DJ Kast – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

June 3, 2015August 21, 2021

DJ Kast, Interview with a Chief Scientist, June 3, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Dieuwertje “DJ” Kast
Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
May 19 – June 3, 2015

Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring Survey
Geographical areas of cruise: Mid Atlantic Bight, Southern New England, Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine
Date: June 3, 2015

Science and Technology Log: Interview with the Chief Scientist, Jerry Prezioso

What is your job on the NOAA Henry B. Bigelow?

Chief Scientist.

What does your job entail?

My job contains three main parts: pre-cruise setup, science underway, and post-cruise wrap up activities.

Pre-cruise Setup. (this starts long before the cruise)

Have to have the project instructions.
Fishing zone license if in Canadian waters
All Scientists are required to have a TB Test and Medical clearance to come aboard.
If any of the scientists are not a US citizen, green cards or security clearance are needed
I pick out the station locations and route.
Make sure there are enough materials/ supplies/ chemicals.

During Cruise:

Supervise and coordinate all the scientists
During this cruise I had the day shift and so I did all the day time bongos and CTD’S with the Teacher at Sea DJ Kast

Jerry watering down the net to collect plankton. Photo by DJ Kast — Jerry washing down the net to collect plankton. Photo by DJ Kast

Track updates: I need to adjust for time and weather. I keep the ship working all the time 24/7. The ship costs thousands of dollars a day to run, so I make sure its never sitting. That’s why there are two shifts. If it is bad offshore, we move inshore to keep working.
Check logs, data.
Instruct the Teacher at Sea and provide them with awesome buoys.

Collecting water samples from the Niskin bottles in the Rosette. Photo by DJ Kast

After Cruise:

Destage the vessel.
Deliver samples and data
Write cruise report
Operations table- what we did at every station. Bongo vs. CTD, Bongos for CMARZS, Dave, Jessica.
Make sure all scientists get home OK.

How many years have you been doing this?

I have 40 years of government service. Back in 1968, I had my first student NOAA job. At Northeastern University, I was a co-op student, which meant I alternated school with a work-related job until graduation in 1974. I got a job with NOAA as a biological technician. Afterwards, I was a fishery biologist. Then I went to the University of Rhode Island (URI) for my masters degree in biological oceanography (1991) and since then it has been oceanography all the way- 23 years of oceanography. I started helping out on research cruises. I would help with the plankton tows and show up to collect samples. I started going on many cruises like trawling cruises, fishing cruises, and would even travel on foreign vessels. I’ve been on quite a few foreign vessels: Russian vessels, Japanese, East and West German, Polish, and Canadian and it’s in these type of environments that you really learn to do more things yourself and learn more about different cultures.

What is your own personal research?

I am interested in the influences of distribution of plankton in various areas. This is what I did for my master’s thesis. I wanted to see what environmental parameters could affect plankton distribution. So far, temperature seems to be the strongest influence. Decades ago plankton that was originally found down south is found north now. Such dramatic change between 1970s and now. My boss has seen the same regional change with fish, seen them move up more north as the climate has changed. I am much more field oriented than research (lab) oriented, which is why I am out on the boats so much.

What are some of your hobbies besides SCIENCE?

Mainly SCUBA diving and photography
SCUBA diving: When I was younger, SCUBA diving was definitely a major push for me to get into oceanography. I was certified during college and I have loved it ever since.
Underwater photography is my favorite.

Photo by Jerry Prezioso — Underwater Photography: Herring photo by Jerry Prezioso

I remember being able to photograph River Herring which spawn in freshwater and then go out to sea to grow to adulthood.

Jerry in the steam filming herring. Photo provided by Jerry Prezioso

I have lots of ocean fish photos, flounder and striped bass.

I also use my photography skills on the ship. For example, I combined SCUBA diving and photography by taking pictures of the crew cleaning lines out of the propeller (which is underwater).

Photo skills have definitely helped me on the job.

June 2, 2015August 21, 2021

DJ Kast, Engine Room Tour with the Chief Engineer, June 2, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Dieuwertje “DJ” Kast
Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
May 19 – June 3, 2015

Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring Survey
Geographical area of cruise: East Coast
Date: June 2, 2015

Chief Engineer Tour of Engine Room!

Selfie with the Chief Engineer! Photo by DJ Kast

John Hohmann, Chief Engineer on NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. Photo by DJ Kast

SCHEMATICS- Drawn by John

The upper level of the engine room. Drawn out by John Hohmann and photographed by DJ Kast

The lower level of the engine room. Drawn out by John Hohmann and photographed by DJ Kast

Chief Engineer John Hohmann took me on a tour of the Engine room here on NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. It was fascinating to learn all of the components that make this type of research vessel work. The electrical components, the seawater distillation apparatus, biological sewage treatment, etc. It was an amazing tour. The Bigelow has a diesel-electric drive system using four diesel generators to power to two electric motors. The motors turn one shaft which rotates the propeller. Overall rated horsepower for main propulsion is 3017hp.

The biological system utilises bacteria to completely break down the sewage into an acceptable substance for discharge into any waters. The extended aeration process provides a climate in which oxygen-loving bacteria multiply and digest the sewage, converting it into a sludge. These oxygen-loving bacteria are known as aerobic. The treatment plant uses a tank which is divided into three watertight compartments: an aeration compartment, settling compartment and a chlorine contact compartment . The sewage enters the aeration compartment where it is digested by aerobic bacteria and micro-organisms, whose existence is aided by atmospheric oxygen which is pumped in. The sewage then flows into the settling compartment where the activated sludge is settled out. The clear liquid flows to the chlorinator and after treatment to kill any remaining bacteria it is discharged. Tablets are placed in the chlorinator and require replacement as they are used up. The activated sludge in the settling tank is continuously recycled and builds up, so that every two to three months it must be partially removed. This sludge must be discharged only in a decontrolled area. Photo and Caption info by Machinary Spaces.com — The biological system utilizes bacteria to completely break down the sewage into an acceptable substance for discharge into any waters. The extended aeration process provides a climate in which oxygen-loving bacteria multiply and digest the sewage, converting it into a sludge. These oxygen-loving bacteria are known as aerobic. The treatment plant uses a tank which is divided into three watertight compartments: an aeration compartment, settling compartment and a chlorine contact compartment .
The sewage enters the aeration compartment where it is digested by aerobic bacteria and micro-organisms, whose existence is aided by atmospheric oxygen which is pumped in. The sewage then flows into the settling compartment where the activated sludge is settled out. The clear liquid flows to the chlorinator and after treatment to kill any remaining bacteria it is discharged. Tablets are placed in the chlorinator and require replacement as they are used up. The activated sludge in the settling tank is continuously recycled and builds up, so that every two to three months it must be partially removed. This sludge must be discharged only in a decontrolled area. Photo and Caption info by Machinary Spaces.com

The most fascinating part for me was the Evaporator.

The inside Mechanics of the evaporator machine. Photo by: Machinery Spaces.com

Distillation is the production of pure water from sea water by evaporation and re-condensing. Distilled water is produced as a result of evaporating sea water either by a boiling or a flash process. This evaporation enables the reduction of the 32 parts per thousand of dissolved solids in sea water down to the one or two present in distilled water. The machine used is called an ‘evaporator’, although the word ‘distiller’ is also used.

Boiling process:

The vacuum in the evaporation machine reduces the pressure to 30 inches of Hg or Mercury to boil water at 180F instead of 212 F

The vacuum in the evaporation machine uses 30 inches of Hg or Mercury to boil water at 180F instead of 212 F. Photo by DJ Kast.

The sea water from the ship’s services is first circulated through the condenser and then part of the outlet is provided as feed to the evaporation chamber. Hot diesel engine jacket water or steam is passed through the heater nest and, because of the reduced pressure in the chamber, the sea water boils. The steam produced rises and passes through a water separator, or demister, which prevents water droplets passing through. In the condensing section the steam becomes pure water, which is drawn off by a distillate pump. The sea water feed is regulated by a flow controller and about half the feed is evaporated. The remainder constantly overflows a weir and carries away the extra salty water or brine. A combined brine and air ejector draws out the air and brine from the evaporator.

Evaporation machine connected to the Ship Service Diesel Generator. Photo by DJ Kast

They need to make their own electricity on board ranging from 110 Volts for phones and computers to 750 Volts for some of the ship propulsion motors. Each of those require various circuit breakers seen below.

480 Volt Machines. Photo by DJ Kast — 480 Volt Circuit Breaker. Photo by DJ Kast

600 Volt Machines. Photo by DJ Kast — 600 Volt Circuit Breaker. Photo by DJ Kast

Its going 1000 amps. WOW. Photo by DJ Kast — Its conducting 1000 amps. WOW. Photo by DJ Kast

The air in the compressors is moist and hot so this cools it down and removes moisture. Photo by DJ Kast — The air in the compressors is moist and hot so this machine cools it down and removes moisture. Photo by DJ Kast

Air pressure holding tanks. Photo by DJ Kast

Engines and generators. Photo by DJ Kast

Evaporation controls. Photo by DJ Kast — Evaporator controls. Photo by DJ Kast

Generator! Photo by DJ Kast — Ship Service Diesel Generator (SSDG)! Photo by DJ Kast

Jacket Water Tanks on the SSDG. This water is used to cool the generators. Photo by DJ Kast

Machine operates the cranes. Photo by DJ Kast. — Hydraulic pump that operates the cranes. Photo by DJ Kast.

Maintenance Service Board. Photo by DJ Kast.

Teal pump that separates oil. Photo by DJ Kast — Oily water separator reduces the water mixed with oil to 115 ppm for overboard discharge. The oil is retained on board. Photo by DJ Kast

Two blue boxes that are motors connected to the propeller. Photo by DJ Kast. — Two blue boxes are electric motors connected to the propeller. Photo by DJ Kast.

Third Engineer John fixing a pipe with a large wrench. Photo by DJ Kast — Third Engineer John is all smiles while he works. Photo by DJ Kast

June 1, 2015August 21, 2021

DJ Kast, Bongo Patterns, June 1, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Dieuwertje “DJ” Kast
Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
May 19 – June 3, 2015

Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring Survey
Geographical areas of cruise: Mid Atlantic Bight, Southern New England, George’s Bank, Gulf of Maine
Date: June 1, 2015

Science and Technology Log:

Bongo Patterns!

Part of my job here on NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow is to empty the plankton nets (since there are two we call them bongos). The plankton is put into a sieve and stored in either ethanol if they came from the small nets (baby bongos) or formalin if they came from the big nets (Main bongos).

What are plankton? Plankton is a greek based word that means drifter or wanderer. This suits these organisms well since they are not able to withstand the current and are constantly adrift. Plankton are usually divided by size (pico, nano, micro, meso, macro, mega). In the plankton tows, we are primarily focused on the macro, meso and megaplankton that are usually with in the size range of 0.2- 20 mm (meso), 2-20 cm (macro), and above 20 cm (mega) respectively.

Group	Size range	Examples
Megaplankton	> 20 cm	metazoans; e.g. jellyfish; ctenophores; salps and pyrosomes (pelagic Tunicata); Cephalopoda; Amphipoda
Macroplankton	2→20 cm	metazoans; e.g. Pteropods; Chaetognaths; Euphausiacea (krill); Medusae; ctenophores; salps, doliolids and pyrosomes (pelagic Tunicata); Cephalopoda; Janthinidae (one family gastropods); Amphipoda
Mesoplankton	0.2→20 mm	metazoans; e.g. copepods; Medusae; Cladocera; Ostracoda; Chaetognaths; Pteropods; Tunicata; Heteropoda
Microplankton	20→200 µm	large eukaryotic protists; most phytoplankton; Protozoa Foraminifera; tintinnids; other ciliates; Rotifera; juvenile metazoans – Crustacea (copepod nauplii)
Nanoplankton	2→20 µm	small eukaryotic protists; Small Diatoms; Small Flagellates; Pyrrophyta; Chrysophyta; Chlorophyta; Xanthophyta
Picoplankton	0.2→2 µm	small eukaryotic protists; bacteria; Chrysophyta
Femtoplankton	< 0.2 µm	marine viruses

(Omori, M.; Ikeda, T. (1992). Methods in Marine Zooplankton Ecology)

We will be heading to four main geographical areas. These four areas are: the Mid Atlantic Bight (MAB), the Southern New England (SNE), Gulf of Maine (GOM), and George’s Bank (GB). I’ve been told that the bongos will be significantly different at each of these sites. I would like to honor each geographical area’s bongos with a representative photo of plankton and larval fish. There are 30 bongos in each area, and I work on approximately 15 per site.

DJ Kast holding the large plankton net. Photo by Jerry P. — DJ Kast holding the large plankton net. Photo by Jerry Prezioso

Here is a video of a Bongo launch.

Flow Meter Data. It is used how to count how far the plankton net was towed. Used to calculate the amount of animals per cubic meter. Photo by DJ Kast — Flow Meter Data. It is used how to count how far the plankton net was towed to calculate the amount of animals per cubic meter. Photo by DJ Kast

The plankton nets need to be wiped down with saltwater so that the plankton can be collected on the sieve.

Day 1: May 19th, 2015

My first Catch of Plankton! Mostly zooplankton and fish larvae. Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 1: Fish Larvae and Copepods. Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 2: May 20th, 2015

Larval Fish and Amphipods! Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 3: May 21st, 2015

Day 3, the plankton tows started filling with little black dots. These were thousands of little sea snails or pteropods. Photo by DJ Kast

Clogging the Sieve with Pteropods. Photo by DJ Kast

Close up shot of a Shell-less Sea Butterfly. Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 4: May 22nd, 2015

Butterfly fish found in the plankton tow. Photo by; DJ Kast — Butter fish found in the plankton tow. Photo by; DJ Kast

Baby Triggerfish Fish Larvae Photo by: DJ Kast

Megalops or Crab Larva. Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 5: May 23, 2015

Unidentified organism Photo by DJ Kast. — Unidentified organism
Photo by DJ Kast.

3 amphipods and a shrimp. Photo by DJ Kast

Such diversity in this evenings bongos. Small fish Larva, shrimp, amphipods. Photo by DJ Kast — Such diversity in this evening’s bongos. Small fish Larvae, shrimp, amphipods. Photo by DJ Kast

Small fish Larva. Photo by DJ Kast — Small fish Larvae. Photo by DJ Kast

Below are the bongo patterns for the Southern New England area.

I have learned that there are two lifestyle choices when it comes to plankton and they are called meroplankton or holoplankton.

Plankton are comprised of two main groups, permanent or lifetime members of the plankton family, called holoplankton (which includes as diatoms, radiolarians, dinoflagellates, foraminifera, amphipods, krill, copepods, salps, etc.), and temporary or part-time members (such as most larval forms of sea urchins, sea stars, crustaceans, marine worms, some marine snails, most fish, etc.), which are called meroplankton.

Day 6: May 24th, 2015

Copepod sludge with a fish larva. Photo by: DJ Kast

Baby Bongo Sample in ethanol. Photo by: DJ Kast

Megalops? Photo by: DJ Kast — Megalops?
Photo by: DJ Kast

Side station sample from the mini bongos on the sieve. Photo by: DJ Kast — Sample from the mini bongos on the sieve. Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 7: May 25th, 2015

Georges Bank- It is a shallow, sediment-covered plateau bigger than Massachusetts and it is filled with nutrients that get stirred up into the photic zone by the various currents. It is an extremely productive area for fisheries.

Today, I learned that plankton (phyto & zoo) have evolved in shape to maximize their surface area to try and remain close to the surface. This makes sense to me since phytoplankton are photosynthesizers and require the sun to survive. Consequently, if zooplankton are going to consume them, it would be easier to remain where your food source is located. I think this would make for a great lesson plan that involves making plankton-like creatures and seeing who can make them sink the least in some sort of competition.

The Biggest net caught sand lance (10 cm). Photo by DJ Kast

Day 8: May 26th, 2015 Very Diverse day, Caprellids- skeleton shrimp, Anglerfish juvenile, Phronima inside of salp! Photo by DJ Kast

A tiny krill with giant black eyes. Photo by DJ Kast

A phronima (the bee looking thing inside the translucent shell) that ate its way into a salp and is using the salp as protection. Photo by: DJ Kast

Video of the phronima:

Caprellids or Skeleton Shrimp. Photo by DJ Kast

Video of the Caprellids:

Day 9: May 27th, 2015= Triggerfish and colorful phronima (purple & brown). Our sieves were so clogged with phytoplankton GOOP, which is evidence of a bloom. We must be in very productive waters,

Evidence of a Phytoplankton bloom in the water, Photo by: DJ Kast — Evidence of a Phytoplankton bloom in the water. Photo by: DJ Kast

Day 10: May 28th, 2015= change in color of copepods. Lots of ctenophores and sea jellies

A Sea jelly found in George's Bank. We are in Canada now! Photo by: DJ Kast — A comb jelly (ctenophore) found in George’s Bank. We are in Canada now! Photo by: DJ Kast

Sea Gooseberry: a type of ctenophore or comb jelly. Photo by DJ Kast

Did you know? Sea Jellies are also considered plankton since they cannot swim against the current.

Day 11: May 29th, 2015: Border between Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine!

Krill found in the Gulf of Maine. Photo by DJ Kast

Callenoid Copepods. Photo by DJ Kast — Callenoid Copepods- its so RED!!! Photo by DJ Kast

Gulf of Maine! Water comes in from the North East Channel (the Labrador current), coast on one border and George’s Bank on the other. Definitely colder water, with deep ocean basins. Supposed to see lots of phytoplankton. Tidal ranges in the Gulf of Maine are among the highest in the world ocean

Gulf of Maine currents! Photo by NEFSC NOAA.

Day 12: May 30th, 2015: day and night bongo (Just calanus copepods vs. LOTS of krill.)

Krill are normally found lower in the water column. The krill come up at night to feed and avoid their predators and head back down before dawn. This daily journey up and down is called the vertical migration.

Video of Krill moving:

Night Sample. Photo by DJ Kast — Night Sample (look at all those krill). Photo by DJ Kast

Day 13: May 31th, 2015: Calanoid Copepod community. Calanoida feed on phytoplankton (only a few are predators) and are themselves the principal food of fish fry, plankton-feeding fish (such as herring, anchovies, sardines, and saury) and baleen whales.

Calanious Community. Its so RED! Photo by DJ Kast — Calanus Community. It’s so RED! Photo by DJ Kast

Day 14: June 1st, 2015:

Brittle Stars caught in the Plankton Tow. Photo by DJ Kast

Side profile of Shrimp caught in the plankton nets. Photo by DJ Kast

Shrimp Tail with Babies. Photo by DJ Kast

Day 15: June 2nd, 2015: Last Day

Gooey foamy mess in the sieve with all the phytoplankton. Photo by DJ Kast

Gooey foamy mess in the net with all the phytoplankton. Photo by DJ Kast

Gooey foamy mess in the jar with all the phytoplankton. Photo by DJ Kast

Map of all the Bongo and CTD/ Rosette Stations. Photo by DJ Kast. — Map of all the Bongo and CTD/ Rosette Stations (153 total). Photo by DJ Kast.

Through rough seas and some amazingly calm days, we have all persevered as a crew and we have done a lot of science over the last 16 days. We went through 153 stations total. I have learned so much and I would like to thank Jerry, the chief scientist for taking me under his wing and training me in his Ecosystem Monitoring ways. I would also like to thank Dena Deck and Lynn Whitley for believing in me and writing my letters of recommendation for the Teacher at Sea program. I would love to do this program again! -DJ Kast

June 1, 2015August 21, 2021

DJ Kast, Interview with the Stewards, June 1, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Dieuwertje “DJ” Kast
Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
May 19 – June 3, 2015

Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring Survey
Geographical area of cruise: East Coast
Date: June 1, 2015 Day 14

Weather Data:

Rainy and Choppy
Air Temperature: 8 °C
Water Temperature: 10.46°C
Barometer: 1021.3 mb
TSG (Sound-Velocity): 1487 meters/sec
TSG- Conductivity: 3.63 s/m
TSG- Salinity: 32.66 PSU
Wind: 30 knots North East

Interview with Dennis Carey and Jeremy Howard, Chief Steward and Chief Cook of NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow Research Cruise 1502. They have been working together for 3.5 years.

Dennis Carey

What is your job here on the ship?

My name is Dennis and I am the Chief Steward. This means that I am in charge of food production and management. I am the Head of the Steward Department and I have been for about 12 years now.

How is a boat kitchen different from a home kitchen?

First of all, a boat kitchen is called a galley and the dinning area where everyone eats is called a mess hall. Additionally, a water fountain is called a scuttlebutt.

In terms of a technical answer to your question, we have:

Convection oven- it cooks things faster because it can cook at 25F higher than a regular oven and the air is circulated by a fan as well.

2. Grill

3. Steam jacket kettle- for sauces and soups

Soup Maker. Photo by DJ Kast — Steam jacket kettle. Photo by DJ Kast

4. Commercialized equipment- blender& large refrigerator

5. Gallon water, coffee and milk machine

Water and ice dispenser, microwave, and lots of tea. Photo by DJ Kast

Milk on the left, See-through refrigerator on right. Photo by DJ Kast — Milk on the left, Stand-up refrigerator on right. Photo by DJ Kast

6. Cereal dispensers!

7. Salad bars

8. Dragon/ Dishwasher Machine: It sanitizes by steaming dishes up to 195F.

Tell me about your experience:

I served 22 years with the Navy, and 12 years with NOAA and all those years were in food service.

What training do you need for your job:

Back in my day, I was called a Mess Specialist when I graduated C-school, now called culinary specialists.
- According to https://www.navycs.com/navy-jobs/culinary-specialist.html: The Navy Cook rating was one of the original ratings in 1797. The name Cook was changed to Ship’s Cook in 1838. It wasn’t until 1948 that the culmination of the various rates Commissary Steward, Ship’s Cook, Ship’s Cook (B) (Butchers), and Baker consolidated into the Commissaryman rating. In 1975, the name was changed to Mess Management Specialist, and finally, in 2004, the Culinary Specialist rating was established.
I attended Rose State College in Oklahoma and Central Texas University.
I went to C-school, which is also called advanced food preparation and management.
You will need experience and lots of it, particularly on the job experience. I started with an Intern culinary internship with Hilton Northwest in Oklahoma city.
I also did a Food Service Attendance. It is a 3 month rotation where everybody has to work in the galley. They kept me as a cook!

According to the Navy Personnel Command,

General Culinary Specialist description:

Culinary Specialists (CS) receive extensive training in culinary arts, and other areas within the hospitality industry. This CS rating is responsible for all aspects of the dining (shipboard mess decks) and shore duty living areas. Culinary Specialists work in the “heart of the ship,” and are vital in maintaining high crew morale on ships, construction battalions and every shore base.

Job Descriptions:

Menu management and ordering the quantities and types of food items necessary for quantity food preparation.
Operating kitchen and dining facilities.
Maintaining subsistence inventories using storeroom management procedures.
Culinary Specialists work in kitchen, dining areas, bachelor quarters, living quarters and food service storerooms aboard ships, shore bases, construction battalions, and designated aircraft. The work is physical, creative and mentally challenging; in which one has to be flexible and versatile in their daily duties.

After “A” School, Culinary Specialists are assigned to deploying units or shore stations in the United States and/or overseas. During a 20-year career in the Navy, CS’s spend approximately 60 percent of their time assigned to fleet units and 40 percent to shore stations.

Apprenticeships are highly valued for ship work and below are the current USMAP apprenticeship trades that are currently offered for the Culinary Specialist rating:

Baker (Bake Products)
Cook (Any Industry)
Manager, Food Service (Hotel and Restaurant)
Cook (Hotel and Restaurant)
Housekeeper (Commercial, Residential, Industrial)
Household Manager (Private, Residential Management)

(http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/enlisted/community/supply/Pages/CSRating.aspx)

What was the first NOAA ship you worked on?

I worked on the Delaware as a Chief Steward.

Jeremy Howard- Chief Cook

What is your job here on the ship?

Second Cook- food preparation and sanitation.

How did you get trained to do your job?

I’ve been a NOAA steward for 6 years and every year NOAA sends stewards to training to keep up with the culinary skills.

Tell me more about cooking for so many people

You have to be able to cook portions for crew size. Crew size varies per mission of the cruise and so we figure out all of the crew aboard for consumption of goods. We make sure we are accommodating food choices like: vegetarian, gluten free, lactose free, etc. Our crew size is 32 people right now, and the maximum crew size is 41 people. We try to minimize waste. Main goal of the steward department is to cook GREAT food and not waste it.

Why did you chose to be a chef?

I am passionate about cooking great food. Being a cook, you have to have passion because there is a lot of routine in cooking. You start seeing the same people every day, cooking similar food and so I figure out ways to keep on learning new things, and continuously improve.

To be a chef you need to have good communication skills with the chief steward and in general you need to be flexible especially out on a ship.

Being out at sea- you can’t go to the store if you forgot something. You have to have attention to detail before we get underway.

NOAA is the best kept secret for culinary work. I love the Bigelow- I have a great career here, and I might not be able to see foreign ports so much but I am guaranteed to see my family. I get to see them 2 to 3 months out of the year versus 2 weeks like on navy ships. BEST KEPT SECRET.

Food inventory:

We do all the food shopping before we leave for trip. Chief Steward orders the food from a reputable FDA approved supplier. Dennis does all the inventory. We can’t waste money or food on this ship. He needs to do an inventory of things and we go by our motto with inventory which is: First in, first out!

What was your first ship?

NOAA Ship- Delaware II!

But technically, before that I was in the Navy for 5 years. I was part of the Hurricane Katrina relief in New Orleans.

What does a typical day look like?

Both of us get up at 4 AM to prepare breakfast and we make 3 square meals a day (7-8 AM, 11 AM-12:30 PM, and 5-6 PM). We finish about 7:30 PM.

Lunch Menu on 5-31-15. Yummy! Photo by DJ Kast

You gotta keep a good morale about your career, you keep growing, and it never gets boring. We also help with the morale of the ship and we host Bingo Nights, and Ice Cream Socials, which allows new crew to bond with old crew.

Bingo Night with John! Here is Billy picking up one of the prizes. Photo by Jerry Prezioso. — Bingo Night with Third Engineer John! Here is Electronic Technician Billy picking up one of the prizes. Photo by Jerry Prezioso.

I’ll humbly say that Bigelow has the best steward department EVER!

May 31, 2015August 21, 2021

DJ Kast, NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow, May 31, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Dieuwertje “DJ” Kast
Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
May 19 – June 3, 2015

Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring Survey
Geographical area of cruise: East Coast
Date: May 31, 2015

NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow

“National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ship Henry B. Bigelow is the second of five new fisheries survey ships to be built by NOAA. The ship is named after Henry Bryant Bigelow (1879-1967), a Harvard-educated zoologist whose work helped lay the scholarly foundation for oceanography as a scientific discipline. He was an internationally known expert on the Gulf of Maine and its sea life, and on the world’s jellyfish, corals, and fishes” (NOAA NEFSC).

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/Bigelow/pdfs/bigelow_scientist_poster.pdf

Henry B. Bigelow and his goat Buck. PHOTO BY: — Henry B. Bigelow and the WHOI Mascot goat Buck. Photo by: NEFSC NOAA

Legacy of the name:

Henry B. Bigelow (1879–1967) was an American oceanographer and marine biologist. Bigelow described numerous new species to science, 110 of which are recognized today according to the World Register of Marine Species. In addition, some 26 species and two genera (Bigelowina, stomatopods in family Nannosquillidae, and Bigelowiella, protists in family Chlorarachniophyte) are named after him. The Henry Bryant Bigelow Medal in Oceanography is awarded by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Research Institute to honor “those who make significant inquiries into the phenomena of the sea”. Bigelow was the first recipient of the medal in 1960. He was honored by the naming of NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow.

Mission of the ship:

“NOAA ship Henry B. Bigelow will support NOAA’s mission to protect, restore, and manage the use of living marine, coastal, and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management. Its primary objective will be to study, monitor, and collect data on a wide range of sea life and ocean conditions, primarily in U.S. waters from Maine to North Carolina. The region includes Georges Bank, one of the world’s best known and most productive marine areas. The region is also home to the nation’s top-valued port, oldest commercial fisheries, and rare large whales and sea turtles. Data are used by a range of scientists who study variation in ocean conditions and sea life in order to better inform the nation’s decisions about both using and sustaining the ocean’s bounty.

“Henry B. Bigelow will also observe weather, sea state, and other environmental conditions, conduct habitat assessments, and survey marine mammal and marine bird populations. Henry B. Bigelow is a state-of-the-art research ship with multiple science mission capabilities. Foremost among these capabilities is the ship’s “quiet” hull, a design feature that minimizes sound made by the ship underwater. This allows scientists to use hydroacoustic methods for surveying marine life, and significantly reduces changes in the natural behavior of animals owing to the ship noise. In addition, the vessel can collect a variety of oceanographic data while marine life surveys are underway, resulting in both richer and more efficiently collected data.” (NOAA NEFSC)

Ship Details:

The ship! Photo from: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/Bigelow/pdfs/bigelow_sci_systems.pdf

Take a virtual Ship Tour here! : http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/Bigelow/shiptour.html

Levels: 2 (staterooms, gym, laundry), 1 (Mess Hall), 01 (Lounge), 02, Bridge, Flying Bridge

Side view of the NOAA Henry B. Bigelow. Photo by: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/NOAA_RV_Henry_B._Bigelow_--_side_plan.gif — Side view of the NOAA Henry B. Bigelow. Photo by: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/NOAA_RV_Henry_B._Bigelow_–_side_plan.gif

Most of the main deck is reserved for mission functions. The aft working deck provides 145 sq m of open space for fishing and other over-the-side operations, with an additional 33 sq m of deck space at the Side Sampling Station. Space and support connections are provided for a laboratory van on the aft working deck.

Large, easily reconfigurable laboratories are designed to accommodate the varied needs of individual scientific cruises:

Fish/Wet Laboratory 56 sq m (602 sq ft)
Chemistry Laboratory 27 sq m (290 sq ft)
Dry Laboratory 14 sq m (150 sq ft)
Hydrographic Laboratory 9 sq m (96 sq ft)
Scientific Freezer 19 sq m (204 sq ft)
Preservation Alcove 5 sq m (54 sq ft)
Acoustic/Computer Laboratory 46 sq m (495 sq ft)

“Underwater radiated noise has been shown to influence fish behavior, and sonar self-noise can limit the effectiveness of hydroacoustic surveys and other functions. The International Council for Exploration of the Seas (ICES) has established a standard for ships’ underwater radiated noise in order to effectively employ hydroacoustic stock assessment techniques. Henry B. Bigelow has been designed and constructed to meet this ICES noise standard. This reduced noise signature will improve NOAA’s ability to accurately assess fish stocks and to compare standardized data with the international fisheries scientific community. Examples are the propulsion motors, which are specially constructed and balanced to reduce noise and vibration, and the diesel generators, which are mounted on double isolated raft systems. The hull form and highly skewed, five-bladed propeller were carefully designed and tested using U.S. Navy quieting techniques. Pumps, motors, ventilation and piping systems are all designed for low noise, with some critical systems resiliently mounted in the ship. Hull structure is treated in critical areas with special acoustic damping tiles. Airborne noise has been reduced throughout the ship for personnel safety and comfort.” http://www.omao.noaa.gov/publications/bigelow_final.pdf

To summarize that, this ship is so quiet I cannot tell when we are slowing down to 2 knots for bongo or going 11 knots to steam to the next station. It’s amazing.

Bridge:

The bridge is equipped with numerous dedicated systems including:

Hydrographic ES60 SONAR system, and ME70 multibeam system
Dynamic positioning and auto pilot system
X- and S-band Sperry Bridge Master RADARs
Transas ECDIS Navigation system
DGPS receiver
GMDSS communications suite including weather fax, satellite telephone, MF/HF and VHF radios
MTN internet communications system
SCS remote console and master clock display
Doppler speed log and depth sounder
Sperry primary and secondary gyro compass

Nearly all of these systems are solely controlled from the bridge, allowing scientific and operational systems to be totally independent. All scientific and fishing systems can be monitored from the bridge via remote consoles or SCS interfaces.

Laura Gibson charting on the navigational chart. Photo by DJ Kast

Multi-beam bottom sounder. Photo by DJ Kast

Gibson letting me steer the ship. That is fear in my eyes. Photo by Laura Gibson

Starboard steering Console that lets you control the ship while the bongos or CTDs are deployed from the side sampling station. Photo by DJ Kast

Radar with four contacts! Photo by DJ Kast

LT Gibson checking on operations in the bridge. Photo by DJ Kast

Control and status indicator of watertight doors. Photo by DJ Kast

Navigation Light switches. Photo by DJ Kast

Cool Events on the Ship

Care Package Delivery:

The XO's friend that is "Rowing for Peace" to Turkey. The XO delivered ice cream, ship hats, and a pineapple. Photo by DJ Kast — The CO’s friend that is “Rowing for Peace” to Turkey. The CO delivered ice cream, ship hats, and a pineapple. Photo by DJ Kast

Emergency Drills:

The Bigelow values safety and to make sure that everyone knows what to do in an emergency they do quiet a few surprise drills to keep everybody on their toes.

Door sign with information on where to go for each person during each of the type of drills that occur on the ship. Photo by DJ Kast — Station card with information on where to go for each person during each of the type of drills that occur on the ship. Photo by DJ Kast

The first one was a Fire Drill and an Abandon Ship Drill on Wednesday May 20th, 2015.

Photo of me in a survival suit after the abandon ship drill was announced. Photo by Megan Switzer

Practicing the PLT gun (Pneumatic Line Throwing Gun): This is a gun that is used to help rescue people who have fallen overboard and it is also used to pass lines to other boats. It has a projectile connected to a long line that can travel far distance and connect an overboard victim to the boat.

Here is a video of it being shot:

A picture of me preparing the PLT gun for launch. Photo by Dennis Carey

Hydrophoning Acoustic Buoys!

While we were on the southern part of Georges Bank, the boat used a Hydrophone and geometry to pick up an Autonomous Multi-Channel Acoustic Recorder (AMAR) mooring in Lydonia Canyon. The ship sent signals to it with the hydrophone and the signals it received back were indications of where to send the boat next.

The application of the Pythagoreon Theorum in terms of acoustic sound distances to the buoy to help during retrieval. Oh the applications of MATH! Photo by DJ Kast — The application of the Pythagorean Theorem in terms of acoustic sound distances to the buoy to help during retrieval. Oh, the applications of MATH! Photo by DJ Kast

Geoff Shook sending out messages on the hydrophone. Photo by DJ Kast — Geoff Shook preparing to send out messages on the hydrophone to not only find it but also cause it to release to the surface since it was hundreds of meters down. Photo by DJ Kast

Successful retrieval of the acoustic buoy. Photo by DJ Kast

The back of the shirt that the crew and chief Scientist Jerry gave me. Photo by DJ Kast — The back of the shirt that the crew and chief Scientist Jerry Prezioso gave me. I’m having everyone sign it so that I can hang it up when I get home. Photo by DJ Kast

All of the crew have been absolutely amazing and have definitely made this the trip of a lifetime. Thank you all so much. -DJ

Last selfie of the trip. Photo by DJ Kast