaska

Click this link for more information on concretions.

Did You Know?

The Weather Bureau was founded in 1870 and Fish and Fisheries in 1971, making up the first conservation agency for the United States. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration was started in 1970 as an agency within the department of Commerce. Today NOAA has many branches that focus on weather, climate, ocean & coasts, fisheries, satellites, marine & aviation, etc. You can learn more about the history of NOAA and the various branches by clicking this link: NOAA.gov

June 28, 2017June 29, 2017

Sian Proctor: Desert to Sea, June 30, 2017

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sian Proctor

Aboard Oscar Dyson

July 2 – 22, 2017

Mission: Gulf of Alaska Pollock Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska

Date: June 30, 2017

Video Above: My 360 degree introduction video from the Atacama Desert, Chile.

I am very excited and grateful to be a 2017 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Teacher at Sea (TAS). The TAS program has existed since 1990 and their mission is to provide real world research experience for kindergarten through college-level teachers. The application process opens in the fall and teachers are notified in the spring if they are selected. This year there are 29 teachers who have either already sailed or, like me, are about to embark. Check out the TAS FAQ’s page to learn more about the program: NOAA TAS Frequently Asked Questions.

Where is Kodiak, Alaska?

Video Above: Google Earth view of where I will be starting my Teacher at Sea cruise.

Kodiak, Alaska is a small fishing village on Kodiak Island. There are two ways to get to the island – by air or by sea. I will be flying to Kodiak from Anchorage and will board the NOAA vessel Oscar Dyson. This is my 3rd time visiting Alaska but my first time at sea. I got engaged in 2014 on top of the Harding Icefield in Kanai Fjords National Park.

Weather Data

Video Above: NOAA National Weather Service for June 30 2017: Interactive Digital Map

Having just arrived home from one of the driest deserts in the world (Atacama, Chile) I am reminded that the desert is my home. I have lived in Phoenix, Arizona, far away from the sea, for the past 25 years. I love the warm sunny heat of the desert but not when it gets over 110 degrees. So I am looking forward to a change in weather and scenery. Alaska is beautiful in the summer with really long days of sunlight. I am hoping to see a whole new view of this rugged wild state during my three seeks at sea. I just hope I don’t get sea sick!

Science and Technology Log

I have three objectives for my TAS adventure. They are:

To be able to describe how and why we research pollock.
To be able to describe life at sea on a NOAA ship and the careers associated with the NOAA Corps.
To be able to describe navigation techniques and how they have changed over time.

My ultimate goal is be able to bring this information back to the classroom. I have always been fascinated with navigation. Reading maps is an important part of being a geologist and I wonder how similar or different it will be at sea. As a geology student I leaned how to map the contact between two rocks. So I am really curious to learn how you chase fish in the sea. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions or want me to investigate something while at sea.

Personal Log

When you apply to the TAS program they ask you which type of research cruise (hydrographic, oceanographic, or fisheries) you would prefer. I checked both hydrographic or oceanographic because of my geology background. I teach about weather, climate change, and have always been curious about how we map the ocean. So I am a little nervous about being on a fisheries cruise for 3 weeks. But I am also excited about the opportunity to learn and explore something completely outside my norm. My family finds this amusing because as a kid all I did was fish.

Proctor Fishing — Me fishing around 9 years old.

Here is a photo of me fishing at age 9. During the summer time, while living in New Hampshire, I use to fish everyday. But around the age of 12 that changed. I became less interested in the biological world and more into the physical world (geology, physics, chemistry, etc.). I stopped fishing and haven’t picked up a pole in over 35 years. Even when I was into fishing as a kid, I still didn’t like touching them. Now I will be spending 3 weeks studying Alaska pollock (walleye pollock) off the coast of Alaska. As a result of this experience, I wonder if the girl in this photo will rise like a phoenix and fall back in love with fishing. Hmm – at the moment I’m thinking it’s a 50-50 chance! What do you think? Leave me a message in the comments below.

Did You Know?

The word fish (noun) has an old English connection meaning any animal living exclusively in water. (Source: Online Etymology Dictionary)