Category: JoAnne Kronberg

Posted on

JoAnne Kronberg, July 21, 2005

NOAA Teacher at Sea
JoAnne Kronberg
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 12 – 22, 2005

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific
Date: July 21, 2005

Weather Data
Winds:  SW 15 knots
Waves: 5 feet

Science and Technology Log

We left Cushing Bay on Wednesday, July 20, and travelled between Semidi and Chinikof Islands. We arrived in Chiniak Bay on Thursday morning and anchored.  We sent a launch to pick up a team of Fleet Inspectors.

The entire day was spent with the Fleet Inspectors examining everything on the ship.  We had three drills– a Fire Emergency, an Abandon Ship and a Man Overboard exercise.  The inspectors observed all of these very carefully, because safety is so extremely important on a ship.  Everyone needs to know where to go and what their responsibilities are. I think that out ship performed very well.  All of us have been told repeatedly where we should go for each of these drills and what we should bring with us.  It is even posted on every berth on the ship. That way there are not questions and problems if a real emergency should occur.

After the inspection, we continued to travel toward Kodiak Island.  We arrived at the U.S.Coast Guard Fuel Pier, Berth 7 at about 5:00 PM.

Tomorrow, Friday, the ship will refuel and stay in port until Monday, July 25.

This is JoAnne Kronberg, Teacher-at-Sea, signing off. God bless to all of you.

Posted on

JoAnne Kronberg, July 19, 2005

NOAA Teacher at Sea
JoAnne Kronberg
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 12 – 22, 2005

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific
Date: July 19, 2005

Weather Data
Waves: 8ft during the day diminishing to 6 ft in the evening
Winds:  NW 25-39 knots

Science and Technology Log

We arrived at Mitrofania Island at about 5:00 am and anchored in Cushing Bay.  Our mission today was to do a Tide Station Installment.  The National Water Level Observation Network operates 175 continuous observatory stations in the U.S. coastal zone and the Great Lakes. All are equipped with satellite radios.  Of course, a Tide Station would only be placed in the coastal areas that are affected by tides.  Water Level Stations operate in the Great Lakes.

We had to replace the Tide Station in Cushing Bay.  The sensor that is installed is called a Bubbler Orifice. It is anchoring to the bottom of the bay and is powered by a long tube that is filled with Nitrogen gas.  Two divers went down to anchor the Bubbler and attach the tube. Meanwhile, other people in another launch were setting up a Tide Staff.  A Tide Staff is just a long stick that is marked with levels like a yardstick.  The Tide Staff has to be set up to correspond with the Bench Marks that have been already determined.  The Bench Marks may be located at different sea levels.  Both the Bubbler Orifice and the Tide Staff have to be at the same sea level to be accurate.

After the Bubbler Orifice is established and the Tide Staff is set up, we started taking the readings from these two sources. Readings were taken every 6 minutes for a period of one hour. If the readings after an hour are not the same, then the Bubbler Orifice has to be adjusted.

The data collected by the Bubbler Orifice is transmitted to the Data Collection Platform.  In turn, this information is transmitted to no less than four satellites and to the National Geodetic Survey.

The work today has taken most of the day.  We will stay anchored in Cushing Bay tonight. Early tomorrow morning, Wednesday, we will start cruising toward Chiniak Bay.

It was a very educational day and the weather was fantastic.  Thank you for this opportunity.

JoAnne Kronberg Teacher-at-Sea

Posted on

JoAnne Kronberg, July 16, 2005

NOAA Teacher at Sea
JoAnne Kronberg
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 12 – 22, 2005

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific, Gulf of Alaska
Date: July 16, 2005

Weather Data
Winds:  Southwest at 20 knots
Waves: 7 feet
By tonight, the winds should become totally west at 20 knots the wave height should drop to 6 feet.

Science and Technology Log

We have finally gotten across the Gulf of Alaska and tomorrow will begin some real work again. We entered the Shelikoff Strait and will proceed toward the vicinity of the Semidi Islands.  Our goal is to reach Mitrofania Island by Tuesday morning.

The Plotting Room on the NOAA ship RAINIER

Today I spent my day in the Plotting Room with one of the navigators named Brent.  He showed me how they use the information we accumulated on July 13 while on Launch #5 in Barrows Bay. On that day we were surveying two different sections by the multi-line sensors. As the beams were sent out, they recorded whatever was in the water and on the bottom to the computer on the launch.  This information was also transmitted to the proper program on a computer on the RAINIER.  Now the technologists, interns, scientists and engineers analyze the information as it appears on the computer screens.  Daily, already programmed into the computer, are the variations that will change such as the tides, currents and temperatures. In this way, the information is as accurate as possible. By observing the screens, the scientists, plotters and hydrographers can chart the depths, obstacles,(such as crab pots or rocks), temperatures and currents.  All of this information is plotted on paper charts for all navigators and ship captains, whether their ships are owned by the United States, commercial enterprises or private sailors.

The men and women who do this work have varied backgrounds and education.  Some are mechanical engineers, geography scientists, geologist, interns and college students who are learning hydrography.

That’s it from the RAINIER JoAnne Kronberg Teacher-at-Sea

Posted on

JoAnne Kronberg, July 15, 2005

NOAA Teacher at Sea
JoAnne Kronberg
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 12 – 22, 2005

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific
Date: July 15, 2005

Weather Data
Latitude:  55N
Longitude: 144W
Winds:  55 knots
Sea Wave Height: 7-8 feet
Wave Swells are from the Southwest
Cloud cover: Totally overcast with occasional showers (no storms)

Science and Technology Log

The Officers, Intern officers, Survey crew and Engineering Staff are working all day producing the charts from the technological information we compiled from the work we did on the launches on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is very careful and detail-oriented type of work. They often work together to “bounce” ideas off of each other.

Today, I took the NOAA Security Awareness Course.  It was very long. It took me over an hour to complete it, but I learned a great deal.  At the end of the course, I took the test and got all of the answers correct.  I must have been paying attention!  Now I know how to make my own computer at home more secure and what to look for.

That’s it for today.

JoAnne Kronberg Teacher-at-Sea

Posted on

JoAnne Kronberg, July 14, 2005

NOAA Teacher at Sea
JoAnne Kronberg
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier
July 12 – 22, 2005

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific
Date: July 14, 2005

Personal Log

Thursday and Friday are traveling days for the NOAA ship RAINIER.  At 6:00 a.m. we left the Puget Sound and transit Seymour Narrows.  By evening we will transit Queen Charlotte Sound.  We expect to reach and transit Lama Passage (also known as Bella Bella) by 2030 (8:30 p.m.).

On board, the officers, junior officers, Safety Director and Engineers have been having meetings.

As a new person on board, I viewed the three videotapes that are required by OSHA for all persons on the ship.  The videotapes were entitled Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Waste Management, Are You at Risk–Asbestos Awareness, and Emergency Escape Breathing Device.  They were interesting and make the viewer more aware of the importance of knowing this information.  We must all take responsibility for our own health and safety and those among us.

That’s it for Thursday.  I hope that I have something more exciting to tell you tomorrow.

JoAnne Kronberg Teacher-at-Sea