2018 – Page 2 – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

October 14, 2018October 15, 2018

Andria Keene: Steaming and Dreaming in Safety, October 12, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Andria Keene

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

October 8 – 22, 2018

Mission: SEAMAP Fall Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Weather Data from the Bridge
Date: 2018/10/12
Time: 14:58:22
Latitude: 27 37.15 N
Longitude 091 23.21 W
Barometric Pressure 1015.69mbar
Relative Humidity 60 %
Air Temperature: 27.1 0C

Everyone is an explorer. How could you possibly live your
life looking at a door and not open it? – Robert Ballard

Science/Technology and Personal Log

Hurricane Michael brought a three day delay to our departure. At first, I was a little disappointed that we were not setting sail right away but now I am glad because I had some extra time to explore Pascagoula, familiarize myself with the ship, and slowly meet the crew as they arrived spread out over several days. Plus, the additional time allowed me to start working on my career lesson plan and to prepare a video tour of the ship. I will upload the video to this blog page as soon as it is complete.

Photo collage — #1 – My first tour of Oregon II #2 – Hurricane Michael arrives in the center of where I am and my hometown of Tampa #3 – Exploring Round Point Lighthouse #4 – My first sunset aboard.

On Thursday, Oct 11th at 9:00am, we departed from Pascagoula and headed out into the Gulf of Mexico. I was amazed at how quickly we lost sight of land and at the vastness of this body of water with which I thought I was so familiar. My favorite part was watching the color of the water change from a dark teal to a deep blue.

The various colors of the water of the Gulf

On the “Plan of the Day” board under schedule it reads “Steam and Dream til Saturday Afternoon” and that is just what we are doing. Our path will lead us north of the Mexican border and south of Corpus Christi, Texas, where we will find our first station. Until then, in between steaming and dreaming, we are getting to know each other and learning about our roles and responsibilities.

For example, today we practiced our Fire and Abandon Ship Drills. While it is a little nerve-racking to think that something like that could actually happen, it was reassuring to see that everyone was well-trained and the operations ran smoothly.

My first lesson plan will focus on careers available through NOAA. It is amazing to see the variation in the positions and the backgrounds of the workers on this ship. Basically, on the Oregon II there are three types of employees who make up the ship’s complement.

Types of Employees — This graphic illustrates the structure of the employees aboard Oregon II.

I feel like NOAA has something to offer everyone from entry level positions that require no experience to positions requiring years of experience or advanced college degrees. The best part is that no matter where you start there is always room to advance through hard work and certification. I can’t wait to share all the opportunities with my students!

Did You Know?

Oregon II has a reverse osmosis system that uses salt water to create the freshwater needed aboard. The salt that is removed is returned back to the Gulf.

Challenge Question of the Day
(For my students: bonus points for the first person from each class period to answer it correctly):

This picture was taken from the screen of one of the navigation systems on the bridge.

What do you think is represented by each of the black squares with a dot inside?

Animals Seen Today:

Moon Jellyfish and Flying Fish

October 3, 2018

Kristin Hennessy-McDonald: That’s Why They Call It Fishing, September 30, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Kristin Hennessy-McDonald

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

September 15 – 30, 2018

Mission: Shark/Red Snapper Longline Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: September 30, 2018

Science and Technology Log

The past three days were light catch days. One day, we only caught a snake fish, which, as you can see, is a pretty tiny little guy. But, the data from a catch that brings up nothing is just as important as a catch that brings up 50 fish. As the saying goes, “If we always caught something, we would call it catching, not fishing.” We have brought up a few Sandbar sharks and Tiger sharks, some of them large enough to have to cradle. I have gotten to tag a few of the Sandbar sharks, which is still an amazing experience.

While we did not see many sharks, I had fun seeing the other organisms at the surface. There have been a lot of moon jellyfish as we have been pulling the line in, and it was clear enough that I was able to get a picture of a few of them as they floated by. One night, there were flying fish next to the ship, and one of them jumped onto the deck, so I was able to see one up close. One of the days, a pod of dolphins joined us on a run, and followed the boat for quite a while. So, while we did not see many sharks, I was able to see some awesome animals throughout the past few days.

The last night on the ship, I finished cleaning my shark jaws. Overnight, they soaked in hydrogen peroxide to whiten them, and today I set them to dry. I’m looking forward to taking them home and sharing them with all of my students.

It was an amazing two weeks. On Friday night, we set our last line, and it was bittersweet. Over the past two weeks, I have been able to fish with an amazing group of people. They allowed me to be a part of the team, and attempt each job setting and pulling in the line. I was able to put out the high flyer, sling bait, place numbers, clean barrels, and keep data on the computer. I learned how to tie a double-overhand knot, handle small sharks, tag sharks of all sizes, and had lots of fun doing it. I’m excited to head back to T-STEM Academy at East High School, but I will always fondly remember my time on the Oregon II.

Personal Log

One of the things that the night shift has done a few times is midnight hot dogs. Chris, the night shift lead fisherman, brings different types of hot dogs on the boat and will cook them at midnight for the shift change. It gives the night shift members something to eat before breakfast at 7 AM, and gives the day shift something to eat before bed. They go all out, with a condiment bar and gourmet buns.

Did You Know?

Once the Oregon II returns to port from this fourth leg of the Shark/Red Snapper Longline Survey, they will spend a week cleaning and preparing the ship to return to the Gulf of Mexico on a Groundfish Survey that will run from October 8-November 21. NOAA Groundfish surveys allow for the collection of data on the distribution of flora and fauna within the target region through the use of trawl nets.

Quote of the Day

The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.
~ John Buchan

Question of the Day

Sharks have teeth that are constantly being replaced. How many teeth will the average shark go through in their lifetime?

September 28, 2018

Kristin Hennessy-McDonald: Nurse Sharks, Tiger Sharks, and Sandbars, Oh My, September 27, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Kristin Hennessy-McDonald

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

September 15 – 30, 2018

Mission: Shark/Red Snapper Longline Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: September 27, 2018

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 2840.20N

Longitude: 8439.79W

Sea Wave Height: 0m

Wind Speed: 2.2 knots

Wind Direction: 39.04 degrees

Visibility: 10 nautical miles

Air Temperature: 30.045

Sky: 75% cloud cover

Science and Technology Log

We have moved from the coast of Texas, past Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, to the coast of Florida. When watching the video from the CTD, we have seen the sea floors go from mostly mud to sand. The water has decreased in turbidity, and the growth on the sea floor has increased. The make-up of our catches has changed too. We moved outside of the productive waters associated with the Mississippi River discharge, so our catch rates have decreased significantly.

Yesterday, we had a fun day of catching sharks I had never seen. Our first catch of the day brought up a juvenile Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). I was excited to be able to see this shark, which is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. On our later catch, we brought up three sharks large enough to require the cradle. First, we brought up a Sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus). Then, we were lucky enough to bring up a Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum). The mouth of the nurse shark has barbles, which it uses to feed from the sea floor. Our final shark of the evening was a much more developed Tiger Shark. I was lucky enough to help with the tagging of the animal.

Last night, we set a line at the end of day shift, and night shift brought it in. A few of the day shift science team members decided to stay up and watch some of the haul back, and were rewarded with seeing them bring in, not one, but two Silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis), back to back. From the upper deck of the ship, so that I was not in their way, I was able to observe the night shift work together to bring up these two large animals.

The night shift has gotten some pretty amazing catches, and they have enjoyed sharing them with us at shift change. The two shifts spend about half an hour together around noon and midnight sharing stories of the time when the other shift was asleep. The other day, the night shift caught Gulper Sharks (Centrophorus uyato) and Tile Fish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps). These are two species we have not seen on the day shift, so it was fun to look at their pictures and hear the stories of how they caught these fish.

Gulper Shark Photo Credit: Gregg Lawrence

tilefish — Tilefish Photo Credit: Gregg Lawrence

Personal Log

When we have a long run between stations, once I have gotten done sending emails and grading student work, we will spend some time watching movies in the lounge. The ship has a large collection of movies, both classic and recent. Watching movies keeps us awake during the late night runs, when we have to stay up until midnight to set a line.

The day shift has started to ask one another riddles as we are baiting and setting lines. It’s a fun way to bond as we are doing our work. One of my favorites have been: “1=3, 2=3, 3=5, 4=4, 5=4, 6=3, 7=5, 8=5, 9=4, 10=3. What’s the code?”

Did You Know?

Sharks don’t have the same type of skin that we do. Sharks have dermal denticles, which are tiny scales, similar to teeth, which are covered with enamel.

Quote of the Day

Teach all men to fish, but first teach all men to be fair. Take less, give more. Give more of yourself, take less from the world. Nobody owes you anything, you owe the world everything.

~Suzy Kassem

Question of the Day

I have a lot of teeth but I’m not a cog
I scare a lot of people but I’m not a spider
I have a fin but I’m not a boat
I’m found in the ocean but I’m not a buoy
I sometimes have a hammerhead but I don’t hit nails

What am I?

September 28, 2018

Martha Loizeaux: Sea You Soon, August 30, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Martha Loizeaux

Aboard NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter

August 22 – 31, 2018

Mission: Summer Ecosystem Monitoring Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Date: August 30, 2018

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 39.115 N
Longitude: 74.442 W
Water Temperature: 26.4◦C
Wind Speed: 11.7 knots
Wind Direction: SW
Air Temperature: 28.2◦C
Atmospheric Pressure: 1017.03 millibars
Depth: 22 meters

Science and Technology Log

One of my favorite things on this trip was the sunrises and sunsets.

As we wind down this cruise and start packing up all the gear, I find myself reflecting on all I’ve learned while acting as a Teacher at Sea. Tomorrow I’ll watch my last sunrise on the deck of NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter and it has truly been a once in a lifetime experience. Here are some of the lessons I’ll take away:

The ocean is huge and filled with so much life, it is hard to comprehend.
The actions of humans all over the world are so impactful, they are changing the basic ecosystem functions in the sea.
Scientists are doing SO MUCH more than I ever knew or ever will fully know.They have discovered more than most of us understand.The ones I have been spending time with are inquisitive, intelligent, and open to sharing what they know.Find a scientist and ASK lots of questions!
There are a lot of salps out there.
Satellites are cool and tell us A LOT of information.
LIGHT is an incredible thing.It allows life to exist.It moves and changes and bounces and bends and scatters in thousands of different colors, many of which our eyes can’t see.By studying what light is doing we can learn all kinds of things about what’s happening on Earth.
Plankton is cool.So is science.
Everything on our Earth is the way it is because of water and light.Surround yourself with both and you will feel connected to everything.
There are a lot of salps out there.

I know that after this journey I will continue to ask a lot of questions, research and explore what is happening in the scientific world, and connect my students to it as well. I hope I have inspired you to explore and wonder.

A little interview with the Deck Department

Steve on crane — Steve controlling the crane to deploy scientific equipment.

There are still lots of people on this ship who I have not interviewed, and I wish I had time to interview them all! But I did want to shed light on the Deck Department of the ship. These are the people who are the backbone of all of the ship’s daily tasks. They assist with every aspects of the ship’s operation, including navigation, sanitation, maintaining equipment, deploying scientific gear, and more. While waiting for the plankton nets to tow at our stations, I had the opportunity to ask some members of the Deck Department a few questions. Thanks Steve, Jeff, John, and Jerome (our Chief Bosun)!

Me – What would you be doing if you were not working for NOAA?

Steve – I have no idea.

Jeff – web development or traveling

John – I used to be a bricklayer

Jerome – I almost became a highway patrolman

Me – Do you have an outside hobby?

Jeff nets — Jeff deploying the bongo nets.

Steve – I dabble in the stock market and current affairs. I also love stargazing.

Jeff – piano, photography, and backpacking

John – I used to be on two softball leagues.

Jerome – time with family

Myself, the other volunteers, and the Deck Department had many a brief chat while waiting for the plankton nets or the CTD. We talked about financial decisions, travel locations, and life at sea. Thanks for keeping the ship operations running smoothly Deck Department!

Personal Log

I am looking forward to seeing a new city tomorrow from the perspective of the ship as we head in to port in Norfolk, VA, where I will catch a plane to fly home. It will be a bittersweet ending to an amazing experience. I am definitely looking forward to seeing my family and sharing stories at home. I am inspired to get out on the water more and become more involved in the local science happening around my home in the Florida Keys. I will miss the expansive view of water and sky and the constant learning that I have experienced on NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter. But I am inspired and excited and ready to head home!

Did You Know?

We saw two leatherback sea turtles today! The leatherback is the largest of all living turtles and is the fourth heaviest reptile (some crocodilians are heavier). They get so huge on a diet of only jellyfish!

leatherback noaa — The leatherback sea turtle. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

DO Try This At Home

Do you live near the water? You can make your own plankton net and tow for plankton. You’ll need a nylon stocking and a clean peanut butter jar. Cut the foot off of the stocking and cut a circle out of the top of the jar. Fit the ankle of the stocking over the top of the peanut butter jar and screw on the lid so that the hole in the lid faces into the stocking. Now you have a basic plankton net. Drag your net through the water, allowing the water to flow into the net and into the jar. After a couple of minutes, look in your jar. Do you see any tiny critters moving around? That’s plankton! Make sure you release your plankton after you get a good look at it.

diy plankton net — You can make a homemade plankton net! Photo courtesy of NOAA

September 28, 2018April 2, 2021

Stephen Kade: the Art of the High Seas, September 21, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Stephen Kade

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 23 – August 10, 2018

Mission: Long Line Shark/ Red Snapper survey Leg 1

Geographic Area: Southeastern U.S. coast

Date: September 21, 2018

Thresher by Kade — Watercolor painting of Thresher shark, Stephen Kade TAS 2018

Scientific Journal:

While aboard the NOAA Ship Oregon II, I was able to create some art, which is my absolute passion in life. I was able use my time before and after most shifts to draw and paint the fish and sharks with watercolor paint and water from the ocean. It was tricky to paint with the constant movement of the ship, but I was able to paint over 20 paintings of sharks, fish, and the Oregon II over the 16 days on board the ship.

various watercolor paintings done aboard Oregon II, by Stephen Kade, TAS 2018

Now that I’ve been home for a month, I’ve had some time to reflect on my NOAA Teacher at Sea experience. If I told you my NOAA Teacher At Sea experience was incredible, I would be understating it quite a bit. I knew the excitement of working on the mighty NOAA Ship Oregon II and participating in the shark survey would be a highlight of my lifetime for sure. The opportunity to work with NOAA scientists, fishermen, and the rest of the crew was the best learning experience a teacher and artist could ask for. But just a week after returning, it was back to school and I needed to find ways to convey what I learned to my students. I began by creating a digital infographic about Longline Fishing so they would have a visual to go along with my explanation.

Digital Longline Fishing infographic by Stephen Kade, TAS 2018

I wanted to inform my students to create awareness about the species of shark and other ocean inhabitants that are threatened and endangered. I also wanted them to learn science about the animals and incorporate some of that data into their art to make their images more impactful to those that see them. We want to compile related projects together until later in the year for our annual Night of the Arts- NOAA Edition.

Student Art from OL Smith Middle School, Dearborn, MI

We also created three life size Art Shark paintings and posted them in the hallways of our school to advocate for sharks through art and work to give sharks a more positive community image, and not the sensational, fearful media portrayal of sharks.

Student Art - Sand Tiger Shark — Student Art from OL Smith Middle School, Dearborn, MI

Sandbar Shark — Student Art from OL Smith Middle School, Dearborn, MI

3′ x 8′ painting of Great Hammerhead shark, Stephen Kade TAS 2018

As a fine artist painter, the Teacher At Sea experience has helped to make my artwork much more accurate for several reasons. Primarily the reason was proximity. I was able to see the sharks and fish first hand everyday, and take many reference photos of our catch each day. I could now see the beautiful colors of different sharks while out of the water, which I never had seen before. I was also able to speak to the fishermen and scientists each day about the behaviors and biology of the fish and I gained insight from listening to their vast experiences in the oceans all around the globe.

Since being home, I’ve begun to paint a series of scientifically accurate side views of my favorite sharks, and eventually I will digitally compile them into one poster after I get 15 to 18 completed. After that, I’ll begin a series of paintings with sharks swimming in their natural environment to bring more color and visual dynamics onto the canvas. This has been the most inspiring adventure of my life, and I will continue to advocate for my favorite ocean animals by using art to bring the respect and admiration that these beautiful sharks deserve to continue to thrive long into Earth’s distant future.