NOAA Teacher at Sea: Tammy Orilio
NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson
Mission: Pollock Survey
Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska
Date: 18 June 2011
Bunk beds
Since we haven’t yet arrived at our first fishing spot yet, I’m going to let you all know what life has been like onboard the NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson. I am on the 4 a.m. – 4 p.m. work shift, but since we haven’t been doing much in terms of trawling/collecting fish, I haven’t had to get up at 4 in the morning yet! Another day or so (definitely not tomorrow, I’m told) and I will have to re-adjust my sleep schedule so I can wake up at 3:45 for my shift! But for the time being, I’ve been waking up around 9:00. Breakfast is served in the mess hall from 7-8, but I’m a cereal junkie, so missing the hot breakfast is no big deal for me. Speaking of cereal, I just had Life for the first time and love it 🙂
The teeny tiny head. Smaller than any dorm bathroom I’ve been in!My whole stateroom. Not much room!
Back to my day. When I wake up, I have to be very quiet moving around my stateroom because my bunkmate works the 4 p.m. – 4 a.m. shift and is still sleeping. I first head down to the acoustics lab one deck below my sleeping quarters to find out what’s on the agenda for the day. So far, it’s been a lot of trials/test runs to see if all the equipment is working properly. I’ve also spent some time with the other scientists that are on the day shift with me, and they’ve been great at explaining how they use sound to help them locate fish. When I’m not with the science team, (which so far, has been fairly often!) I’m usually in the lounge and/or conference room watching movies or reading. There are over 1000 movies on board! I try to stay out of my stateroom because my bunkmate is asleep, so I try to take everything I might want for the day with me- Kindle, camera, computer, iPod.
After my shift ends at 4 p.m., I either read some more or go to the “gym.” There are actually two gyms on board, each with a treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, etc etc. I definitely need to go after all the great food I’ve been eating on this trip! Adam and Joe, our stewards, always make sure to have a variety of delicious foods out at every meal. Here’s what was on the dinner menu tonight: bacon wrapped tenderloin steak, shrimp & crab St. Jacques, twice baked potato, green beans, and focaccia bread. In addition, there’s always salad fixings to choose from. I’m eating better here than I do at home, so stopping at the gym is necessary.
After dinner, I head back to my stateroom to shower and update my blog 🙂 Showering on a moving vessel is quite an experience, and tonight was actually the first time I had to hang on to the handle in the shower- makes it very difficult to wash your hair with one hand! Then I read or watch a movie, and head to bed. I’m on the bottom bunk (because I got to the ship 2 days before my bunkmate!), which is better in terms of the motion of the boat. Less of a chance to fly into the air and fall out of bed 🙂 Our bunks have a little curtain that wraps around them, so we can block out as much light as possible- remember, way up here in Alaska it doesn’t get dark until well after midnight, so I need that curtain!
That’s about it for my shipboard life so far. I know I keep saying that we’ll get to work in another day or so, but I promise, we’re starting tomorrow! Be on the lookout for more science-y logs from me. We are back in some rough seas again, so I’m taking some Dramamine and hitting the sack!! Let me know if you have any questions about ANYTHING!
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kathleen Brown
Aboard R/V Hugh R. Sharp June 7 – 18, 2011
Mission: Sea Scallop Survey Geographical area of cruise: North Atlantic Dates:June 16-17, 2011
June 17, 2011
Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 9:27 AM
Winds 7.2 KTs
Air Temperature: 14.89 degrees C
Latitude 41 47.28 N
Longitude 069 49.13 W
Personal Log
We are headed back into Woods Hole sometime tomorrow.
In one of my conversations with Captain Jimmy, he told me that he likes scientists to “enter the ship as customers and leave as family.” Without a doubt, I feel like the whole R/V Hugh R. Sharp team has made that happen. From the excellent meals cooked three times daily, to the willingness of the crew to answer any of my questions, I have felt included and welcome.
Sunset from the deck
My fellow scientists have made travel on this journey fun and worthwhile. I can’t count the number of times someone yelled over to me, “Hey Kathleen, get a picture of this. Your students will love it!” It has been a pleasure to be around others who are curious and passionate about the sea.
In my classroom, I try to convey to my students that science is about collaboration. I will have many real life examples to share with them when I return.
My thanks to the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program, my colleagues and students at Freeport Middle School, and my family, for supporting me on this adventure of a lifetime!
June 16, 2011
Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 1:28 PM
Winds 9.3 KTs
Air Temperature: 14.67 degrees C
Latitude 41 08.86 N
Longitude 069 20.97 W
Science and Technology Log
It has been amazing to me to see the variations in the catches from the many tows. When the tension on the wire used to haul the net is high, it might be because we have a huge haul of sea scallops. Sometimes the table will be filled with so many sand dollars it is difficult to see anything else. We had a number of tows that contained large amounts of brittle stars. The arms of the brittle stars move like little worms. (It is eerie to see thousands of them wiggling.) The last tow, in the open area, had only forty-six scallops. The pile was filled with quahogs, urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, and rocks. Sometimes the animals we collect are covered in mud and sometimes the sediment is very sandy. We are now traveling in the shipping channel and the sea floor is rocky. Before we began to tow in this area, the scientists put the rock chains on the dredge. There is also a metal chute attached to the table so that the larger rocks can more easily be rolled back into the ocean.
Brittle Stars
We have now completed the inventories in the closed areas of Georges Bank. I learn that large areas in the Gulf of Maine had originally been closed as a measure to restore groundfish stocks. What scientists discovered is that, over time, the sea scallops flourished in the closed areas. It was an unintended result of the fisheries management policies.
There is always something interesting to learn about the species that we collect. Sea scallops have the ability to move through the water column by clapping their shells together. Sometimes, moving up five or six inches can mean escape from a predator like a starfish. (Of note, during this study we also count and measure empty sea scallop shells, provided that they are still hinged together. These empty shells are called clappers.) Speaking of starfish, on this trip we have seen five species of starfish, in colors ranging from purple to yellow to orange. The common name for my favorite starfish is sunburst, an animal that looks just like it sounds. Monkfish, sometimes referred to as goosefish, are called an angler fish. There is a modified spine at the top of its mouth that appears as though the fish is dangling bait. With this structure, the monkfish can lure a prey near its enormous mouth (and sharp teeth) and capture it. The longhorn sculpin feel like they hiss or grunt when they are picked up. I have learned that it is likely the sound is the vibration of a muscle in their chest.
Scientist of the day watch
The technology used to support the science on this survey is remarkable. In the dry lab, there are fifteen computer screens being used to track all of the data collected. These are in addition to the many that are being used to manage the ship. Everything is computerized: the CTD collection, the route mapping, and the information about the species we are catching. After each tow, the Chief Scientist or Crew Chief can immediately plot the data from the catch. Several screens show images from the cameras that are placed at various locations on board the deck. From the dry lab, the scientists can watch the dredge go in and out and view the tension on each cable. When the technology fails, as it did for four hours one day this week, it is up to the crew and scientists to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it.
When the ship is off shore for hundreds of miles, the skills and talents of each individual on board must be accessed for anything that happens out of the ordinary. The Captain is the chief medical officer. The crew acts as firefighters. The scientists and crew work together on mechanical issues – like yesterday when the hydraulics on the CTD stopped working. Working aboard a scientific research vessel is perfect for those who are flexible and innovative.
Personal Log
It is difficult to explain how beautiful the scene from the back deck of the ship looks. All I can see to the horizon lines is dark blue water. Flocks of seagulls follow the ship to scavenge the buckets of fish we throw overboard. Last evening the full moon was bright and round. When I breathe in the salt air, I think about how grateful I am that I am here.
Question of the Day
Why are the rubber rain pants worn by marine workers called “oilers”?
NOAA TEACHER AT SEA JASON MOELLER ONBOARD NOAA SHIP OSCAR DYSON JUNE 11 – JUNE 30, 2011
NOAA Teacher at Sea: Jason Moeller Ship: Oscar Dyson Mission: Walleye Pollock Survey Geographic Location: Gulf of Alaska Dates: June 14-16, 2011
Personal Log
Welcome back, explorers!
June 14
I think I posted my last log too soon, because as soon as I hit the send button interesting things began to happen. First, I was called up to see some Mountain Goats feeding in the wild! I was able to take a picture of them as well! (Well, kind of…)
The mountain goats were so far away I had to use binoculars just to spot them. If you can spot the two tiny white dots to the right of the snow, that is them! There is also one that is on the left hand side in the middle of the photograph. You will have to take my word for it.
While this was going on, the professional members of the science team were still calibrating the sonar that we are going to use to catch the fish! I have explained the process in the captions of the following photographs.
Calibrating starts with these little balls. The one used to calibrate our sonar was made of Tungsten (like the black ball at the top)The ball was suspended underneath the water on three poles, placed in a triangular shape, around the ship. This is a photo of one of the poles.Once the ball was placed underneath the boat, the scientist swept sound waves off of the ball and used the above screen to see where the sound waves were striking the ball and reflecting. This allowed them to adjust the sound waves to hit the ball (or out in the ocean, the fish) exactly where they wanted it. This optimizes the amount of sound coming back to the boat and paints a better picture of what is under the water.
The process took several hours, but once we finished, we headed back out to sea to start the two-day journey towards our first fishing spot!
June 15-16
The most common sight off of the boat for the past two days has been this one.
Water, water, everywhere
We are currently in Unimak Pass, which will lead us to the Bering Sea! Unimak Pass is the fastest sea route from the United States into Asia, and as a result is a common merchant route between Seattle and Japan. It is also the best way to avoid rough seas and bad weather when travelling between the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, as it receives some cover from the landmass.
The Bering Sea likely needs no introduction, as it is arguably the best crab fishing waters on the planet and is well-known from the television show The Deadliest Catch. Aside from crab, the Bering Sea is teeming with life such as pollock, flounder, salmon, and halibut. As a result of this diverse and tasty biomass, the Bering Sea is an incredibly important area to the world’s fisheries.
Steaming towards our destination has kept us away from any land, but there are still things to do and to see! We did a second dry cast of the net, but this time two different pieces of equipment were tested.
The first piece of equipment was a special net for taking samples. The net has three sections, called codends, which can be opened and closed individually. You can see two of the codends in this photo. On top of the green net, you should see black netting that is lined with white rope. These are the codends.This is a better view of the codends. The codends are opened and closed using a series of six bars. When the first bar is dropped, the first codend is able to take in fish. When the second bar is dropped, the codend is unable to take in fish. The bar system has not worked incredibly well, and there is talk of removing one of the codends to make the net easier to use.The second piece of equipment was this camera, which was attached to the net. It allowed us to see what was coming in the net. Even though this was a dry run and we were not catching anything, I still saw a few Pollock in the camera!
Even though this was a test run and we did not catch any fish, the birds saw the net moving and came to investigate. The remaining photographs for the personal log are of the several species of birds that flew by the boat.
A Northern Fulmar flies alongside the Oscar DysonAn albatross (by the thin wire just below the spot the water meets the horizon) flies away from the Oscar DysonFulmar's and Gulls wheel about the Oscar Dyson, looking for fish.
Science and Technology Log
This section of the blog will be written after we start fishing for Pollock in the next day or so!
New Species
Mountain Goats
Northern Fulmar
Albatross
Gulls
Reader Question(s) of the Day!
First, I owe a belated shout out to Dr. John, Knoxville Zoo’s IT technician. He lent me the computer that I am currently using to post these logs, and I forgot to mention him in the last post. Thanks Dr. John!
The two questions of the day also come from Kaci, a future Teacher at Sea with NOAA.
1. What is it like sleeping on the boat?
A. Honestly, I am being jostled around quite a bit. Part of this is due to the way the beds are set up. The beds go from port to starboard (or right to left for the landlubbers out there) instead of fore to aft (front to back). This means that when the boat rolls, my feet will often be higher than my head, which causes all of blood to rush to my head. I still haven’t gotten used to the feeling yet.
Part of the jostling, though, is my fault. I had heard that most individuals took the bottom bunks given the option, and since I was one of the first individuals on board, I decided to be polite and give my roommate, who outranked me by some 10-15 years at sea, the bottom bunk. It turns out that the reason people pick the bottom bunk is that the top bunk moves around more since it is higher off the floor. I’ve heard stories about people being thrown from the top bunk in heavy seas as well.
The most comfortable place to sleep has turned out to be the beanbag chair in the common room. It is considered rude to go into your room if your shift ends early, as your roommate may still be sleeping. My shift ended two hours early the other night, so I sat down on the beanbag chair to catch some zs. The ship’s rocking was greatly reduced by the bean bag chair, and I slept very well for the next couple of hours.
2. Is it stressful so far?
A. The only stressful part of the trip so far has been the seasickness, which I have not yet been able to shake. The rest of it has been a lot of fun!
NOAA Teacher at Sea: Sue Zupko NOAA Ship: Pisces Mission: Extreme Corals 2011; Study deep water coral and its habitat off the east coast of FL Geographical Area of Cruise: SE United States from off Mayport, FL to Biscayne Bay, FL Date: June 11, 2011 Time: 1400 EDT
Weather Data from the Bridge Position: 25.5°N 080,0°W Present weather: 5/8 SC AC Visibility: 10 n.m. Wind Direction: 034°true Wind Speed: 12 kts Surface Wave Height: 1-2 ft Swell Wave Direction: – Swell Wave Height: 2-3 ft Surface Water Temperature: 28.3°C Barometric Pressure: 1011.1 mb Water Depth: 49 m Salinity: 36.5 PSU Dry/Wet Bulb: 30.0°/26.5°
This blog runs in chronological order. If you haven’t been following, scroll down to “1 Introduction to my Voyage on the Pisces” and work your way back.
Take the quiz before reading this post.
One of the first questions I asked when informed that I had been selected as a Teacher at Sea was, “Can I use Skype with my students?” Well, no. There isn’t enough bandwidth. I really had no idea what that term meant. After discussing this with my chief scientist, he asked the “Powers-that-be” (I really don’t know whom he asked) if we might be able to Skype. We received permission to communicate with some classes. Oh, was I excited. Now, we needed to find the classes. My school would be out for the summer by the time I came onto the Pisces. However, my Robotics Club mentors are very flexible and generous. Mr. Chua, who also helps teach me about computers in my class, offered up his dining room for the Robotics Club to use to Skype. This was very appealing to me since the kids would see a real robot in use. Of course, the mentors enjoyed it immensely and asked lots of questions themselves. We also had a high school class from Cary, NC signed up. My niece, Debra Zupko, read the email telling the family to read my blog. She asked if her 4th grade class could Skype with and and jumped on the opportunity when I said yes. Her class communicates with the Jason Project and is interested in oceanography. Before departure, I practiced a Skype conference call between me, the ROV crew, and two scientists. The results were mixed. We weren’t sure with our limited bandwidth (there came that term again) if we’d be able to do this conference call from the ship. So, we decided to contact each class individually and do a one on one call like you normally do with Skype.
Bob works with wires
I brought my webcam and computer. Good thing. The scientist who was going to bring this equipment did not come at the last minute and I didn’t know until I was on board. I’m so grateful I took my equipment as a backup. The Electronic Technician (ET), Bob, informed me when I checked in that we could practice with Skype before our scheduled meeting times. All electronic gear has to be scanned and approved before anyone can use it with the ship’s equipment. How horrible it would be to infect the computers on the ship with something.
I emailed the teachers we would be Skyping with and set up practice times. The first group I spoke with was Mrs. Zupko’s 4th grade class in New York. She has to check out the equipment from the library so it wasn’t a simple process as it is in my classroom where all the gear is ready to go. I practiced from my stateroom. They got to see what our room is like and looked out the window at the ocean. The oohs and aahs from the classroom helped me know this was a cool way to practice.
Mike communicates with the bridge
So, what is bandwidth? A good analogy was used by the Survey Technician, Mike, that bandwidth is like a highway. Highways have two directions. I am talking about the internet highway here. All emails, blogs, watching the news, playing online, facebook, twitter, streaming movies, ship’s data, communication, etc. goes on this highway. When it gets too crowded, it’s like a traffic jam and some things won’t move. This is when you have to be mindful of others and be polite. On ship you aren’t allowed to Skype normally (remember, we had special permission and I’ll explain that later), watch movies online such as with Netflix, work on Facebook for hours, play online games, or other things which take up a lot of bandwidth. Email doesn’t use much so it’s a good way to communicate. One thing the crew is allowed to use, during non-business hours, which sucks up bandwidth is the phoneline called Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). This is how people keep in contact with family. Folks up north, such as in Alaska, don’t have access to these things very often because of where the satellite is and the ship can’t easily communicate. So, email, but don’t plan to have immediate access. You might have to wait until the satellite comes in sight and the server can send out the messages.
Back to the bandwidth highway. All the NOAA ships have to share the highway to and from the satellite. They are usually allocated 128 KB of bandwidth. We might have purchased some extra bandwidth from the satellite company or used bandwidth allocated to a ship which is in getting repaired or something. However they did this, we were allocated enough to Skype with the students and for this I am grateful. Opening that up was like letting us use the carpool lane. There is less traffic there and it is less susceptible to traffic jams.
When the high school class was speaking with us, we were actually launching the ROV. I had the computer set up by the window and held my webcam out the window so they could see that was happening in real time. Then, they got to speak with the scientists while the ROV was diving to the bottom. Later, they saw footage from the bottom. They asked some great questions of the scientists. Perhaps one of these students will have their interest piqued and become a scientist or ROV engineer. Maybe a teacher:)
Dave uses the joystick to pilot the ROV on the surface
The Robotics Club was very interested in the ROV. Dave Murfin, taking a break from piloting the ROV and on his way to lunch, graciously sat down and answered some questions. I learned from Scott Mau, another ROV pilot, about creating underwater ROVs. Bet we could use our YMCA to run them. We also have access to some swimming pools.
Back on the bandwidth highway. I asked Kevin Stierhoff about some pictures we were processing for the website. I used the incorrect term and said upload when I should have said download. These always seemed like synonyms to me. If you have a desire to understand the difference, read on. On the highway there is coming to your computer and going from the computer. If you are uploading something, you are copying it from your computer. While on the ship, these data travel on a highway to a satellite then on to Silver Spring, MD where the internet service provider is. The server then sends it to where you want it to go. To download, something is going into your computer. It comes from somewhere else through Silver Spring to the satellite to your computer on the ship. The lane for the bandwidth going to the ship is about three times wider than what is going out. Skype is really bad on our highway since it travels in both directions, and it really hogs the lane. It’s like one of those homes being moved on the road taking up a lane and a half or more and going slowly. Everyone has to slow down or get off the road to make room.
FYI, I asked one of the engineers who helped build the Pisces the total length of the electrical cables are on the ship. “Long.” He did then give me a number. Over 200,000 feet. How many miles long is that?
I just found out about a great tool for those of you that want to follow the path that we’re taking on this expedition. Go to http://shiptracker.noaa.gov/ , choose Oscar Dyson (DY), and the resulting map will show you where we’ve been, as well as our current location.
Looking at the current map, you can see why it’s taken so long for us to get to our first sampling location. We departed from Kodiak on Monday night, and spent all of Tuesday at Three Saints Bay- that’s the little “dip” back into Kodiak that you see. From there, we’ve just been sailing towards the western Aleutians. Today, we cut through some of the islands to the northern side because the seas were pretty rough (I was feeling a little seasick for a while there). Last time I checked, we were scheduled to arrive at our first location tomorrow (Friday 6/17) morning, and will be conducting our first trawl shortly thereafter. Science logs are soon to come, along with more of my entertaining personal logs 🙂
