Volunteer Jade Salis poses during the safety drill.
This suit is so big on me! My fingers look swollen!
I will see Jade before she goes to bed since our work schedules are opposite (12am-12pm vs 12pm-12am)
Fisheries Biologist Jim Patterson answers questions from students at McNair High.
Senior Research Associate Heather Moncrief-Cox shares her experiences with the students at McNair High School.
Amazing sunrises & sunsets every day!
Maronda’s silhouette at sunset.
Now that we have departed Cape Canaveral, I’m enjoying the Florida coastline! It didn’t take long for Fisherman Josh Cooper to catch a Wahoo. He must have read my mind about plans for dinner.
Science Log
On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, NOAA Ship Oregon II departed Cape Canaveral and started a path along the Florida coastline headed to the Gulf of Mexico. All of us took another Covid-19 test before departure to keep everyone safe. We had to wait for 17,000 gallons of diesel fuel to load the vessel. I was surprised about the amount of fuel needed for our journey! Although my shift begins at 12pm, I have time to get adjusted since we haven’t made it to the 1st location. I included my students in the interviews with several shipmates. Heather Moncrief-Cox, Senior Research Associate, and Jim Patterson, Fisheries Biologist, sat with me while I logged into Google Meet during my 9th grade Algebra Math class. They seemed happy to answer the questions shown below and were patient with the students. Mrs. Ashanti Raymond, teacher at McNair High School, did an excellent job monitoring the students working while they took their turn asking questions in front of the screen.
On Thursday, September 1, 2022, the students from my Coordinate Algebra & Pre-Calculus classes interviewed Chuck Godwin, Lead Fisherman, and Collin Lynch, Chief Electronics Technician. Their careers & lives are quite interesting! We found out more information about the logistics of fisheries surveys, different careers, education & certifications. I appreciate them taking the time to talk to us! This experience helps me and others understand the purpose of research, safety rules, and how everyone’s part is important!
Interview Question suggestions for the students at McNair High School
The carousel of pictures was taken while students logged into Google Meet to interview my shipmates. Many of the students took notes & emailed me their summary.
McNair High Students Interview Jim Patterson, NOAA Fisheries Biologist aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II:
What was your most memorable moment at sea?
While I was doing my job a sperm whale came up from the water! It rolled over to the point where you could see its eye and we just stared at each other. It was so remarkable to me that I forgot to turn on my camera.
How does being at sea affect your family life?
I don’t have my own family so therefore that’s not a problem for me. I talk to and meet new amazing people all the time.
What advice can you give students?
Do whatever you are interested in and the work you do in the end will all be worth it! You’ll be happy that you did it.
What is rewarding about your job?
There’s so much that I’ve discovered over the years and new things that I’ve learned. The experience also is something that’s worth it, along with the view of the ocean and sights of the creatures.
How are environmental issues related to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math)?
STEAM applies to just about everything in life.
McNair High Students of Dekalb County, Georgia, interview Chuck Godwin, NOAA Lead Fisherman:
What certificates or degrees do you have?
I have a Wildlife Management Ecology degree and Multi-Management Certification.
How does your job affect your family?
When my kids were younger this would affect them because I would be gone 2 weeks to 2 months. They are grown now so not so much.
What was your most memorable moment at sea?
We caught a 27 foot basking shark.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
I like the long-lasting friendships and my shipmates are like a second family to me.
What are you looking forward to aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II?
I’m hoping to catch a record-winning great white shark.
Why is your research important?
I protect species and keep them going. I make sure they are okay.
Heather Moncrief-Cox: Senior Research Associate
McNair High Students of Dekalb County, Georgia, Interview Heather Moncrief-Cox, NOAA Senior Research Associate:
When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in science or ocean care?
I’ve always wanted to do this ever since 3rd grade when I dressed up as a Marine Biologist. At 13, I started shark diving.
Why is your research important?
It’s important to do research because it allows you to learn information you might not have known before. You can also gather evidence or proof to contribute to the information you learned.
Heather makes sure data is recorded and tissue samples are stored properly for later research.
On Friday, September 2nd, 2022, the students in my Analytic Geometry class interviewed Fisherman Josh Cooper. He was very helpful with different positions on the deck. He explained his life at sea & talked about some of the fish he recently caught. Later during the week, he prepared ceviche for everyone with the fresh catch of the day.
Josh Cooper: Fisherman
Colin Lynch: Chief Electronics Technician
McNair High Students of Dekalb County, Georgia, interview Josh Cooper: NOAA Fisherman
What are your normal duties?
I maintain the deck, catch fish, and work where I’m needed.
McNair High Students of Dekalb County, Georgia, interview Colin Lynch: NOAA Chief Electronics Technician
How does your job affect your social life?
You have to know what you are getting into. I’ve been on the vessel for about 2 months. It’s a challenge and it’s all about knowing how to manage your time. NOAA is really good about giving time off.
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022, I interviewed my supervisor Trey Driggers & Fisherman Chris Love. I was able to use a Voice Recorder APP & my phone to capture the moments. Trey was very detailed with explaining the purpose of collecting the data & helped me increase my marine life vocabulary. Chris shared lots of sunrise pictures & we often compared photos between shifts.
Trey Driggers: Research Fishery Biologist
Chris Love: Seaman/Fisherman
Chris Love: Seaman/Fisherman
McNair High Math Teacher of Dekalb County, Georgia, Interviews Trey Driggers: Supervisor and Chief Scientist:
“We collect otoliths (inner ear bones) from bony fish species that help the fish navigate near reefs. Then we send the samples to the Panama City Lab to determine the age of the fish. They compare the age & length to see how fast they grow.”
How do you keep the bait organized?
You have to go in order so the lines don’t get crossed. We put a total of 50 hooks with bait in each barrel. The last one in is the first one out. Make sure you put the hooks in the Mackerel bait twice to be more secure. Sometimes you’ll get pieces of the bait back or none at all. If we’re lucky, then we’ll catch a few fish. The numbers on the hooks help us stay organized too.
McNair High Math Teacher of Dekalb County, Georgia, Interviews Chris Love: NOAA Able-Bodied Seaman/Fisherman:
What challenges do you face?
Being away from home. Sometimes you miss out on things. If you play around and don’t pay attention, then you can get seriously hurt.
Do you have any memorable moments?
You get to go to different places and experience things away from home. You meet new people on the ships and ports you visit.
On Friday, September 9th, 2022, my students interviewed Lieutenant Commander, Aaron Colohan. He has a lot of responsibilities & made sure we were safe on the ship. He has a large budget of 1.2 million dollars with many factors to consider.
Aaron Colohan: Lieutenant Commander
Aaron Colohan: Lieutenant Commander
McNair High Students of Dekalb County, Georgia, interview Aaron Colohan, NOAA Lieutenant Commander:
What are some rewards you get from your job?
I believe in what I’m doing. My reward is doing something for my country, the world, and the planet. This is an opportunity to work outside of the military for public good.
I have to work with 23-30 people a day and make sure they are happy in their environment along with me. I make sure they are well fed and safe with a $1.2 million budget.
On Monday, September 12th, 2022, I interviewed James McDade, Junior Engineer. I had to use ear plugs because the noise level is very loud on the bottom of the ship where the engine & equipment is located. It was very hot & the space was tight.
James McDade: Junior Engineer
James McDade: Junior Engineer
McNair High Math Teacher of Dekalb County, Georgia, Interviews James McDade: NOAA Junior Engineer:
What made you choose this career?
I got lucky because I was supposed to only work for 60 days, but I was offered a permanent position over 20 years ago. I had no idea. I’ve been able to travel and see beautiful places all around the Hawaiian Islands.
What challenges do you face?
What I do is maintenance. If anything breaks down, I repair it. I check the refrigeration, water leaks, engines, change filters, and pipe system. Before, it was easy to save money while at sea, but now due to online services I spend more.
Can you describe a memorable moment?
When I worked in Hawaii it was fun going to all the different islands and meeting new people. I also visited Taipan China & Guam. I enjoyed having fun in those places. The atmosphere is nice with everyone getting along.
Do you need a degree or certification for your career?
Yes, I went to training at SIU Piney Point Maryland. That’s where I picked up my last endorsement. I need one more license to be an official engineer. I have to study on my own & take the test.
What advice would you give students?
Check out the different careers. Keep a clean record because you are dealing with the government. You want to make sure you can travel, get a passport so you can see the world. I would also say learn how to work with people. You don’t have to like everybody but be respectful & know how to work together.
Personal Log
I am glad we are on our way to the Gulf of Mexico! The shoreline is gorgeous & the skyline is ever changing into patterns of colorful art. Soon I will no longer see land & view the ever-changing skyline. I’m excited that I get to share this experience with my students & colleagues while sailing. My shipmates work well together & are willing to pitch in wherever they are needed.
On Monday, August 30, 2022, I met my shipmates in Cape Canaveral in front of the ship. We all had to take a self-administered Covid-19 test and wait 30 minutes for the results to appear on the sensor. I was so nervous staring at the apparatus every 5 seconds waiting for the light to brighten on a negative result. That was too much stress! What if it said positive? Would I have to head back to Atlanta or wait a few days? Once the ship leaves the dock, then it does not disembark until the end of the research project. That would have been a disaster! Luckily my results were negative! I was able to board the 170 feet ship NOAA Oregon II, locate my room and take a quick tour.
This ship’s homeport is Pascagoula, Mississippi and conducts a variety of research surveys in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. The surveys focus on fisheries, marine mammals, and plankton. Commanding Officer Eric Johnson can lead his staff for up to 33 days at a time. The following are the maximum numbers for the staff.
Commissioned Officers/Mates = 5, Licensed Engineers = 3, Unlicensed Engineers = 2, Deck = 6, Stewards = 2, Electronic Technician = 1, Total Crew = 19, Scientists = 12. Up to 12 people can sit in the dining area at one time with 6 people spread amongst 2 tables.
The ship is equipped with a 275 square feet wet lab, 210 square feet hydro lab, 100 square feet bio lab, 75 square feet computer lab, 4 dive team equipment, 2 cranes, a cradle, trawl nets, hydraulics, ropes, long line fishing gear, a medical treatment room, a laundry room, and a rescue boat that can hold 6 people.
We had to wait for 17,000 gallons of diesel fuel to fill the ship, stock the kitchen, and get other necessary supplies. Can you calculate how much this gas costs in your city? There are a lot of factors that affect the outcome of our journey as we crisscross around the Gulf of Mexico. Luckily, we have trained professionals doing their job!
Top Left: Front of Ship (Bow), Top Right: Dining Area, Bottom Left: Computer Lab, Bottom Right: Bridge, Captain’s Area
Personal Log
I appreciate my Uncle Bill who made sure I arrived in Cape Canaveral safely. It was good to see him with his gracious welcome to Orlando, Florida. Now that I completed the initial paperwork & received a negative Covid result, I am happy to meet my shipmates! My work schedule will be from 12pm to 12am with breaks in between. I’m the only Teacher at Sea on this ship along with 2 college interns and a volunteer. We are all excited about the upcoming experience. There’s a lot of information to learn in a short period of time, but I think I can manage. My state room has a full bathroom, lots of storage space & twin bunkbeds with curtains. I chose the top bunk. I met with Mr. Collin Lynch, Chief Electronics Technician as soon as I got settled into my room. He made sure my computer & cell phone are connected to the Wi-Fi system. I really appreciate him because I still need to connect with my students, plan lessons & make sure they get assistance as needed during my breaks.
While my shipmates & I waited for the supplies to come in, we had dinner at the local restaurants along the waterfront. I learned how to keep score in a darts game and still lost. I had hoped to see a rocket launch, but the mission was cancelled/postponed. The disappointed people were in traffic starting at 3am in the morning to get a good spot. Oh well, maybe next time.
Top Left: My Uncle Bill, Top Right: Me with no luck at darts, Bottom Left: Lead Fisherman, Chuck Godwin, Bottom Right: Me still trying to earn points
I enjoyed listening to the stories, having great meals & asking a few questions. I found out that some of them conduct surveys for up to 45 days before they go home. Some are married with kids while others are single, or kids are grown now. Either way, they adjust to life at sea. Check out a few pictures from my flight to time in Cape Canaveral.
My Uncle Bill lives in Orlando & made sure I arrived to Cape Canaveral safely.
NOAA Ship Oregon II in port
NOAA Ship Oregon II in port
Arrived safely!
NOAA Ship Oregon II, R 332
NOAA Ship Oregon II was built in Pascagoula in 1967.
As a teacher, I am constantly involved in professional development activities which could take the form of a presentation, workshop, seminar, book study or immersive educator experiences such as NOAA Teacher at Sea. At the end of each offering, whether I am required to or not, I take it upon myself to consider its impact on me as an educator and reflect upon how the take-home messages will impact my students. Because of the wide-ranging facets and extensive learning opportunities provided by the Teacher at Sea cruise, I took particular interest in drafting my reflections. It was an experience that I spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about and an activity that I looked forward to reflecting upon. However, just to be clear, reflections in my definition is not a concise and cogent summary of the activities that occurred while on cruise. This is what was presented in each prior post of my blog. Rather, my reflection represents a “30,000-foot overview” of my interpretation and evaluation of the experience.
As I prepared the text for the reflections of my Teacher at Sea cruise, I opted to adapt the words to photos of scenic views taken from onboard the R/V Tommy Munro and threaded the images together in a video presentation.
Reflections of my Teacher at Sea Experience
Reflections of a Teacher at Sea George Hademenos SEAMAP Groundfish Survey
As I gaze in any direction at the seemingly endless volumes of ocean, I see questions… questions to be answered and answers to be questioned, questions to be formed and questions to be researched, questions that will inspire one to learn beyond imagination… with answers that will foster an understanding deep within… of the unexplored frontier of marine life below the water’s surface. Questions to me present an opportunity… to celebrate what we know and to stimulate our quest to discover what we don’t. As a NOAA Teacher at Sea, I will return to the classroom with… questions waiting to be answered, answers waiting to be investigated, and hopefully career paths in ocean sciences waiting to be pursued.
I hope you enjoy the video and for my educator colleagues, please consider taking advantage of this “once in a lifetime” opportunity for you and your students.
In wrapping up the final post for this blog, I would like to continue with the final installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework and ask you to respond to three questions about the seventh essential principle (The ocean is largely unexplored), presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
Greetings from Atlanta, Georgia. Join me during my research on the NOAA Ship Oregon II in an expedition studying shark and red snapper. I am excited to board the ship in Cape Canaveral, Florida and head to the Gulf of Mexico for about 14 days. Be a part of my journey and interact through my blog.
I first learned about NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program while at the Georgia Aquarium for a workshop two years ago. I immediately looked up more information & started the application process. Although I was accepted & thrilled to participate, Covid-19 delayed my departure. Please understand how frustrated I was as the world’s plans changed before my eyes! Normally I delete spam emails, but I did several searches to make sure I didn’t miss out on the email contacting me back to the original plan. I was so excited to finally get the news I’ve been waiting for that I did a happy dance.
In 2017 I was fortunate to participate in the Georgia Aquarium “Rivers to Reefs” program where educators spent one week testing water in the Altamaha River Watershed. We started in Atlanta and worked our way to Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. Our field experiences included a behind the scenes tour of the Georgia Aquarium, testing water in Shoals Creek on Glenwood Avenue, High Falls State Park in Jackson Georgia, canoe the Ocmulgee River where it meets the Oconee River, Sapelo Island Marine Institute, and Skidaway Island Marine Science Center. This experience opened my eyes to more opportunities for my students and enlightened me on how humans effect the environment. I immediately worked on developing student project presentations and fieldtrips the next school year. I love seeing the “Aha” moments and taking my students to Skidaway Island and other places around the world. I get just as excited as them when they figure out things work.
Georgia Aquarium Rivers to Reefs Program in 2017 Shoals CreekGA Aquarium Rivers to Reefs Program 2017 High Falls ParkGeorgia Aquarium Rivers to Reefs Program 2017 Sapelo IslandGeorgia Aquarium Rivers to Reefs Program 2017 Gray’s Reef
While studying Math & Computer Science at Savannah State University, I spent a lot of time in the Marine Biology building working on projects, catching small crabs at the school’s dock, walking to the docks at Thunderbolt, and Tybee Island collecting samples. This allowed me to relax, rejuvenate, learn about the environment and be creative. Now I challenge my students and people around me to do the same. Currently I teach Algebra, Geometry & Pre-Calculus and would like to incorporate more cross-curricular projects with my students.
Field trip with McNair High Students 2022
Mariah was all smiles while she examined the fish at Skidaway Island Marine Science Center 2019
Students Examine Samples at Skidaway Island Marine Science Center 2019
Upcoming Surveys in the Gulf of Mexico
My work hours will be from 12pm – 12am leaving from Cape Canaveral & headed to the Gulf of Mexico aboard the NOAA Ship OregonII. I am excited to work with all types of sharks & red snapper along the way. Listen, if I pull a shark from the tail will it try to bite me? How close do I need to be? How long can the fish be out of water while I carefully examine it & put back in the ocean? What will I use all this information for? Are you trying to make me shark meat? Which statistic will I increase? What if a hurricane approaches, do I need to record that too or leave town? Soon I will find out. Let’s get started!
What did the faculty & students have to say before I depart?
Last week students & faculty members had something to say about this exciting journey I will participate in with NOAA. I am honored to carry the torch for the Teacher at Sea Program this year and proudly immerse myself in the entire experience. Check out what a few people had to say.
Student Da’Vaughn T. : “I would like field trips such as helping the marine life and be able to visit underwater animals.”
Math Instructional Coach Eboni Arnold: “Science research can help students at McNair High School by enhancing their critical thinking skills, mathematical competency as well as gain an in-depth knowledge of science based real life practical skills to enhance their learning. Environmental issues are related to STEAM because the more students and educators know about the environment, they are able to raise awareness of the importance of being environmentally safe and protecting our society through learned experiences. Everyone can benefit from this amazing experience through Ms. Hastie sharing her blogs, notes, her own experiences, and the connections she will make with her students, colleagues, and within McNair High School. Ms. Hastie is an excellent choice for this opportunity because she always connects real-life opportunities to her classroom instruction. She provides opportunities for students to experience life outside the classroom through field trips and project-based learning.”
Principal Dr. Loukisha Walker:
Principal Dr. Loukisha Walker
“Hello, my name is Dr. Loukisha Walker and I am a proud principal of Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School in Atlanta, Georgia. I would like to speak on why Ms. Hastie is the perfect choice for the Teacher at Sea Program.
“For Ms. Hastie, this opportunity is simply an extension of prior and current activities that she has used to expose students to opportunities and programs that would otherwise be out of reach for our students. This allows students to broaden their scope of possibilities for careers and even travel. Ms. Hastie, in addition to all of these things, is an avid blogger, project creator, and loves to communicate what she has learned to students to give them wisdom and insight, though they did not experience it first hand. For this reason and others, Ms. Hastie is simply the perfect choice for the Teacher at Sea Program. I know that Ms. Hastie, and her work ethic, and the way she pays attention to detail, she will take all of that information and bring it back to our students and make sure that she relays that information to them. She’s gonna talk about how exciting it is for them. She’s going to even speak on just her experience for being at sea for so many days. So with all of those things in mind, Ms. Hastie is going to not only do an amazing job while she’s at sea for 15 days, but she’s going to record, she’s going to continue to blog while she’s there, she’s gonna take a ton of photos and she’s going to come back and make sure our students experience it as if they were there with her.
“This is Ms. Hastie, this is her work ethic, and we’re so proud of her and we know she’s going to do an amazing job with the Teacher at Sea Program. Congratulations once again, Go Mustangs, and we are proud of you.“
Assistant Principal of Attendance & Testing, Dr. Barbara Long:
Assistant Principal of Attendance & Testing, Dr. Barbara Long
“Good afternoon, my name is Dr. Barbara Long. I serve as the assistant principal of attendance and testing at the fantastic Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School. We are so proud of Ms. Maronda Hastie and all that she is going to learn, do, and share when she returns from this amazing adventure. Science research can benefit our students at Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School in multiple ways. Number 1, it will surely help to develop our students’ problem solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills. Hopefully students will engage in actionable research projects following this pursuit and partner and collaborate with others to devise solutions to these real life problems and ultimately benefit the communities in which we live. So I’m looking forward to the engagement, activities, and application of the real science for our students. Proud to be a leader here.”
Art Teacher Debra Jeter:
Art Teacher Debra Jeter
“There’s something that’s universal about science research that could not only benefit the students at McNair, but benefit anyone to know what’s going on around us. How else can we, you know, contribute or help or even understand and live in this world if we don’t have some understanding of, you know, what’s going on around us. And the ocean is so important to us. And I think Ms. Hastie is a great choice for this, because not only has she been well traveled, but she has a great interest in science research and the environment.
“And not only that, but she does the most, you know? Like, she’ll be in there, following them and asking questions and writing it down and making sure she bring it back and share with McNair. And so many of these environmental issues are related to STEAM, too, which is a big concern for all the teachers at McNair, because environmental issues, as global warming continues, is gonna be vital for us all to understand how we can contribute to making our environment more peaceful. And not so hostile, and, you know, so many species are going extinct, if we just let this continue, we might be extinct too. And I’m sure that she’s gonna benefit… We’ll all benefit from her experience of being out there. I can’t wait to hear her stories and see her photos. I’ve been on journeys with her before she’s a marvelous… She know how to find places and go places and do things, she’s very capable. It’s gonna be fascinating just to hear her second-hand stories of what she found and how we can help make the world a better place.”
Business & Technology Teacher Wanda Charles-Henley
Business & Technology Teacher Wanda Charles-Henley
“Hello, my name is Wanda Charles-Henley and I’m a business teacher here at McNair High School. And I’d like to answer question number two: how and why is Ms. Hastie a good choice for this opportunity? I think Ms. Hastie is a perfect candidate for this opportunity because she’s always willing to go above and beyond for not only the students here at McNair, but also the staff members. She’s always willing to lend a helping hand. As a new teacher here, she was the first one to come and say she would teach me some of the new programs ’cause I’d been out of education for a while. She’s always one of the last teachers to leave the building. So she has a number of programs that she has coordinated for the students, exposing them to a lot of the opportunities outside of school. She also has the Chick-fil-A Leadership Program. She’ll coordinate activities for the students such as skating, coordinate activities such as environmentally cleaning up the Chattahoochee River. She’s always coming up with innovative ways to get the students involved. And I just think she will be an excellent candidate, and she is an outstanding teacher, and I can’t wait to see what she brings back to McNair High School and all the information she’s gonna share with us. Go Ms. Hastie!”
Culinary Arts Teacher Chef Leslie Gordon-Hudson:
Culinary Arts Teacher Chef Leslie Gordon-Hudson
“Okay, my question that I will be answering is how and why is Ms. Hastie a good choice for this opportunity… Ms. Hastie is a good choice for this opportunity, ’cause she is one teacher, I know, that will go out and get the resources and the information and bring it back not just to her math class, but in the entire school and engage the entire school, and whatever the idea is or the project or the learn resource or whatever the systems that she learned, that’s why I think she’s a great choice for this program.”
Student Dieynabou D.:
Student Dieynabou D.
“I believe that everyone can benefit from this great experience because it will provide excellent exposure into many things, including careers into oceanography. As a student leader, and a member of the National Beta Club here at McNair High School, I’m looking forward to creating community service activities that are involved with the environment.”
And here’s what I have to say:
Teacher at Sea Maronda Hastie
“Hi, my name is Maronda Hastie. I am a representative of McNair High School in DeKalb County, Georgia. I am so excited to have been selected to be a part of the Teacher at Sea Program. I first heard about it at the Georgia Aquarium, and it is a program from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So I’m excited that I’m gonna be studying shark and red snapper (hope the shark doesn’t eat me!) but I’m excited about studying the shark, because once I do all of my research for a few weeks, I get to bring it all back and I will share it with my colleagues, I will share it with my students, and I will share it with the community. So I feel like my job is to just spread the information about oceanic opportunities, as well as opportunities for the students to know about more careers, more field trips, more hands-on activities in the classroom. So I’ll develop a few lessons, so although I teach math, we can do interdisciplinary projects, so I’ll be working with, say, the science teacher, I work with the art teacher, I work with any teacher who would like to create lessons with me, so that we can, you know, expose our children. So I’m excited.“
When I received my assigned schedule for my time at sea aboard the R/V Tommy Munro, I was participating in Leg 1 of the Summer SEAMAP Groundfish Survey that departed Biloxi, MS on July 18 and returned to Biloxi, MS on July 27. In a previous post, I highlighted the changes that have occurred since its original planned journey (departing from Galveston, TX instead of Biloxi, MS; change in ships from Oregon II to Tommy Munro; and change in dates from 6/20 – 7/3 to 7/18 – 7/27). With all of these changes, the cruise was delayed by one day because of logistical concerns. Once everyone boarded the vessel on the evening of July 19 and we left dock, it truly felt like this experience was actually happening… and it was. But as they say, especially among scientists, one should always expect the unexpected.
On early Sunday morning while asleep following my shift, I was awoken by one of my bunkmates that we would by stopping the survey and heading to port early because of an emergency issue with a crew member. We were expected to arrive in Biloxi on Monday, July 25 by 6:00 am.
As Sunday evening came around, the estimated time of arrival was moved up to 4:30 am so I simply stayed up so I would be packed and ready to go once we reached port. My immediate worry turned to my flight from Biloxi to Dallas but the NOAA Teacher at Sea staff were on it and I was confronted with a good news/bad news scenario. The good news? I was able to get on a flight for Monday. The bad news? The flight was scheduled for 7:00 pm. So I stayed aboard the ship until 12 Noon and then called for a taxi. I decided to contact the driver who took me from the airport in Biloxi upon arrival. He was honest, friendly and personable so I decided to see if he was available for a ride to the airport. This turned out to be another good news/bad news scenario. The good news? Yes, the taxi cab driver was available to pick me up and take me to the airport. The bad news? He would be able to pick me up until 3:00 pm, leaving me with a 3-hour wait but I felt good knowing I had a ride to the airport.
As luck would have it, the driver showed up about 15 minutes early and I was off to the airport. Following check in at the counter, I went through security and on to my gate to await the flight. There were several changes in the departure time but in the end it turned out to be delayed approximately 30 minutes. The flight was short in duration (about 90 minutes) and smooth. The flight is detailed in the attached figure below.
Information Regarding my Homeward Bound Flight
After a short wait at baggage claim to retrieve my luggage and a 30-minute taxi ride home, it was the end of a very tiring day, and the beginning of a period of reflection and processing of a very exciting experience. In the next and final blog post, I will share my reflections from my time as a NOAA Teacher at Sea.
In this installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I would like to ask you
to respond to three questions about the sixth essential principle (The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.), presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
In this post, I would like to walk you through my interactions and observations with the science research being conducted aboard the R/V Tommy Munro, in particular, the steps that were taken during a trawling process. The entire process involved three stages: Preparing for Sampling, Conducting the Sampling, and Analyzing the Sampling with each stage consisting of six distinct steps.
Step 1: The ship travels to designated coordinates for sampling sites as determined for the particular leg of the Survey by SEAMAP (Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program).
Ship Transport to Sampling Site
Step 2: Once the ship reaches the site, a Secchi disk is attached to a cable and lowered into the water off the side of the ship to determine visibility. When the disk can no longer be seen, the depth is recorded and the disk is raised and secured on ship.
Deployment of Secchi Disk
Step 3: A CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) unit is then prepared for deployment. It is a rectangular chamber with sensors designed to measure physical properties of the water below including dissolved oxygen, conductivity, transmissivity, and depth.
Preparation of CTD Unit
Step 4: The CTD unit is powered on and first is submerged just below the surface of the water and left there for three minutes for sensors to calibrate. It is then lowered to a specified depth which is 2 meters above the floor of the body of water to protect the sensors from damage.
Deployment of CTD Unit
Step 5: Once the CTD unit has reached the designated depth, it remains there only for seconds until it is raised up and secured on board the ship.
Recovery of CTD Unit
Step 6: The CTD unit is then turned off and the unit is connected through a cable to a computer in the dry lab for data upload. Once the data upload is completed, the CTD unit is flushed with deionized water using a syringe and plastic tubing and then secured on the side of the ship.
Data Upload from CTD Unit
II. Conducting the Sampling
Step 1: The trawling process now begins with the trawl nets thrown off the back of the ship. The nets are connected to two planks, each weighing about 350 lbs, which not only submerges the nets but also provide an angled resistance which keeps the nets open in the form of a cone – optimal for sampling while the ship is in motion.
Preparation of the Trawling Process Part 1
Preparation of the Trawling Process Part 2
Step 2: Once the trawl nets have been released into the water from the ship, the ship starts up and continues on its path for 30 minutes as the nets are trapping marine life it encounters.
Onset of the Trawling Process
Step 3: After 30 minutes has transpired, a siren sounds and the ship comes to a stop. The two weighted planks are pulled upon the ship followed by the trawl nets.
Conclusion of the Trawling Process Part 1
Conclusion of the Trawling Process Part 2
Step 4: The trawl nets are raised and hoisted above buckets for all specimens to be collected. Then begins the process of separation. In the first separation, the marine life is separated from seaweed, kelp and other debris. The buckets with marine life and debris are then weighed and recorded.
Content Collection from the Trawl Part 1
Content Collection from the Trawl Part 2
Step 5: The bucket(s) with marine life are emptied upon a large table on the ship’s stern for separation according to species.
Separation Based on Species Part 1
Separation Based on Species Part 2
Step 6: Each species of marine life is placed in their own tray for identification, examination, and measurements inside the wet lab.
Species Sorted in Trays Part 1
Species Sorted in Trays Part 2
III. Analyzing the Sampling
Step 1: After all species were grouped in their trays, all trays were taken into the wet lab for analysis. Each species was positively identified, counted, and recorded.
Tray Transport to Wet Lab
Step 2: Once each species was identified and counted, the total number of species was weighed while in the tray (accounting for the mass of the tray) and recorded on a spreadsheet to a connected computer display system.
Total Weight Measurements
Step 3: For each species, the length of each specimen was recorded using a magnetic wand with a sensor that facilitated the electronic recording of the value into a spreadsheet.
Individual Length Measurements
Step 4: Weights of the collected species were recorded for the first sample and every fifth one that followed.
Individual Weight Measurements
Step 5: If time permitted between samplings, the sex of selected specimens for a species was determined and recorded.
Individual Species Sex Identification
Step 6:Once the entire sampling was analyzed, selected samples of specimens were placed in a baggie and stored in a freezer for further analysis with the remaining specimens returned to a larger bucket and thrown overboard into the waters. The separation table was cleaned with a hose and buckets were piled in preparation for the next sampling.
Finalize Process and Prepare for Next
In this installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I would like to ask you
to respond to three questions about the fifth essential principle (The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.), presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
In the prior blog post, I focused my attention on the ship that I would be sailing on during Leg 1 of the Summer SEAMAP Groundfish Survey and then took you on a virtual tour of the various compartments and areas of the R/V Tommy Munro. The ship is an enclosed, confined space and thus I found myself spending much of my time in most of the compartments and areas of the ship during my time on the cruise. In this post, I would like to describe what life was like on the ship as a member of the science team.
Work schedule
My primary role as a Teacher at Sea was to participate in the research process for this cruise – Summer Groundfish Survey. The detailed step-by-step description of the preparation, collecting, measuring, and analysis of sampling specimens of marine life will be covered in the following blog post. However, regarding the work conducted on the ship, research is ongoing continuously on a 24-hour schedule. The science research team was grouped into two teams with each team working a 12-hour shift. The two teams worked either the AM shift (12:00 am Midnight – 12:00 pm Noon) or the PM shift (12:00 pm Noon – 12:00 am Midnight), seven days a week. I was assigned the PM shift, which took a little getting used to but after the first full shift, the schedule became a routine schedule.
Small living quarters
One of things I should have packed prior to the cruise was a football helmet. Why you might ask? In the prior post as I took you on a tour of the R/V Tommy Munro, I showed pictures of my living quarters on the ship and my bed which provided limited space. If you will recall, my bed was the bottom bunk to the left in the photo below.
My living quarters aboard the R/V Tommy Munro.
In fact, as I retired to my bed on the first night, I bumped my head. I then got up to go to the bathroom and I bumped my head. Returning to the bed and positioning myself under the covers, I bumped my head yet again. After bumping my head an additional 1,374 times (not really but it seemed like an accurate enough number), I wish I had thought to pack a football helmet but I was not the only one having trouble moving in my bed without bumping my head. My bunkmates experienced the same thing – apparently a normal occurrence in life at sea.
Meals
One thing to note that while aboard the ship, I never… and I mean never… found myself hungry. There were all sorts of food to accommodate all tastes for all workers at all hours of the day and night. The cook on board the R/V Tommy Munro, John Z., was an amazing cook and continuously worked his magic in the kitchen to prepare three square meals for the crew and research staff. The three meals were breakfast at 5:30 am, lunch at 11:30 am, and dinner at 5:30 pm. One of my many pleasant memories after working one of my shifts and getting to bed by 1:30 am was being awoken by the smell of bacon wafting through the ship. Although I was going on 4 hours of sleep and was dead tired, the bacon was calling… no, scratch that… screaming my name and I was dressed and had a seat at the dining table within 15 minutes. Because of the long shifts often involving hard, strenuous work, many of the crew would sleep through a meal or two. However, leftovers of the prior meal were always available to those sleeping in to be heated up and enjoyed later. Lunch was the one meal that could be enjoyed by the PM crew before starting their shift and be the AM crew as they completed their shift on their way to bed. Some examples of meals that I enjoyed during my time on the R/V Tommy Munro is shown in the collage below.
Meals that I enjoyed during my time aboard the R/V Tommy Munro.
DO NOT Touch that Fish but… Bon Appétit!
As an educator interested in any and all things science, I would always look forward to the end of the sampling process and the emptying of the nets to survey our catch – a grab bag of a variety of different types of marine life and species. I had seen images of several types of marine life contained within the nets and recognized even fewer numbers by their name, but again this was an opportunity to learn and every sampling increased my library of marine science knowledge. During one such sampling (as shown in the photo below), I noted a multitude of one species of fish that were unique in their presence and I quickly understood them to be a species of lionfish.
The collection of fish from a sampling.
I was somewhat familiar with lionfish and knew them to be an invasive species, detrimental to marine ecosystems. For those interested in learning more about lionfish, please review the two graphics below:
An infographic describing the features and habitat of the lionfish. Credit: Hiram Henriquez / H2H Graphics & Design Inc.
Lionfish adversely impact coral reefs by feeding on herbivores which in turn feed on and keep a check of algae growth as well as pose a danger to any organism that comes in direct contact with them. They carry venomous spines which contain a deadly poison that can initiate a severe and painful allergic reaction in humans and can be fatal when in contact with other marine species. This is exactly why I was warned several times to avoid touching the lionfish… orders I followed to a T. When the sampling was brought into the wet lab for analysis, I asked Andre D. and my team members Kyle A. and Jacob G. questions about lionfish to find out more information about this interesting species of fish. We were discussing its detrimental impact to marine ecosystems, and the efforts currently underway to curtail the population of lionfish, when the ship’s cook, John Z., mentioned that they are very delicious and often served in seafood dishes like fish tacos. He went on to explain that one strategy to control the population of lionfish was to see if they could be eaten and if people would find it palatable. It turned out that this was the case for lionfish. I did not know that lionfish could be eaten and expressed surprise. He waited until the analysis of the sampling was over and then took two lionfish to the kitchen, cooked them, and brought the prepared fish to us in the wet lab to taste. I did and John Z. was right – it was very delicious!
Lionfish captured…and consumed!
Seasickness
During the Orientation webinar for all Teacher at Sea educators who would be sailing this season, the topic of seasickness came up and it was strongly suggested to have Dramamine on hand to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of motion sickness. Nawww, I’ll be OK. It would be one less thing to worry about during packing. My wife thought differently and urged me to take some with me…just to have on hand. So, I did pack some Dramamine just in case I need it. Well, on the first night of my cruise, it turned out that I needed it. As much as I thought I would be OK once the ship set sail, my stomach thought otherwise and experienced a mild case of nausea. I did take some Dramamine and allowed me to get some restful sleep and everything was fine. Dramamine did come in handy a couple of other times, particularly when the waters became more choppier than usual, but for the most part, I feel that I adjusted to life at sea quite well. Nevertheless, I was glad I had Dramamine with me.
No Wi-Fi
As a science teacher engaged in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like Teacher at Sea, I am particularly excited about sharing my experiences…as they happen in real time. However, updating blog posts, uploading photos to Facebook, or engaging followers through social media can only happen if Wi-Fi is available. The NOAA fleet of research vessels are equipped with Wi-Fi which as I was reminded on frequent occasions can be weak and intermittent. However, the R/V Tommy Munro was not part of NOAA and had no Wi-Fi. It was not possible for me to communicate my observations, my photos, and my narratives as a Teacher at Sea while it was happening. It just meant I would have to wait until the end of the cruise to begin sharing my experience.
On Deck scenic views
Although many might think that the lack of Wi-Fi would be a major inconvenience, I actually found it to be refreshing, offering me opportunities to simply relax. After a long shift and getting some rest, I would often go up to the top deck and just look gaze all around. At what you are probably wondering? Enjoy a sample of the breathtaking views I enjoyed from my perch atop the deck of the R/V Tommy Munro.
Scenic views from aboard the R/V Tommy Munro.
In this installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I would like to ask you to respond to three questions about the fourth essential principle:
The ocean made Earth habitable.
presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
La línea hidrográfica de newport es un estudio de investigación oceanográfica realizado por científicos del Centro de Ciencias Pesqueras del Noroeste de NOAA y de la Universidad Estatal de Oregón en las aguas costeras de Newport, Oregón .
Los investigadores han recopilado métricas oceanográficas físicas, químicas y biológicas a lo largo de Newport Line cada dos semanas durante más de 20 años. Este conjunto de datos de más de veinte años nos ayuda a comprender las conexiones entre los cambios en el clima oceánico y la estructura y función del ecosistema en la corriente de California1,2,3.
Los datos de Newport Line se destilan en indicadores de ecosistemas oceánicos , que se utilizan para caracterizar el hábitat y la supervivencia de los salmónidos juveniles, y que también se han mostrado prometedores para otras poblaciones como el bacalao negro, el róbalo y la sardina4. Estos datos también brindan información crítica del ecosistema sobre problemas emergentes, como las olas de calor marinas3, la acidificación de los océanos, la hipoxia6 y la proliferación de algas nocivas7.
Newport line
Barómetro de la acidificación e hipoxia de los océanos en un clima cambiante
Los modelos climáticos globales sugieren que los cambios futuros en el afloramiento costero conducirán a una mayor incidencia de hipoxia y exacerbarán aún más los efectos de la acidificación de los océanos. La serie temporal de Newport Line proporciona una línea base de parámetros biogeoquímicos, como el estado de saturación de aragonito, un indicador de condiciones ácidas (Fig. 4). Los investigadores pueden comparar esta línea de base con posibles cambios futuros en la abundancia de organismos (p. ej., pterópodos, copépodos y krill) sensibles a la acidificación del océano y la hipoxia.
Equipo utilizado
Red vertical
Colocando la red vertical en el agua
red vertical desplegada verticalmente en el agua desde un buque de investigación
Una red vertical es una red de anillos con un ancho de malla pequeño y una forma de embudo largo. Al final, la red se cierra con un cilindro (copo) que recoge el plancton. Se despliega verticalmente en el agua desde un buque de investigación. Se utiliza principalmente para investigar la estratificación vertical/diagonal del plancton. Esto permite determinar la abundancia y distribución del mesozooplancton.
Red de bongó
Lavado de la muestra por la red bongó
Un barco de investigación tira horizontalmente de una red de bongo a través de la columna de agua.
Una red bongó consta de dos redes de plancton montadas una al lado de la otra. Estas redes de plancton son redes de anillos con un ancho de malla pequeño y una forma de embudo largo. Ambas redes están encerradas por un copo que se utiliza para recolectar plancton. Un barco de investigación tira horizontalmente de la red bongo a través de la columna de agua. Usando una red bongo, un científico puede trabajar con dos anchos de malla diferentes simultáneamente.
Asistiendo a Toby con la red Isaacs-Kidd
Red Isaacs-Kidd
Dimensiones de la red Isaacs-Kidd
La red de arrastre de media agua Isaacs-Kidd recolecta especímenes biológicos batipelágicos más grandes que los capturados por las redes de plancton estándar. La red de arrastre consiste en una red específicamente diseñada unida a una amplia paleta de buceo rígida en forma de V. La veleta mantiene abierta la boca de la red y ejerce una fuerza de presión, manteniendo la red de arrastre en profundidad durante períodos prolongados a velocidades de remolque de hasta 5 nudos. La abertura de entrada no está obstruida por el cable de remolque.
Muestras recolectadas
Muestras de red verticalMuestras de red bongó
Muestasas de Isaacs-Kidd
Kril recolectado de Isaacs-Kidd
Registro personal
¡ATAQUE DE TIBURÓN!
Así es, nuestro uCTD fue atacado por un tiburón.
Q.D.P.
En un día brillante y soleado, el equipo científico decidió lanzar el CTD en curso, ¡pero las cosas no salieron según lo planeado! Al recuperar el uCTD de regreso al barco, vimos una gran aleta dorsal zigzagueando cerca del uCTD, hasta que notamos que el uCTD ya no estaba conectado a la línea, por lo que no tuvimos más remedio que cancelar el uCTD. Deberías haber visto todas nuestras caras; no podíamos creer lo que vimos. Creemos que podría haber sido un:
Tiburón BlancoTiburón Salmon
uCTD (lo que se comió el tiburón)
CTD significa conductividad (salinidad), temperatura y (Depth) profundidad y permite a los investigadores recopilar perfiles de temperatura y salinidad de la parte superior del océano a velocidades en curso, a profundidades de hasta 500 m. Los exploradores oceánicos a menudo usan mediciones CTD para detectar evidencia de volcanes, respiraderos hidrotermales y otras características de aguas profundas que causan cambios en las propiedades físicas y químicas del agua de mar.
One way scientists assess the health of our ocean’s ecosystems is to take samples of zooplankton and ichthyoplankton (fish eggs and larvae), both on the surface of the water and at depth. Observations of these plankton can inform us greatly about productivity at the bottom of the food chain, spawning location and stock size of adults, dispersal of larval fish and crabs to and away from nursery areas, and transport of ocean currents.
The Newport Hydrographic (Newport Line) is an oceanographic research survey conducted by NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Oregon State University scientists in the coastal waters off Newport, Oregon.
Researchers have collected physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic metrics along the Newport Line every two weeks for over 20 years. This twenty-plus year dataset helps us to understand the connections between changes in ocean-climate and ecosystem structure and function in the California Current.
Data from the Newport Line are distilled into ocean ecosystem indicators, used to characterize the habitat and survival of juvenile salmonids, and which have also shown promise for other stocks such as sablefish, rockfish, and sardine. These data also provide critical ecosystem information on emerging issues such as marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms.
Newport line
Barometer of ocean acidification and hypoxia in a changing climate
Global climate models suggest future changes in coastal upwelling will lead to increased incidence of hypoxia and further exacerbate the effects of ocean acidification. The Newport Line time-series provides a baseline of biogeochemical parameters, such as Aragonite saturation state—an indicator of acidic conditions. Researchers can compare this baseline against possible future changes in the abundance of organisms (e.g., pteropods, copepods and krill) sensitive to ocean acidification and hypoxia.
Equipment used
Vertical/half meter net
Getting the vertical net in the water
Vertical net deployed vertically in the water from a research vessel
A vertical net is a ring net with a small mesh width and a long funnel shape. At the end, the net is closed off with a cylinder (cod-end) that collects the plankton. It is deployed vertically in the water from a research vessel. It is mostly used to investigate the vertical/diagonal stratification of plankton. This allows the abundance and distribution of mesozooplankton to be determined.
Bongo net
Washing the sample down the bongo net
A bongo net is drawn horizontally through the water column by a research vessel
A bongo net consists of two plankton nets mounted next to each other. These plankton nets are ring nets with a small mesh width and a long funnel shape. Both nets are enclosed by a cod-end that is used for collecting plankton. The bongo net is pulled horizontally through the water column by a research vessel. Using a bongo net, a scientist can work with two different mesh widths simultaneously.
Assisting Toby with Isaacs-Kidd net
Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl
Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl dimension
Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl collects bathypelagic biological specimens larger than those taken by standard plankton nets. The trawl consists of the specifically designed net attached to a wide, V-shaped, rigid diving vane. The vane keeps the mouth of the net open and exerts a depressing force, maintaining the trawl at depth for extended periods at towing speeds up to 5 knots. The inlet opening is unobstructed by the towing cable.
What we got?
Samples from vertical netSamples from bongo net
Isaacs-Kidd sample
Krill from the Isaacs-Kidd
Personal Log
SHARK ATTACK!
That’s right, our underway CTD was attacked by a shark.
R.I.P.
On a bright and sunny day, the science team decided to launch the underway CTD, but things didn’t go as planned! Retrieving the uCTD back to the ship we saw a big dorsal fin zigzagging close to the uCTD, until we noticed that the uCTD was no longer attached to the line, therefore we had no choice that to cancel the uCTD. You should have seen all of our faces; we couldn’t believe what we saw. We think it could have been a:
White sharkSalmon shark
underway CTD (what the shark ate)
CTD stands for conductivity (salinity), temperature, and depth and it enables researchers to collect temperature and salinity profiles of the upper ocean at underway speeds, to depths of up to 500 m. Ocean explorers often use CTD measurements to detect evidence of volcanoes, hydrothermal vents, and other deep-sea features that cause changes to the physical and chemical properties of seawater.
NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada fue construido por VT Halter Marine, Inc. en Moss Point, Mississippi. El barco se puso en servicio el 25 de agosto de 2010 y actualmente tiene su puerto base en el Centro de Operaciones Marinas de la NOAA—Pacífico en Newport, Oregón. El barco estudia principalmente una amplia gama de vida marina y condiciones del océano a lo largo de la costa oeste de EE. UU., desde el estado de Washington hasta el sur de California.
El diseño del barco permite una operación y un movimiento más silenciosos a través del agua, lo que brinda a los científicos la capacidad de estudiar peces y mamíferos marinos sin alterar significativamente su comportamiento.
Bell M. Shimada realiza estudios acústicos y de arrastre. Para los estudios acústicos, el barco utiliza una ecosonda multihaz (MBES) que proyecta un haz de sonido en forma de abanico que rebota hacia el barco. El MBES del barco, uno de los tres únicos sistemas de este tipo en todo el mundo, adquiere datos tanto de la columna de agua como del fondo marino. Los científicos pueden detectar peces cuando el barco pasa sobre ellos, midiendo la señal reflejada por los peces para estimar su tamaño y número. El sistema también puede crear un mapa y caracterizar el fondo del mar.
MBES
Equipo de Ciencia Trabajando en el Laboratorio Acústico
fuente hidrotermal?
El barco lleva a cabo muestreos de arrastre con una red de reconocimiento de fondo estandarizada, de tres bridas y cuatro costuras, equipada con un barrido de roca saltadora: barridos con grandes discos de goma que permiten remolcar las redes sobre fondos marinos rocosos e irregulares. Las redes de arrastre muestrean la biomasa de peces en un área de estudio determinada. Esto ayuda a los científicos a saber qué especies se encuentran en los bancos de peces observados y recopilar otros datos biológicos.
Sistema de Arrastre
El laboratorio húmedo del barco permite a los científicos clasificar, pesar, medir y examinar los peces. Los datos se introducen directamente en la red informática científica del barco. Las estaciones de observación de aves y mamíferos marinos de Bell M. Shimada están equipadas con sensores para ayudar a los investigadores a identificar y rastrear especies protegidas.
Laboratorio Húmedo
Equipo para usar en laboratorio húmedo
Bell M. Shimada fue nombrado por un equipo de estudiantes de Marina High School en Monterey, California, quienes ganaron un concurso regional de NOAA para nombrar el barco. El homónimo del barco sirvió en la Oficina de Pesca y la Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical. Era conocido por sus contribuciones al estudio de las poblaciones de túnidos del Pacífico tropical, que fueron importantes para el desarrollo de las pesquerías comerciales de la costa oeste después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El hijo de Bell M. Shimada, Allen, es científico pesquero en NOAA Fisheries.
Registro Personal
Esto ha sido una experiencia que jamás imaginé, el jueves 11 de agosto cuando entré al puerto y vi a lo lejos el barco, se me hizo un nudo en la garganta, es mucho más grande e imponente de lo que imaginaba. Me recibió al barco la científica a cargo de la expedición Beth Philips, sumamente jovial y agradable me dio un recorrido por el barco lo cual déjenme decirles esto es un laberinto. Por otra parte, la tripulación ha sido excelente, todos con un trato amable y respetuoso hacia mi persona. Espero poder soltarme un poco más con todos en el barco ya que estoy un poco cohibido por mi inglés.
Les quiero presentar al excelente equipo de científicos
Equipo de Ciencia: John Paul, Ethan Beyer, Toby Auth, Steve de Blois, Michael Gutiérrez (yo) and Beth Phillips
¡Celebrando el Cumpleaños de Beth!
En pocos días de haberlos conocido, me han enseñado muchísimo. Todos han tenido paciencia y me han explicado y contestado preguntas respecto al trabajo que realizan en alta mar. Sus conocimientos y experiencias me han llevado a crear gran admiración hacia ellos. ¡En los próximos blogs conocerán más de cada uno de ellos y los verás en acción!
Boricua en alta mar, no. Boricuas* en alta mar.
LT Erick Estela
Eso es correcto no soy el único puertorriqueño en el NOAA Bell M. Shimada, les presento al Teniente Erick Estella de Ciales, Puerto Rico. Erick es uno de los oficiales de NOAA Corps que sirven en mar, tierra y aire para apoyar la misión de administración y ciencias ambientales de la NOAA. Erick, lleva sirviendo en NOAA Corps nueve años y medio. En medio de los driles nos conocimos y fue muy emocionante saber que hay otro puertorriqueño a bordo. ¡Es un orgullo para Puerto Rico tener a Erick en tan importante roll dentro de la NOAA!
Teniente Erick Conduciendo el Barco
¡Bienvenidos al Puente!
Sistema de Control Central
Alrededor de la Flota Pesquera (barcos verdes)
Imagenes del Radar
Imagen en Vivo Alrededor del Barco
Antes de irme, les quiero compartir unas fotos tomadas por Teacher at Sea Alumni Association Manager Britta Culbertson, que nos esperó en la Isla Whidbey para decirnos adiós desde la costa. Gracias por las hermosas fotos y por todo tu apoyo. Gracias también a Denise Harrington, alumna de TAS por tus mensajes de apoyo, ¡muy agradecido!
NOAA Bell M. Shimada from Whidbey IslandNice view of the mountains and seabird NOAA Bell M. Shimada
Pendientes a mis próximos blogs donde les estaré hablando mas a fondo de nuestro estudio de poblaciones de merluza y los datos recibidos de la ecosonda. ¡Me voy a pescar, nos vemos en la próxima!
NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada was built by VT Halter Marine, Inc. in Moss Point, Mississippi. The ship was commissioned on August 25, 2010 and is currently homeported at NOAA’s Marine Operations Center—Pacific in Newport, Oregon. The ship primarily studies a wide range of marine life and ocean conditions along the US West Coast, from Washington state to southern California.
The ship’s design allows for quieter operation and movement through the water, giving scientists the ability to study fish and marine mammals without significantly altering their behavior.
Bell M. Shimada conducts acoustic and trawl surveys. For acoustic studies, the ship uses a multibeam echo sounder (MBES) that projects a fan-shaped beam of sound that bounces back towards the ship. The ship’s MBES, one of only three such systems in the world, acquires data from both the water column and the seafloor. Scientists can detect fish when the boat passes over them, measuring the signal reflected by the fish to estimate their size and number. The system can also create a map and characterize the sea floor.
MBES
Science team working in the acoustic lab
Hydrovents?
The ship conducts trawl sampling with a standardized, three-flange, four-seam bottom survey net equipped with a skipping rock sweep: sweeps with large rubber discs that allow the nets to be towed over rocky and uneven seabeds. Trawls sample fish biomass in a given study area. This helps scientists learn what species are in observed schools of fish and collect other biological data.
Trawl system
The ship’s wet lab allows scientists to sort, weigh, measure and examine fish. Data is entered directly into the ship’s scientific computer network. The Bell M. Shimada Bird and Marine Mammal Observation Stations are equipped with sensors to help researchers identify and track protected species.
Wet Lab
Gear to use in wet lab
Bell M. Shimada was named by a team of students from Marina High School in Monterey, California, who won a regional NOAA contest to name the ship. The ship’s namesake served in the Bureau of Fisheries and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. He was known for his contributions to the study of tropical Pacific tuna populations, which were important to the development of West Coast commercial fisheries after World War II. Bell M. Shimada’s son, Allen, is a fisheries scientist with NOAA Fisheries.
Personal Log
This has been an experience that I never imagined, on Thursday, August 11, when I entered the port and saw the ship in the distance, I felt a lump in my throat, it is much larger and more imposing than I imagined. The scientist in charge of the expedition, Beth Philips, welcomed me to the ship. She was extremely jovial and pleasant and gave me a tour of the ship, which let me tell you, this is a labyrinth. The crew has been excellent, all with a kind and respectful treatment towards me. On the other hand, I hope I can loosen up a bit more with everyone on the ship since I’m a bit in my head because of my English speaking.
I want to introduce you to the excellent team of scientists
Science Team: John Paul, Ethan Beyer, Toby Auth, Steve de Blois, Michael Gutiérrez (me) and Beth Phillips
Celebrating Beth’s Birthday!
In just a few days of meeting them, they have taught me a lot. They have all been patient and have explained and answered questions regarding the work they do on the high seas. Their knowledge and experiences have led me to create great admiration for them. In the next blogs you will learn more about each of them and you will see them in action!
Not Just One, But Two Puerto Ricans on the High Sea!
LT Erick Estela
That’s right I’m not the only Puerto Rican on NOAA Bell M. Shimada, this is LT Erick Estela from Ciales, Puerto Rico. Erick is one of the NOAA Corps officers serving at sea, on land and in the air to support NOAA’s environmental science and management mission. Erick have been serving with NOAA Corps nine and a half years. We met in the middle of a drill and it was very exciting to know that there’s another Puerto Rican on board. Puerto Rico is proud to have Erick in such an important role within NOAA!
LT Erick driving the ship
Welcome to the Bridge
Central Control System
Around fishing fleet (green boats)
Radar image
Live images around the ship
Before I go, I want to share some photos taken by Teacher at Sea Alumni Association Manager Britta Culbertson, who met us at Whidbey Island to wave goodbye from shore. Thank you for the beautiful photos and for all your support. Thanks also to TAS Alumni Denise Harrington for your messages of support, much appreciated!
NOAA Bell M. Shimada from Whidbey IslandNice view of the mountains and seabird NOAA Bell M. Shimada
See you in my next blogs where I will be talking about our study of hake populations and the data received from the echo sounder. I’m gone fishing, see you next time!
There was no doubt about my excitement of being named as a NOAA Teacher at Sea and the opportunity to immerse myself in marine science and participate in scientific research. But the one aspect of this experience that I particularly looked forward to was being able to do this on a ship at sea. The ship would serve as a classroom like no other…a classroom where I could learn as a student and yet serve as a basis for me to develop instructional activities and projects for my students as a teacher. The classroom, as I described in the prior post, was originally scheduled to be NOAA Ship Oregon II but eventually turned out to be the R/V Tommy Munro.
While both ships were equipped with the facilities, resources and infrastructure required to conduct the samplings necessary for the survey, the main difference was that the Oregon II was part of the NOAA fleet of research vessels while the R/V Tommy Munro was not. Rather, the R/V Tommy Munro is operated under the management of the University of Southern Mississippi. Of course, when a ship is named after a person, there is always a sense of interest about the individual and what background, experience, and contributions to ocean sciences warranted such an honor. Tommy Munro has a compelling biography and can be read by accessing the following link:
It was a thrill seeing the R/V Tommy Munro for the first time on Tuesday, July 19 in preparation of my upcoming cruise.
The ship exterior and a life preserver aboard the R/V Tommy Munro.
As I arrived at the docked ship, I was first met by John Z., the ship’s cook, who treated me to a tour of the vessel. I know you are just as anxious to see the various spaces inside the ship so come on aboard and let me take you on a tour. The first stop was my living quarters.
My living quarters while aboard the ship.
I was assigned to State Quarters 2 which consisted of 4 bunks. My bunk was on the bottom to the left as you can see my belongings on the bed. Interestingly enough, it would turn out that 3 individuals were assigned to the quarters which meant that the upper bunk above mine was open. This was important because if the upper bunk was occupied, that would mean that I would have no other place to store my luggage than with me on the bed. So the upper bunk served as storage for the luggage from all three of us, giving us much need space to rest comfortably in our bunks.
The next stop on our tour involves meals on the cruise. The dining room is a table where all formal meals were served and offered an opportunity for those around the table to engage in conversation and watch television. It was not required for anyone wanting a meal to eat at the dining room table but it did offer a unique and comforting diversion from the long hours and hard work exerted while collecting samples for the survey.
The dining room table where all formal meals were served.
Of course, the dining room would not have much of a purpose were it not for a kitchen to prepare the meals.
This is the kitchen where all formal meals are prepared (right) and the storage area/table space where meals are prepared.
The picture on the left is the cooking station with the stove and oven where the meals are cooked and the picture on the right is where the meals are prepared. These two spaces appear to be very small areas and they are but there was enough room for the vast amount of groceries purchased prior to each cruise. I remember speaking to John Z. the cook about the grocery shopping for an upcoming cruise and he relayed to me that when he returns from shopping, it takes him approximately 3 hours to put up all of the groceries!
The tour continues with the areas of the ship dedicated to the research conducted during the cruise.
The first area is referred to as the wet lab – the space where the samples collected from each sampling are processed, and measurements are recorded and uploaded to a database.
The work area of the wet lab is depicted in the photo to the left while the samples storage area is shown on the right photo.
Just located across the hallway from the wet lab is the dry lab, the area with several computers allowing the scientists to track the motion of the ship, confirm its arrival at each sampling site, and store data acquired by the Secchi disk, the CTD array of sensors unique to each sampling site, and the species analysis of marine life species collected during each sampling.
This is the dry lab is where the computational analysis from each sampling is conducted.
As we near the end of the tour of the R/V Tommy Munro, let’s proceed from the wet and dry lab to a flight of stairs to the upper deck of the vessel to the captain’s deck.
This is the captain’s deck of the R/V Tommy Munro.
The captain’s deck is equivalent to the cockpit of an airplane where the captain and his crew navigate the vessel to the assortment of sampling sites in coordination with the science team.
We wrap up our tour of the R/V Tommy Munro from atop the upper deck with the view from the stern of the ship. This was a spot that I found myself many times, particularly in the evening, as I took in the scenic views of the surrounding seas.
Views from the upper deck toward the stern of the ship.
In this installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I would like to ask you to respond to three questions about the third essential principle:
The ocean is a major influence of weather and climate,
presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
Long time no hear from, right? The explanation is quite simple…there was no Wifi on my research vessel. I was definitely writing about my experience and taking pictures of my observations but I had no way to share the information with you in a blog post. Now that I have been home for several weeks, I have been working hard to complete my blog (6 posts in particular) which are in the process of being completed and am now ready to begin posting.
In a prior post, I described my participation in the Teacher at Sea program and how I plan to translate my experience and observations into classroom activities and projects for my students. In fact. As I prepared for my upcoming cruise assignment, I developed a Google Site that not only provides more detail about my upcoming experience as a Teacher at Sea educator, but also instructional resources and project ideas related to ocean sciences. What I would like to do in this post is talk about the opportunity presented to me and all other educators in the Teacher at Sea program.
Teacher at Sea Program
The Teacher at Sea program is a unique Teacher Research Experience (TRE) opportunity managed by NOAA that allows teachers to learn by doing rather than by reading about it. In these types of experiences, the teacher is placed with a team of research scientists and immersed into their scientific work, serving as an honorary member of the team. The TRE provides the teacher with an opportunity to not only conduct the research, but to also ask questions, engage in detailed investigations about aspects of the research, and most importantly, distill these experiences into lessons, activities and projects for classroom implementation to the benefit of my students. I would strongly encourage my educator colleagues to explore the Teacher at Sea program
and should you qualify, please consider applying for this unique educator experience.
SEAMAP
I would like to now speak about the research I would be involved in during my assigned cruise. I was assigned to participate in Leg 1 of the Summer Groundfish Survey conducted in the Gulf of Mexico in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries as part of SEAMAP (Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program)
The survey consists of a series of collected samples of marine life at positions determined by SEAMAP to make decisions about damaged marine ecosystems, depleted populations and destruction of habitats. Exactly what was entailed in the collected samplings will be described in an upcoming post.
Assigned Cruise
Cruises designed to engage in SEAMAP Surveys are seasonal (generally occurring in the Summer and Fall from April to November) and are typically executed aboard NOAA vessels in legs or segments consisting of 2 – 3 weeks with cruises occurring over 3 – 4 legs per survey. My assigned cruise underwent a change in schedule and vessel from my initial assignment. My original assigned cruise was scheduled as Leg 2 of the Summer Groundfish Survey aboard the NOAA Ship Oregon II from June 20, 2022 departing from Galveston, TX to July 3, 2022 arriving in Pascagoula, MS for a 15-day cruise. However, due to maintenance issues, the Oregon II was not seaworthy for the scheduled cruise which required a replacement vessel. The replacement vessel was the R/V Tommy Munro. There is a lot to say and pictures to show about the R/V Tommy Munro which will be the subject of the next blog post.
In this installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I would like to ask you to respond to three questions about the second essential principle:
The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth.
presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
“65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist (World Economic Forum).”
I can’t help but wonder what types of careers and jobs will be available for our students. However, I can speculate that marine science would have a huge piece on this “never-before-existed” future job pool when you consider seventy percent of our Earth’s surface is covered with ocean and among it eighty percent of it unmapped, unobserved and unexplored, according to NOAA. There are many different careers available within NOAA and I believe there will be many more new careers available for the future generations.
You may wonder and ask why oceans are still unexplored. One answer comes from Dr. Gene Carl Feldman, an oceanographer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. He states that one of the biggest challenges of ocean exploration comes down to physics. In the depth of the ocean, there is zero visibility, extremely cold temperatures, and crushing amounts of pressure. He also states that “ In some ways, it’s a lot easier to send people into space than it is to send people to the bottom of the ocean”. It is hard to fathom what it looks, and feels like under the water, at least for me as a non-swimmer.
With technological advancements, who knows what mysteries will be solved in the world of oceans in the future? I think it is important to show our students to know the unknown world of oceans and inspire them to take careers related to marine science so that we can know more about our blue planet. Without knowing our oceans, there would be no future for our own existence.
Personal Log
Last Day at the NOAA’s Ship Thomas Jefferson
It’s been a great learning experience while at sea for 12 days. I have learned so much, met incredible women and men, and made awesome friends.
As a STEM educator, the reason I wanted to apply for this opportunity is because I wanted to bring marine science into my school and community. By training, most of the time I spent time in various labs focusing on genetic studies using many biotechnological tools during my graduate study. But, it wasn’t until my NOAA experience to involve marine science research in the field. Much of my marine science knowledge comes from theory, reading books/ articles, or watching documentaries. This lack of experiential knowledge put me in a position where my students are also learning it from textbooks. However, now thanks to the NOAA Teacher at Sea program, I am confidently bringing any resources or tools related to the ocean, and atmosphere to my students. My plan is to create interdisciplinary project-based learning opportunities that involve challenging questions related to marine science.
Thank you NOAA Teacher at Sea Program for allowing me to participate once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and thank you NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson crew for hosting me with great hospitality, and allowing me to learn more about marine science.
Did you know?
Sometimes NOAA’s ships are open to the public for tours. In fact, I am planning to take my students to NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson sometime in September while it is still in Great Lakes.
Área Geográfica de Expedición: Costa de Washington
Fecha: 4 de agosto de 2022
Introducción
¡Saludos desde Puerto Rico!
¡Saludos a todos desde Isabela, Puerto Rico! estoy muy contento de que te unas a esta travesía conmigo en alta mar. Mi nombre es Michael Gutiérrez Santiago y en una semana estaré a bordo de la embarcación NOAA Bell M. Shimada participando de una expedición junto a los científicos de la NOAA realizando un sondeo de merluza del pacífico. Viajaré a Washington, lo cual son 10 horas aproximadamente para comenzar esta travesía. Espero que te unas y seas parte de esta expedición conmigo.
Estoy muy contento y agradecido de formar parte de esta experiencia. Recuerdo la mañana del 2019 que conocí sobre el programa de Teacher at Sea, estaba asombrado que educadores podían tener la oportunidad de estar en una expedición en alta mar con científicos y tripulantes de la NOAA. Sin dudar solicité y fui aceptado en el 2020. Como todos saben, el COVID-19 puso una pausa en el mundo, pero luego de dos años aquí estamos, ¡listos para abordar!
El vivir en Puerto Rico me ha hecho enamorarme de las playas, los bosques, cuevas, ríos junto a su flora y fauna. Es por esto que decidí realizar un Bachillerato en Ciencias Ambientales, para poder conocer más sobre lo que nos rodea y como poder conservarlo. Esta pasión al medio ambiente me ha llevado a compartir mis conocimientos a personas que me rodean y me di cuenta de que no hay mejor manera de conservar nuestros recursos ambientales que a través de la educación. Así que decidí certificarme como maestro de ciencias a nivel secundario.
Bosque Cambalache , Arecibo P.R.Rio La Planta, Arecibo P.R.Cueva Quintin Rivera, Bosque Guajataca, Isabela P.R.Estrella de mar en Puerto Mosquito, Vieques P.R.
El Comienzo de Grandes Cosas
A comienzos del 2017 me uní al EcoExploratorio: Museos de Ciencias de Puerto Rico, donde logré llevar la educación científica y la conservación ambiental a todo la Isla. Fue aquí mi escuela, donde aprendí a como ser un educador, tuve la oportunidad de llevar charlas educativas a diversas partes de la Isla, realizar talleres, webinars y ser parte de otras exhibiciones. El EcoExploratorio recibe una visita anual de 300,000 personas, teniendo la oportunidad de conozcan sobre que nos rodea y como conservarlo. Por otra parte, el EcoExploratorio se enfoca en la preparación de eventos atmosféricos como huracanes y eventos naturales como terremotos.
Que bien se siente educar a la nueva generaciónEducando sobre la Vida en el MarExplicando la importancia de la radiosonda
Actualmente soy profesor de Ciencias Ambientales a 12mo grado en la Escuela Abelardo Martínez Otero en Arecibo Puerto Rico. Logramos este año realizar diversas actividades, laboratorios y experimentos gracias a la excelente calidad de estudiantes que tuve. A pesar de que las limitaciones por el COVID-19, esos estudiantes dieron el máximo, teniendo así una excelente clase de Ciencias Ambientales.
Laboratorio: Energía Solar
Ciencia en Alta Mar
Mi tiempo en el mar será en el océano pacífico, a bordo de la embarcación NOAA Bell M. Shimada en la segunda etapa del sondeo de merluza del pacífico, donde estaré trabajando y aprendiendo de Beth Phillips Chief Scientist y bióloga de NOAA Fisheries Service y el equipo de científicos. Algunos de mis objetivos en esta expedición es compartir lo aprendido en esta expedición con ustedes a través de los blogs, proporcionar datos vitales para ayudar a gestionar la población costera migratoria de merluza del Pacifico, llevar a cabo una calibración entre embarcaciones con el barco de la Guardia Costera canadiense Sir John Franklin en coordinación con los científicos del DFO para garantizar que los datos sean comparables para el 2023 y puedan combinarse para la evaluación de la población, recoger muestras de agua y plancton en la Línea Hidrográfica de Newport, muestreo de eufáusidos, la recopilación de datos oceanográficos y la recopilación de datos acústicos de banda ancha.
Para mí es un honor y un privilegio poder ser parte del programa Teacher at Sea. El poder ser parte de esta expedición es un sueño hecho realidad. Pondré todos mis esfuerzos para hacer orgulloso a Puerto Rico, a mi familia, maestros, estudiantes y al programa de Teacher at Sea. Me encantaría que fueran parte de esta expedición, mis blogs serán en inglés y español para poder llegar a todos ustedes. En confianza me encantaría que me hagan llegar sus preguntas o me dejen saber que ha sido lo más que le ha llamado la atención.
Greetings to all from Isabela, Puerto Rico! I am so glad you are joining me on this journey on the high seas. My name is Michael Gutiérrez Santiago and, in a week, I will be aboard the NOAA Bell M. Shimada in an expedition with NOAA scientists on the Pacific Hake Survey. I will travel to Washington, which is approximately 10 hours to begin this journey. I hope you will join and be a part of this expedition with me.
I am very happy and grateful to be part of this experience. I remember in 2019 that I learned about the Teacher at Sea program, I was amazed that educators could have the opportunity to be on an expedition on the high seas with NOAA scientists and crew members. Without hesitation I applied and was accepted in 2020. As you all know COVID-19 put the world on pause, but after two years here we are, ready to board!
Living in Puerto Rico made me fall in love with the beaches, forests, caves, rivers along with its flora and fauna. That is why I decided to do a Bachelor Degree on Environmental Sciences, to learn more about what surrounds us and how to conserve it. This passion for the environment has led me to share my knowledge with people around me and I realized that there is no better way to conserve our environmental resources than through education. Therefore, I decided to get certified as a high school science teacher.
Cambalche Forest, Arecibo P.R.Rio Grande of AreciboQuintin Rivera Cave in Guajataca Forest, Isabela P.R.
Starfish in Mosquito Pier, Vieques P.R.
My early beginnings
At the beginning of 2017 I joined the EcoExploratorio: Science Museums of Puerto Rico, where I was an informal educator teaching science and and environmental conservation to the entire Island. It was here that I learned how to be an educator, I had the opportunity host workshops, webinars and be part of other exhibitions. The EcoExploratorio receives an annual visit of 300,000 people, having the opportunity to educate about what surrounds us and how to conserve it. On the other hand, the EcoExploratorio focuses on preparing for atmospheric events such as hurricanes and natural events such as earthquakes.
I enjoy teaching the new generationWhat we can find on the beach?Explaining the importance of a radiosonde
I am currently a 12th grade Environmental Science teacher at the Abelardo Martínez Otero School in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. This year we managed to carry out various activities, laboratories, and experiments thanks to the excellent quality of students I had. Despite the limitations we had due to COVID-19, these students gave their best, thus having an excellent Environmental Science class.
Solar energy laboratory with solar balloon
Science on the high seas
My time at sea will be in the Pacific Ocean, aboard the NOAA Bell M. Shimada in the second leg of the Pacific Hake Survey where I will be working and learning from chief scientist Beth Phillips, biologist at NOAA Fisheries, and rest of the research team. Some of my goals on this expedition are to share what I am going to learn on this expedition with you via blogs, provide vital data to help manage the migratory coastal population of Pacific hake, conduct an Inter-Vessel Calibration with Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir John Franklin in coordination with DFO scientists to ensure data is comparable in 2023 and can be combined for population assessment, collect water and plankton samples at the Newport Hydrographic Line, euphausiid sampling , collecting oceanographic data, and collecting broadband acoustic data.
For me it is an honor and a privilege to be part of the Teacher at Sea program. Being able to be part of this expedition is a dream come true. I will put all my efforts to make Puerto Rico, my family, teachers, students, and the Teacher at Sea program proud. I would love for you to be part of this expedition; my blogs will be in English and Spanish to reach all of you. It would be great to send your questions or let me know what has caught your attention the most.
Have you ever wondered what the seabed (lakebed) made of? This information is important for several reasons: knowing where to anchor, pipeline &/or structure construction, habitat, dredging, etc. Information about the sediments can be found on navigational charts. Periodically, hydrographers need to take bottom samples to update these charts. To do this, they bring the ship to a halt and drop a spring-loaded sampler to the seafloor. The sampler snaps shut, capturing a sample of the bottom substrate. The sediments that are brought aboard are analyzed according to grain size which range from clay (< 0.002 mm) to stones (4.0 mm and larger).
Spring-loaded bottom sampler
Physical Scientist Abebe and Chief Hydrographic Survey Technician Cziraki get ready to deploy a bottom sampler.
Teacher at Sea Grimm practices retrieving the bottom sampler.
This chart is used to measure grain size of the bottom sample.
This chart is used to classify the bottom sediment according to grain size.
What is it called to drive a ship? The action of driving a ship is probably most often called piloting the ship. You may also hear people use the words steer, navigate, guide, maneuver, control, direct, captain, or shepherd. Whatever you want to call it – I was super excited to pilot the ship. I was also a bit nervous because it is so big! Maneuvering a 208’ vessel seemed a bit daunting.
I first got some excellent tutoring by Helmsman AB Kinnett and Conning Officer ENS Brostowski. All I needed to do was to make a 180ᵒ turn. How difficult could it be? I needed to take the ship out of the navigation system (commonly called, Nav Nav), go from autopilot to manual steering, follow the Conning Officer’s rudder directions, do some fine tuning, switch from manual steering to autopilot, and turn on the Nav Nav system. Easy shmeezy!
My legs were shaking just a bit. I guess I did okay. Someone did call up from the plot room and ask, “Just who is driving the ship?” Haha. They calmed down once they learned it was just “the teacher”.
After some fine tuning, Helmsman AB Kinnett makes sure that I return the ship to autopilot! (He looks a little worried!)
I am not sure which turn is mine, however, I was comforted to know that they were not all the same. 😊
Parallel Parking
We came into the Port of Cleveland on July 22. The crew did a super job of parking! (I am sure “parking” is not the correct term.) They used the windlass and ropes to secure the ship to the port (on the starboard side) and then put the gangway in place. Don’t forget to take out the garbage!
Coming into port
The Cleveland Port lighthouse through my stateroom porthole.
Go Browns! First Energy Stadium is just east of the Port of Cleveland.
Getting ready to throw the lines
The crew uses the windlass to tighten the lines.
The crane moves the gangway off the ship.
Carefully, the gangway is moved to the correct place.
That’s a good place to put the gangway.
Here come the steps.
It took a group effort and a lot of communication to get the gangway and steps in place.
Don’t forget to take out the trash! By the way, much of the food waste is collected by a local farmer and composted. Very Earth friendly!
On dry land after 19 days! This crew was amazing! From left to right: 1AE Perry, ENS Castillo, TAS Grimm, BGL Bayliss, AB Thompson.
Personal Log
In late April 2022, I was informed by the NOAA Teacher at Sea office that I would sail aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson on a hydrographic survey of Lake Erie in July. Truthfully, I didn’t know what hydrography entailed – but I was familiar with Lake Erie.
I grew up only 20 miles from the Port of Cleveland. As a child, my family spent a week each summer on Middle Bass Island where I learned to swim and fish for walleye and perch. I was a sun-kissed, towheaded child that liked to catch frogs and talk with insects. My daughter and I vacationed on Kelleys Island for many summers. I even took an oceanography class on Gibraltar Island. I was very excited to learn more about the Lake of my childhood.
The Great Lakes share borders with many US states and Canada. H.O.M.E.S. = Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
The Canadian province of Ontario and eight U.S. states (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) have shorelines on the Great Lakes.
A large amount of land is included in the Great Lakes watershed. (A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common body of water.)
This map shows the Great Lakes superimposed on a map of Western Europe. It gives you a relative size of the lakes and how big they really are.
Here are the world’s 25 largest lakes side by side. All the Great Lakes are included in this list.
So, why are the Great Lakes so Great?
The following video will help you get an idea of why these lakes are so significant. See if you can answer the following questions while watching the video.
How many lakes make up the Great Lakes?
Why is the word “HOMES” a good way to remember the names of the lakes?
How many states border the Great Lakes?
What country is north of the Great Lakes?
Geologically speaking, how did the Great Lakes come to be?
How much of the world’s fresh surface water is in the Great Lakes?
Which lake is the deepest, coldest, and contains ½ of the water in the Great Lakes system?
Which two lakes are “technically” one lake? Why?
Which lake has the longest shoreline?
Which lake is the warmest and shallowest?
How does water get from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario?
How does water that starts in Lake Superior finally get to the Atlantic Ocean?
List three reasons why the Great Lakes are so great!
List a few things that are causing problems for the Great Lakes.
What effect is climate change having on the Great Lakes?
How are people and governments trying to protect this GREAT resource?
What is so great about the Great Lakes?
When I travel, I like to read books that have a connection to my experience. While on Thomas Jefferson, I read The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan. It outlines the vast resources provided by the Great Lakes. Not only do they hold 20% of the world’s supply of surface fresh water, they also provide food, transportation, and recreation to tens of millions of Americans and Canadians. The Great Lakes are so very lifegiving, however, they are in trouble. They are under threat as never before. They need our help.
In his book, Egan describes how invasive species – like the sea lamprey, zebra and quagga mussels – have colonized the lakes, issues associated with these invasions, and what has been done to mediate and prevent the arrival of future invasive species. He also discusses the massive biological “dead” zones caused by outbreaks of toxic algal blooms. Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Forecasts are a regular part of the NOAA weather forecast for the western basin of Lake Erie. Human-made climate change, dredging of shipping channels, and threats to siphon off Great Lakes water to be used beyond the watershed boundaries all pose threats to this incredible resource. He ends the book with what was being done in 2017 (publication date) to “chart a course toward integrity, stability and balance” of the Great Lakes.
All in all, it was a pretty depressing book. It caused me to reflect, however, on what I can do as an educator to bring this knowledge to my students. Even more importantly, how can I have students experience and eventually love the lakes and all they represent? How can I get them to become familiar with and care for the nature in their backyard? My work is cut out for me.
“We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see. Or hear. Or sense.”
— Richard Louv
The week before leaving on my “Grand NOAA Adventure”, I was nervous and started to doubt my own abilities and why I had applied to Teacher at Sea in the first place. Was I cut out to be a successful Teacher at Sea? Did I have the knowledge, skills, and fortitude to thrive at sea? What happens if my technology crashes? What if I am seasick for 19 days?
Four things happened to help me move forward.
My husband – my chief cheerleader – gave me many doses of encouragement. If he believed I could do it – I knew I could.
I came across a saying on a tea bag (of all places) that gave me great strength, “Personal growth lies within the unknown; courage permits you to explore this space.” This experience would take courage. I am courageous.
My daughter reminded me of a poem by Mary Oliver. The last lines of which, “What are you going to do with your one wild, precious life?” That’s right! You only go around once. Take the bull by the horns – so to speak. Jump on and hold tight. Life is short, and the world is wide.
NOAA and NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program believed in me enough to provide me with this awesome opportunity. They have seen many a teacher come and go. They believed I had what it took to be successful. I chose to believe them.
NOAA TAS stresses the 3 Fs: Flexibility, Following Orders, and Fortitude. These are words to live by.
Flexibility = Everything doesn’t always turn out as planned. Be flexible. Those who are not flexible, break.
Following Orders = On a ship, this is essential. In life, rules are made for a reason. Follow them. If you believe that the rules are unjust, work to change them.
Fortitude = Have courage. Be strong – physically and in your convictions. Be tenacious and believe in yourself.
I wish to thank NOAA TAS program and all the people who live and work aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. Thank you for the long conversations and my seemingly endless questioning. My curiosity is insatiable. Thank you for checking my blog for accuracy – it needed to be “ship shape”! Thank you for brainstorming with me inventions that could be created to make hydrographic technology easier if there were no budgetary restrictions. Thank you for opening my eyes to a world of science, technology, and research that I previously did not know existed. Thank you for teaching me what it meant to be part of the crew.
This experience has taught me many things about science and technology, career possibilities, what it is like to live on a ship, relationships and work culture, and the power of reflection. I learned so much more than is represented in my blog posts. I am looking forward to sharing my experience with my students and the community.
All my best to my new friends. May you continue to have fair winds and following seas.
Sincerely,
Laura Grimm
Dalton STEAM & NOAA Teacher at Sea
Hand-made bandana signed by the crew of Thomas Jefferson
For the Little Dawgs . . .
Q: Where is Dewey? Hint: He was getting ready to come home.
Dewey stayed up past his normal bedtime.
A: He was watching his final sunset aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson.
Q: What is Dewey up to now?
A: Dewey is climbing into my backpack. I cannot wait to take him on more adventures in the future.
Dewey and Teacher at Sea Grimm will remember this adventure for a very long time!
Future Weather Forecast: Showers likely and 70% possibility of afternoon thunderstorms
Science and Technology Log – and a Little History
Shipwrecks & Sonar
Lake Erie has an astonishing 2,000-plus shipwrecks which is among the highest concentration of shipwrecks in the world. Nobody knows the exact number of shipwrecks that have occurred in Lake Erie, but estimates range from 500 to 2000. Only about 400 of Lake Erie’s wrecks have ever been found. There are schooners, freighters, steamships, tugs and fishing boats among them.
So why does Lake Erie have more known shipwrecks per square foot than most any other body of water – with the possible exception of the English Channel? At its deepest point, Lake Erie is only 210 feet. Its shallowness is one of the reasons so many ships have sunk.
The red dots on the map above show known shipwrecks off the coast of Presque Isle.
Hydrographers have found their share of ships over the years! I am unable to identify where, however, the TJ found a shipwreck recently. The following shows various multibeam echo sonar images of items found on the seafloor. Not all have been found in Lake Erie. 😊
This four-masted schooner was found by NOAA using multibeam echo sounder technology.
Multibeam data collected on a submerged wreck near Kodiak, Alaska.
Multibeam data collected on an underwater wreck found in the Gulf of Mexico
Reason 7123 wreck off Northpoint, NY
Crane
Small wreck found using multibeam sonar.
Bird’s eye view of a barge
Same barge as previous picture from a different angle
Side scan sonar is a specialized sonar system for searching and detecting objects on the seafloor. Like other sonars, a side scan sends out sound energy and analyzes the return signal (echo) that bounced off the seafloor or other objects. Side scan sonar typically consists of three basic components: a towfish, a transmission cable and the topside processing unit. In a side scan the energy that is sent out is in the shape of a fan. This fan of energy sweeps the seafloor from directly under the towfish to either side. The width of the fan is about the length of a football field.
Side Scan Scan (SSS) and Multibeam Echo Sonars (MBES) are often used simultaneously. Thomas Jefferson did not use a SSS while I was aboard due to the depth of water we were surveying.
The strength of the return echo is recorded creating a “picture” of the ocean bottom. For example, objects or features that stick out from the seafloor create a strong return (creating a light area) and shadows from these objects create little or no return signal (creating a dark area).
This diagram illustrates how SSS technology produces images and acoustic shadows of objects.
Side Scan Sonar pictures help find and identify features on the seafloor, like this underwater wreck.
U-boat
A whale! The red line is where the seafloor meets the water column, the white image of the whale is the acoustic shadow of the whale on the seafloor, and the dark blob above the shadow is the whale as it swam underneath the sonar. (This was most definitely NOT taken in Lake Erie!)
NOAA hydrographic survey units use side scan sonar systems to help find and identify objects. The shape of the seafloor and objects can be seen well with a side scan sonar. This technology, however, does not give scientists information with respect to how deep the object is. That is why the side scan sonar is often used along with the multibeam echo sonar.
Comparison of side scan (black and white) and multibeam sonar (colorful) images of the same shipwreck surveyed by NOAA Ship Rude using different methods and different kinds of equipment.
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson field work is focused in the Great Lakes for the 2022 field season. Thomas Jefferson’s hydrographers are surveying the floor of Lake Erie in the vicinity of Cleveland, South Bass Island and Presque Isle, PA. They are identifying hazards and changes to the lake floor and will provide this data to update NOAA’s nautical charts to make it safe for maritime travel.
So why did NOAA decide to focus on this part of Lake Erie? “The Port of Cleveland is one of the largest ports on the Great Lakes and ranks within the top 50 ports in the United States. Roughly 13 million tons of cargo are transported through Cleveland Harbor each year supporting 20,000 jobs and $3.5 billion in annual economic activity.” The Office of Coast Survey continues to explain that “most of this area has not been surveyed since the 1940’s, and experiences significant vessel traffic.”
Hydrographic survey work completed in the vicinity of South Bass Island prior to me coming aboard Thomas Jefferson.
A Little Bit of History – Have you ever been to Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island?
Our National Anthem, a naval officer with the middle name “Hazard”, the War of 1812, and Lake Erie have connections.
So, what does all of this have to do with Lake Erie? In 1812, America found itself at war with Britain. They were at war for three reasons: 1) The British were trying to limit U.S. trade, 2) they were also capturing American seamen and making them fight for the British (this is called impressment), and 3) they did not like the fact that America wanted to expand its territory. Both the British and the Americans were anxious to gain control of Lake Erie. Late in the summer of 1813, American troops were moved into Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island, Lake Erie. They hoped to cut off the supply routes to the British forts.
On the morning of September 10, 1813, British naval forces attacked. Commander Oliver Hazard Perry was on his flagship (a flagship is the ship that carries the commanding officer), the USS Lawrence. (Isn’t “Hazard” a great middle name for someone in the Navy!) He directed his fleet into the battle, but because of light winds, the sailing ships were slow to get into a position where they could fight. His ship suffered heavy casualties. Perry’s second flagship, the USS Niagara, was slow to come into range to help. Four-fifths of Perry’s crew were killed or wounded. He made the decision to surrender his ship, the USS Lawrence, and move his remaining crew and battle flag to the USS Niagara. He was rowed half a mile under heavy fire, bearing his now-famous blue and white battle pennant with the words “Don’t Give Up the Ship.”
Perry’s Battle Pennant
Oliver Hazard Perry is rowed across Lake Erie to take command of the USS Niagara, escaping his damaged ship, the USS Lawrence. (Painting by Edward Percy Moran)
Portrait of Oliver Hazard Perry
(Painting done by Jane Stuart)
The British thought Perry and the rest of the American fleet would retreat after the surrender of the USS Lawrence. Perry, however, decided to rejoin the battle. At 3:00 pm, the British fleet surrendered, marking the first time in history that an entire British naval squadron had surrendered to an American vessel. Huzzah!! Huzzah!!
Perry wrote to General William Henry Harrison (who eventually became the 9th President of the United States):
Dear General:
We have met the enemy and they are ours. Two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop.
Yours with great respect and esteem, O.H. Perry
A great victory against the British
Oliver Hazard Perry was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1814 for his actions in the Battle of Lake Erie and the War of 1812. You can visit Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island, Lake Erie.
Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial
“Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie that took place near Ohio’s South Bass Island, in which Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry led a fleet to victory in one of the most decisive naval battles to occur in the War of 1812.” (Wikipedia)
This video gives you a nice overview of the War of 1812:
Overview of the War of 1812
Oh, so you might be wondering what all of this has to do with our National Anthem? The poem that eventually became our National Anthem was written during the War of 1812. It was written in 1814 by a young lawyer named Francis Scott Key during the battle of Fort McHenry.
Watch this video for information about Mr. Key and our National Anthem:
The History of the “Star-Spangled Banner”
The National Anthem of the United States of America
Did you know that our National Anthem actually has four verses, but most of us only know the first one? Look it up!
I’ve been part of the mission leg that is surveying off the coast of Presque Isle – as the survey around South Bass Island had been completed prior to me coming aboard. The area around Presque Isle also has important historic roots.
Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches into Lake Erie and is 4 miles west of Erie, PA. According to a tourist website, “As Pennsylvania’s only “seashore,” Presque Isle offers its visitors a beautiful coastline and many recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling, and in-line skating.” Recorded history of Presque Isle began with the Erielhonan, a Native American tribe who gave their name to Lake Erie. Erielhonan is the Iroquoian word for “long tail”. The French first named the peninsula in the 1720s; presque-isle means peninsula or “almost an island” in French. It served as a base for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s fleet in the War of 1812.
The Perry Monument on Presque Isle commemorates the U.S. naval victory on Lake Erie in the War of 1812.
In the 19th century, Presque Isle became home to several lighthouses and what later became a United States Coast Guard station. In 1921, the peninsula became a state park. The Presque Isle peninsula formed because of glaciation and is constantly being reshaped by waves and wind. Since 1967, the park has been named one of the best places in the United States for watching birds.
Aerial view of Gull Point and Presque Isle State Park from the east.
Aerial view of Presque Isle State Park from the west. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built 55 offshore segmented breakwaters to prevent the beach erosion at Presque Isle State Park.
The breakwaters may have helped the erosion problem but may have caused the loss of important recreational access and been environmentally detrimental to wildlife habitat. It is interesting to look at what happened to the beach because of the breakwaters.
Migration of Presque Isle from 1790 to 1971 – No wonder it is important to survey these waters!
During the War of 1812, Presque Isle played a part in the victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. Oliver Hazard Perry, commander of the American fleet, made strategic use of the bay as a place to construct six of the nine ships in his fleet. The “Little Bay” near the tip of the peninsula where the ships sheltered was later named “Misery Bay” because of the hardships during the winter of 1813–1814, after the men returned there from battle. Many men suffered from smallpox and were kept in quarantine near the bay. A great many infected men died and were buried in what is now called Graveyard Pond.
Misery Bay
After the Battle of Lake Erie on September 10, 1813, Perry’s two largest ships, the USS Lawrence and USS Niagara, were badly damaged, and intentionally sunk in Misery Bay. Both ships were eventually raised. The Lawrence burned while on display at the 1876 Centennial Exposition and parts of the Niagara were eventually used to build a replica of the current Niagara, based in Presque Isle Bay.
We sailed past the USS Niagara in early July.
The British really did not appreciate Commodore Perry!
Personal Log
For the Little Dawgs . . .
Q: Where is Dewey? Hint: This controller is used to move a heavy object.
What do all those controls do, Dewey?
A: Dewey is sitting on the piece of technology that is used to control the davits. Davits are hydraulic machines that take the small boats on and off the ship.
Able Bodied Seaman (AB) Thompson uses the davit controller to lift the boats
This time-lapse video shows the crew using the davits to pick up and then redeploy one of the small boat launches. (Video taken by Physical Scientist Dan Garatea)
This time-lapse video shows the crew using the davits to pick up and then redeploy one of the small boat launches. (Video taken by Physical Scientist Dan Garatea)
Human-Interest Poll (HIP)
Miss Parker makes a lot of yummy desserts! I recently asked the crew to list their favorite.
It looks like Peach Cobbler is the crew’s favorite dessert made by Miss Parker! It is made using one of her mother’s recipes.
Meet the Crew
Hydrographic Survey Tech (HST) Sarah Thompson and my roommate, Hydrographic Senior Survey Technician (HSST) Chloe Arboleda, are fixing the Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP)
Able Bodied Seaman Evan Kinnett is a helmsman who likes to sing sea shanties and teach the ensigns about electricity by using the windows as dry erase boards.
Dan Garatea and Surafel Abebe are physical scientists (PS) who work in Silver Spring, MD for NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey (OCS) where they plan hydrographic surveys for chart updates. They research and develop the plans and instructions for NOAA ships, contractors, other governmental agencies, and other interested parties to develop hydrographic priorities. When on board during a survey, they manage and provide guidance for the surveys in the field.
PS Dan Garatea and PS Surafel Abebe enjoy another beautiful day aboard Thomas Jefferson
It is nice being home. I do, however, miss the crew aboard Thomas Jefferson. They are now back out surveying on the Lake Erie after a much needed shoreleave. I am having fun thinking about how I will use what I learned during this adventure to enrich the K-8 STEAM curriculum of the Dalton Local School District.
I thought it would be interesting to compare some specifications of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson = TJ (research vessel) with my 2010 Toyota Sienna minivan + 2019 Viking camper = VV (recreational vehicle). I would also like to thank Chief Marine Engineer (CME) Tom Cleary and Husband Phil Grimm for information concerning the specifications of the research vessel and recreational vehicle, respectfully.
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson taken from the launch = TJ Research Vessel
2019 Viking camper + 2010 Toyota Sienna minivan taken in my driveway = VV Recreational Vehicle
What is the size of engine? How much power is produced?
TJ = 7,740 cubic inch, 2500 Horsepower. 12-cylinder mechanically injected EMD (a division of Caterpillar) diesel engine. This engine is commonly used on locomotives.
Engine of Thomas Jefferson
Engine of Thomas Jefferson with the “hood” open
What kind of fuel do you use and how big is your storage tank?
VV = Minivan uses 87 octane unleaded gasoline & has a 21 gallon fuel tank. Camper has a 20-pound liquid propane (LP) gas storage tank.
TJ = The ship uses #2 ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and has a 131,789-gallon storage tank.
Where is the electricity stored? Quantity?
VV = Minivan has a 12-volt battery + Camper has a 12-volt “marine”, deep cycle battery
TJ = The ship has two 24-volt starting banks (2 batteries in series) for the emergency diesel generator (EDG), and two 24-volt emergency power banks for general alarm and other emergency circuits.
Where is the electricity produced? Quantity?
VV = Minivan: belt-driven alternator keeps battery charged. Camper: battery can be charged by the van or with the charger/inverter when plugged into AC.
TJ (underway / while at sea) = Three generators capable of generating 345 Kilowatts each (over 1 megawatt combined); one generator is online at a time. TJ has increased its energy efficiency (LED lighting, more energy efficient AC and appliances, etc.). Now, under normal house loads – not running any of the davits or cranes – TJ requires only 30% of the electricity generated with one generator.
TJ (onshore / while at port) = The ship has the capability to use power from shore via a plug on the port and starboard side. It uses power cables standard to all maritime ships. Each of its NATO plugs is capable of carrying 480 Volts of 3-phase power (400 amps). Typically, TJ only uses one of its NATO plugs while in port unless there is need for additional electricity.
First Assistant Engineer (1AE) Perry checks fluids in one of three generators
Each generator can generate 345 Kilowatts of electricity
How does the driver / engineer know what is happening with the engine and generators?
VV = Dashboard of the van, gauges, check engine lights and warnings
TJ = Modern, Windows-based control room with remote capabilities. This system sends information to the control room, Bridge, and the Chief Engineer’s office. Lots of gauges and computer displays. Multiple lights and warnings if there are problems.
1AE Perry checks gauges in the control room
How about locomotion? How does VV or TJ move forward or backward?
VV & TJ = Both use an internal combustion engine that turns a propulsion shaft. Both use a series of reduction gears (transmission in the case of the van). Speed is maintained via a fixed gear ratio in TJ, unlike the van that has multiple gear ratios. The Chief Marine Engineer (CME), Tom Cleary, tried to convince me that the mechanics of locomotion are very similar in both vehicles except the drive shaft of TJ is much longer and larger and at the end turns a propeller; where the drive shaft of the van eventually makes the wheels turn.
How do the drivers know where to go?
VV = looking out the window, maps, GPS, and when all else fails ask the spouse
TJ = refer to my July 18, 2022, NOAA Teacher at Sea blog post, “Who is driving this ship?”
Do both vehicles have windshield wipers?
VV = 2 windshield wipers
TJ = 9 windshield wipers + 2 Clearview screens which are rotational window wipers that work via centripetal force.
Clearview Screen – Centripetal Windshield Wiper
How big is the freshwater (potable water) tank?
VV = 23 gallons
TJ = 47,382 gallons. The ship also can make its own freshwater from saltwater using a reverse osmosis system
What is greywater and how big is the collection tank?
Greywater is the relatively clean wastewater from baths, sinks, washing machines, and other kitchen appliances.
VV = 25 gallons
TJ = 27,878 gallons
What is black water and how big is the collection tank?
Black water is sewage or the wastewater from toilets.
VV = 25 gallons
TJ = 29,440 gallons
What about the hot water systems?
VV = Has a 6-gallon water tank where water is heated using natural gas.
TJ = Has two separate hot water systems. The first uses electricity to heat water in a 60-gallon tank. This water is available for decks 01, 02, and 03. These are the three decks above the main deck. The other system has two 60-gallon tanks plumbed in series that serve the laundry room, galley, and staterooms on decks 2 and 3. These are the two decks below the main deck. Pumps constantly move water through the systems helping to provide (almost) instantaneous hot water from the tap.
What is the size and amenities of the kitchen (galley)?
VV = 2 burner gas stove, microwave, no conventional oven, two cupboards used for food storage, 1 cupboard used to store pots, pans, and other miscellaneous kitchen items, approximate size of counter next to the sink is 6 square feet.
TJ = Areas including food prep, cooking, serving, dish washer, dry storage and steward’s office are all in an area roughly 800 square feet.
What about where people eat (mess hall)? What is it like?
VV = One table (roughly 2’ x 3’) plus two benches. Entire area is approximately 24 square feet. A picnic table is also an option when available. It is provided by the campground.
TJ = Three tables (roughly 2.5’ x 10’), 20 chairs, multiple refrigerators, freezers, beverage & coffee dispensers, salad bar, sink, and snack shelves. Entire area is about 250 square feet.
Do these vehicles have refrigerators and freezers?
VV = 3 cubic foot refrigerator + ½ cubic foot freezer. Ice is made with a mini-ice cube tray.
TJ = All staterooms have a mini fridge. There are a mixture of small and home-sized refrigerators and freezers in the galley and mess hall for the convenience of the stewards and crew. There are also two very large walk-in refrigerators and freezers that are used by the stewards. An ice maker is housed in the galley and is used to fill coolers, etc.
How many berths (beds) are aboard?
VV = The camper and van each have two, making a total of 4 places where people could sleep.
TJ = There are 36 places for people to sleep, and the hospital has one bed.
What is a “head” and how many are there?
According to a Navy history website, “Head” in a nautical sense referring to the bow or fore part of a ship dates to 1485. The ship’s toilet was typically placed at the head of the ship near the base of the bowsprit, where splashing water served to naturally clean the toilet area.” (Icky!)
VV = One toilet/shower unit in the camper + a portable toilet if needed.
TJ = Each stateroom has access to a toilet/shower unit + a public toilet on the main deck.
How many stairs are there?
VV = Two steps into the camper
TJ = It all depends upon how a flight of stairs is defined and who you ask. If a flight is defined as at least 8 steps, the consensus among those asked is somewhere between 20 and 22 flights of stairs. TJ is essentially a 6-story building after all.
What about doors? How many are there?
VV = Van has 5 doors (if you count the trunk); camper has 1 door
TJ = Too many to count! There are five doors, however, that are very important. They are the internal watertight doors that isolate areas of the ship in case of emergencies. There are also additional watertight doors that one uses to go from the internal spaces to the decks of the ship.
Closed watertight door
Open watertight door
What is the outer cover made of?
VV = Van is painted steel; camper is painted aluminum
TJ = Painted steel. The deckhands really do a fantastic job of keeping TJ in great repair!
What are the external dimensions of each vehicle?
VV = Van: Length: 17”, Width: 6’ 7”, Height: 5’ 10”; Camper: Length: 16’ 7”, Width: 7’ 4”, Height: 10’; total length of the Van + Camper = 33’ 4”
TJ = Length: 208’, Width (beam): 45 ‘, Height (from the keel to the wind birds): ~ 100 feet
Meet the Crew
Chief Marine Engineer (CME) Tom Cleary got his first paycheck for a boat job when he was 16 years old and has not stopped working on boats since. This extremely competent engineer is originally from Cape Cod and has worked for NOAA for over 20 years – the last 11 years have been aboard Thomas Jefferson. His off-ship activities revolve around his wife and four children, and maintaining an 80-year-old home.
Tom states that that, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but still always better than a master on one”. He enjoys the variety presented to him by his work duties. No two days are alike. He oversees 9 people, and his duties require mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and managerial skills.
He is a classic hawsepiper. This means that he did not go to a maritime academy to become an engineer. He learned from the ground up first by working on sight seeing boats and ferries in the Cape Cod area to working on several NOAA ships. From working as a deckhand, steward, to chief engineer – he has literally crawled up the hawsepipe.
If budget was not a limiting factor, what could I invent for you that would make your job easier? He wanted to be clear that he meant no disrespect, however, he replied that he would like some robots. Much of his job is spent dealing with people. Budget management meetings, payroll, planning schedules, rating performance, training, drills, and dealing with “hotel” services for the crew (refrigeration, air conditioning, plumbing, hot water issues, etc.) take up much of his time. Tom likes the crew, however, if there were fewer people and more robots working on the ship, he would have more time on engineering challenges. (I wonder if he has contemplated the challenges presented by maintaining a gang of robots?)
1AE Perry and CME Cleary
What is the difference between a boat and a ship?
According to Britannica Kids, “A ship is a large boat that can carry passengers or cargo for long distances over water. People have been using ships for transportation, exploration, and war since ancient times.”
Parts of a Ship
Diagram showing the main parts of a ship
“Most ships are much larger than most boats, but they have many of the same parts. As on boats, the front of a ship is called the bow. The back is the stern. A ship’s left side is known as the port side. The right is the starboard side.
A ship’s frame, or body, is called the hull. The keel is like the ship’s backbone. It is a central beam that runs along the bottom of the ship from front to back. The keel keeps the ship from tipping over.
Ships usually have many decks. The decks are like the floors of a building. Cabins for passengers, engine and control rooms, and spaces for cargo are often on different decks.
An engine inside the ship provides energy to propellers at the back of the ship. The propellers push the ship through the water. The rudder, which is also at the back of the ship, helps in steering. When the ship is not moving, a heavy metal anchor may be lowered into the water. This keeps the ship from floating away.” (Britannica Kids)
This excellent video clearly defines all the parts of a ship labeled in the diagram above.
Watch this video to help you learn the parts of a ship!
Did you know?
Earlier, I stated that I use GPS (Global Positioning System) on my phone to help navigate while driving. Just what is GPS? It is a highly accurate satellite-based navigation and location system. With a GPS receiver (like my phone), users can quickly determine their precise latitude, longitude, and altitude.
If I need to drive from Los Alamos, NM to Los Angeles, CA., I place these end points into Google Maps and GPS helps me plan a path to drive. Some people use GPS-capable watches to help them determine how far they have run and how much elevation they have gained. We also use GPS on the ship. At any one time, the survey is using between 25-30 GPS satellites at a time – some from other countries.
Something else I learned today is that GPS is the system developed by the USA. Other countries have their own systems that work in much the same way. Countries cooperate and use each other’s satellite systems. Here is a list of GPS-like systems used by other countries.
GPS = United States
GLONASS = Russia
Galileo = European Union
QZS = Japan
BeiDou = China
SBAS = Korea
Watching this NASA Space Place video, “GPS and the Quest for Pizza” will also help you understand how GPS works.
GPS and the Quest for Pizza
Personal Log
For the Little Dawgs . . .
Q: Where is Dewey? Hint: You use these to climb up or down.
Dewey, what are you sitting on?
A: Dewey is sitting on a step of a flight of stairs. All the steps on the ship have a non-skid surface. They are very effective at giving you sure footing as you climb up or down the stairs. There are flights of stairs inside and outside of the ship. They go from one deck to another. All in all, there are between 20-22 flights of stairs on Thomas Jefferson.
Dewey is sitting on one of the ship’s many flights of stairs.
Many a fine sailor . . .
With only a few more days to go on this incredible journey, I was excited to read on the next day’s Plan of the Day (POD) that I would be going out on the launch (small boat) to help with surveying close to shore. We had a large area to survey and also pick up some “holidays” in areas that were previously surveyed. A data holiday is an area that was missed in a previous survey. I packed my backpack, got a good night’s sleep, and ate a small breakfast to prepare for the day.
TJ Launch = Bucking Bronco
Let’s just say, it was a rough day. The waves were not terribly high (~ 2 feet), however, the launch rode like a bucking bronco! I was fine for the first 30-45 minutes. Then, I started to feel all hot and woozy. After “revisiting” my breakfast several times and losing my TAS hat overboard, the crew brought me back to the ship. I was taken to the infirmary where the medical officer took my vitals every 15 minutes for an hour and encouraged me to eat some saltines and drink Gatorade. After a long nap, shower, and Ramen noodles for supper, I felt much better.
At supper, the three crewmembers who were on the launch with me said that they tried to look for my hat. They found a dead fish, but they thought it wouldn’t look very nice on my head. I kidded back that Dewey, who was in my backpack, threw up a little bit, also. It sure was an adventure!
I cannot say enough nice things about the crew members who took care of me in my time of need. They were professional, kind, and had my wellbeing first and foremost in their words and actions. I am very grateful. Thank you!
Later that evening the Chief Boatswain Pooser told me, “Many a fine sailor has lost their lunch on the launch.” It made me smile. I was finally part of the club.
Mrs. Grimm and her First Mate Husband Phil
Please note – As I complete this post, I am now home. I am on land, however, I have more to share. My final blog posts will be sent from my home office. (Funny. . . Why does the room seem to be rolling from side to side? No one told me that I would still feel the rocking of the ship the day after my disembarkation. I don’t mind. It is pleasant reminder of my time aboard ThomasJefferson.)
We are back to surveying off the north coast of Cleveland
Science and Technology Log
Humidity: In each blog post, I report the dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures plus the calculated relative humidity.
What is humidity? It is the amount of water vapor in the air. If there is a lot of water vapor in the air, the humidity will be high. The higher the humidity, the “stickier” the air feels outside. Think about a hot August day in Ohio. The air feels sticky and uncomfortable. Chances are that the humidity is high.
What is relative humidity? Relative humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air, expressed as a percentage of the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at the same temperature. Warm air can hold more water vapor than cool air. Once you know the wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures, you can use a conversion table to calculate the relative humidity. (I discussed this topic in my July 7: Echoes and Flares blog post.)
This video might help you understand the concept further.
What is humidity?
Dry and wet bulb thermometers are used to calculate relative humidity
These thermometers are used to measure the dry bulb (left) and wet bulb (right) temperature measurements. The dry bulb measures air temperature. The wet bulb thermometer has a tiny sock on the end that is sitting in a container of water. The physics of water evaporating causes the temperature to decrease. So, this thermometer will register a lower temperature. A person then uses a comparison cart to calculate the relative humidity. The dryer the air, the more quickly the water from the sock will evaporate. A larger difference between the dry and wet bulb thermometers will result in a lower relative humidity reading.
The dry and wet bulb thermometers are contained in a white box with holes in the cover. This is to minimize the effect of direct sun.
Students: We have a “wet wall” also known as a “swamp cooler” in the greenhouse to cool the greenhouse when it gets too warm. How is this related to humidity? How does this work to cool the greenhouse? (Hint: Look up the concept of evaporative cooling.)
Latitude and Longitude: Each time I write a blog post I have told you where I am. I do this by telling you my “address” on the globe by listing the ship’s latitude and longitudinal lines. But just what are latitude and longitude lines and how do they tell you where you are on the globe?
Latitude and longitude are a system of lines used to describe the location of any place on Earth. Think of latitude and longitude as an imaginary grid placed over the world to help you find places. Each place on the Earth has an address. The address is where the lines of latitude and longitude cross. Although these are only imaginary lines, they appear on maps and globes as if they actually existed.
Latitude – Flatitude! Longitude lines are Long!
This chart summarizes a lot of information about latitude and longitude.
Latitude are the points north and south of the equator. The equator is halfway between the North and South Poles. It’s an imaginary horizontal line that cuts the planet completely in half. Latitude lines are imaginary lines that are a specific degree away from the equator going to the North and South Pole. Between each line of latitude there are 60 minutes which are then again subdivided into 60 seconds.
They are also known as “parallels” and run east-west.
Equator = 0ᵒ; North Pole = 90ᵒN; South Pole = 90ᵒS
Northern Hemisphere = 0ᵒ through 90ᵒNorth
Southern Hemisphere = 0ᵒ through 90ᵒSouth
1 degree of latitude = 60 nautical miles
1 minute of latitude = 1 nautical mile
1 nautical mile = 1.15 statute miles (Statute miles are used on land.)
Longitude are the points east and west of the prime meridian. Like the equator, the prime meridian is an imaginary vertical line that splits the world in half from the North to the South Pole. Longitude are vertical lines going from one pole to the other starting at the prime meridian. I like to think of the lines of longitude like the distance between the edges of sections of an orange. They are further apart near the middle (equator) and get closer together as they near the ends.
0ᵒ = the Prime Meridian that passes through Greenwich, England
180ᵒ = halfway around the Earth; it is roughly the international dateline
Western Hemisphere = 0ᵒ through 180ᵒWest of Greenwich
Eastern Hemisphere = 0ᵒ through 180ᵒEast of Greenwich
Longitudinal lines vary with distance from the equator
This video may help you understand these concepts more clearly.
Want to understand latitude and longitude?
What is the latitude and longitudinal address of your town? Use this interactive map to find the latitude and longitudinal address of your house! I found using the “satellite” view handy.
Another way to find out is to go to Google Maps and type in your address. Once the App has found your house, right click on the red pin. At the top of the list will be your latitude / longitude coordinates.
Chizzywinks: This message was recently written on a white board outside of the crew lounge. What are these invaders? They do not seem to bite; however, they are very annoying. They are everywhere!
Report to your battle stations!
In mid-July we had a period with little wind. This insect covered many of the surfaces of the ship. While it somewhat resembles a mosquito, this is in insect called a midge . . . or a chizzywink.
No one on board seemed to know what they were (other than annoying), so I contacted two friends back home. Drs. Rowe and Nault have expertise in plant pathology and entomology – but, more importantly, they are fly fishermen and really know about the insects that call Lake Erie “Home”.
These lovely, pesky insects are midges. They have many other names, including lake flies, Canadian soldiers, or chizzywinks, just to name a few. They live on the lake bottom as worm-like larvae, many of which are blood red. In this life stage they eat decaying plant matter. Eventually, they enter the pupal stage. This is a nonfeeding stage between the larva and adult, during which it undergoes a complete change within a hardened case. The pupae (more than one pupa) slowly rise to the surface through the water column. They are a major source of food for fish and other aquatic animals. Fishermen consider them good bugs! Those aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson might beg to differ.
Once at the surface, the adults emerge and get rid of their pupal cases in the surface film of the water. They often emerge by the thousands. In fact, in certain places around the world there can be so many midges that once they die, they are considered fertilizer.
The adults look like “mosquito-like” flies, but don’t bite. Many are eaten by birds.
Once the larvae emerge as flying adults, they stop eating and have only one thing on their minds – mating. According to Water Blogged, a blog published by the Science and Stories of the Center for Limnology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the adults “gather in huge clouds and, well, get to know one another. After mating, the male eventually expires, with the female not far behind – but first she’ll return to the water to lay her eggs.” The eggs laid on the surface sink to the bottom, and the cycle begins again.
(Students – Compare and contrast the life cycle of a midge and the monarch butterfly or darkling beetles.)
Life cycle of the non-biting midge, a.k.a chizzywinks.
Learn more about the midge in this video.
Midges are invertebrates.
Meet the Crew
Justin Witmer, Chief Electronics Technician on NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson
Justin Witmer has worked on NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson as the Chief Electronics Technician for the past 3 years. Prior to this position he worked for the Norfolk Naval Shipyards. He is a sailor at heart having spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy.
What does your job entail? He is responsible for most of the things on TJ that plug into a wall. This includes the maintaining and repairing the sonars (which are essential to the hydrographic work), other ship sensors, computers, etc. From the sonar on the keel to the wind bird at the top, he is responsible for the electronics in between.
Where do you do most of your work? I work mostly from my office which is right off the Survey Control Room where I do computer and user account maintenance as well as electronics troubleshooting duties.
What do you like most about your job? I like to troubleshoot electronics issues.
What do you like the least about your job? Administrative paperwork.
What do you like about working on a ship? I’ve always enjoyed the general atmosphere of living on a ship. With a good crew it is much like a large group home. You can choose to get along with everyone, and if you can’t, the ship is large enough that you can generally get away from those you don’t see eye-to-eye with.
If budget was not an issue, what tool would you like me to invent that would make your job easier? A cable stretcher.
Can you share with us one or two things about yourself that don’t have to do with work? He lives in Norfolk, VA, speaks fluent Turkish, and like to play music (bass and tuba). He also likes amateur radio. His job lines up nicely with his hobbies – all except, perhaps, playing tuba.
So much of what TJ does to complete its mission relies on computers, sensors, and electronics. Thank you, Justin, for all you do to keep the electronics aboard TJ ship shape! Thank you for your service.
Personal Log
Safety is paramount. Since discussing safety drills in my July 8, 2022 blog, I have done my homework. I know what the signals mean, what to take, and where to go. Today, we had three drills: fire, man overboard, and abandoned ship. During abandoned ship drills, we need to take our personal flotation devices (PFDs), also known as life vests, and our Survival Immersion Suit which is lovingly called our “Gumby” suit. We are expected to put on our suit in less than 2 minutes. It is made from Neoprene to maximize flotation and hypothermia protection. Being red, it can easily be seen in the water. It also has a light and a place where we can blow up a head pillow.
A friend helped me practice putting on my Gumby suit. I succeeded in putting it on I just over a minute!
Got it out of the bag!
I think you can see why it is called the Gumby Suit.
Time for a fashion pose! Do you think I look like a chizzywink larva?
Q: Where is Dewey? Hint: He is sitting on a very important piece of equipment that we need when we want to lower or raise the anchor.
The chain might give you a hint.
Wow! This is big! What is it? What is it used for?
Dewey was sitting on the anchor windlass which is found on the bow of the ship.
A: Dewey is sitting on the anchor windlass. According to Wikipedia, “An anchor windlass is a machine that restrains and manipulates the anchor chain on a boat, allowing the anchor to be raised and lowered by means of chain cable. A notched wheel engages the links of the chain or the rope.” In other words, it is the machine that lowers and raises the anchor.
This diagram shows the location of the hawsepipe.
I learned a lot new information today! The steel pipe on each side of the windlass where the anchor chains pass through is called a hawsepipe. I think because the chain goes up and down in the hawsepipe, a hawsepiper (*) refers to a ship’s officer who began his/her career in a non-traditional way. They did not attend a maritime academy to earn an officer’s license. They worked their way into their career like a chain travels through a hawsepipe.
(*) Remember this word. I will be using it in a future blog post.
Thomas Jefferson has a stockless anchor.
The anchor is usually very heavy and made of metal. It is used to help keep the ship from drifting away from a fixed place due to wind or current.
TJ has a stockless anchor. Watch the following video to see how a windlass and a stockless anchor work together to secure a ship. The chain really does a lot of work!
Lake Erie Fact:
Lake Erie’s primary inlet is the Detroit River which comes from Lake Huron. Its natural outflow is via the Niagara River, which provides hydroelectric power to Canada and the U.S. as it spins huge turbines near Niagara Falls.
Soon we will start sampling the bottom to see if we are traveling over mud, clay, sand, gravel, or shells (most likely to be zebra mussels). This is important information for ships to know who want to anchor in the area.
I have mixed feelings about this experience coming to an end. I really miss my husband, friends, cats, home, garden, etc. Just this morning, I made the comment to Chief Hydrographer in Charge, Erin, how this has been an incredible experience . . . especially for a nerd who is super excited about STEM content and promoting STEM careers. With minimal preparation, I was plopped into this information-rich environment with local experts who were willing and excited to answer all my questions AND I had the time to ask more questions, follow research leads, process my learning through writing, and get a taste of living at sea.
We pull into the Port of Cleveland on July 22. It will be hard to say, “Good-bye” to TJ, this extraordinary learning experience, and all my new friends. It will be easy to greet my husband after 19 days being away. It will also be time to move forward and plan on how I will share what I have learned with the students at Dalton Local Schools.
(*) This is a chart of abbreviations that I refer to when I go the the bridge to record the weather .
This image shows the progress of the hydrographic survey off the coast of Presque Isle.
Science and Technology Log
The ship is driven from the Bridge. It is the main control center of the ship. It is driven by a variety of people and computers. People who drive the ship include: the Commanding Officer (CO), Conning Officer (CONN), Officer of the Deck (OOD), and several helmsmen. There are several (at least two) people on the Bridge all the time. If Thomas Jefferson were a six-story building, the Bridge would be on the top floor. Being on the 6th floor has its pros and cons. Seeing, avoiding, and communicating with other boats in the area is very important. One can see far and wide from up there! One disadvantage is that things really rock ‘n roll up there when we are in heavy seas!
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson’s Commanding Officer (CO) Jaskoski
According to a popular career website (Your Free Career Test), “A ship captain is in command of water vessels in lakes, oceans, coastal waters, rivers, or bays. They ensure the safe and efficient operations of vessels. A ship captain navigates their vessel according to weather conditions and uses radar, depth finders, radios, buoys, lights, and even lighthouses. They determine sufficient levels of oxygen, hydraulic fluid, or air pressure of the vessel.”
Are you interested in having a career as a ship captain of a seagoing vessel? Watch the following video to see if you have what it takes!
How about a career at sea?
The Bridge has many windows, and is filled with instruments, computers, and reference manuals.
Following are pictures of what is used to navigate and drive the ship. Each picture is followed by a brief description.
Thomas Jefferson has two radars
Radar is one of the most important tools on the Bridge. It allows us to see objects, ships, obstructions – basically anything we could run into (on the surface). TJ has two radars. The X-band radar is used for higher resolution pictures and things in closer range. The S-band radar is used to see objects further away.
The Officer of the Deck (OOD) and Conning Officer (CONN) use the Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) function of the radar to identify “targets” or other ships in the area. It is used to track their relative motion to see which way and how fast they are headed with respect to TJ. The ARPA calculates the closest point of approach (CPA) and time to CPA. This tells you if there is the potential of a collision. The result is to change course, change speed, contact the other ship, or anything to reduce the risk of a collision.
If there is the potential for a collision, the OOD or CONN may contact the vessel and make a passing arrangement. However, since TJ is conducting operations, they may also make a Security announcement to let other vessels know their whereabouts and status. (Sécurité is French for “security” and is pronounced se-cur-i-tay.) According to Wikipedia, “Of the three distress and urgency calls, Sécurité is the least urgent.
Sécurité: A radio call that usually issues navigational warnings, meteorological warnings, and any other warning needing to be issued that may concern the safety of life at sea yet may not be particularly life-threatening.
Pan-pan: This is the second most important call. This call is made when there is an emergency aboard a vessel, yet there is no immediate danger to life, or the safety of the vessel itself. This includes, but is not limited to injuries on deck, imminent collision that has not yet occurred, or being unsure of vessel’s position.
Mayday: This is the most important call that can be made, since it directly concerns a threat to life or the vessel. Some instances when this call would be made are, but not limited to death, collision, and fire at sea. When the Mayday call is made, the vessel is requiring immediate assistance.”
Last evening, the CONN made a Sécurité announcement because the position, direction, and speed of a dredging vessel and the TJ were at risk of a collision. As soon as the announcement was made, the dredging vessel altered its course and the TJ slowed down a bit. We averted the collision with a very large margin.
A close-up view of one portion of the radar.
Above is a close-up view of just one portion of the radar.
HDG = Heading of the ship (per gyrocompass)
SPD = Speed in knots
COG = Course over ground ***
SOG = Speed over ground ***
The yellow numbers represent degrees of latitude and longitude.
(*** These parameters are course and speed after the influence of wind and current have been taken into account.)
Speed at sea is measured in knots. One knot is a unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour or approximately 1.15 miles per hour.
Distance at sea is measured in nautical miles. The nautical mile is based on the Earth’s longitude and latitude coordinates, with one nautical mile equaling one minute of latitude. A nautical mile is slightly longer than a mile on land, equaling 1.15 land-measured (or statute) miles.
A combination of monitors showing and Electronic Charting System (ECS) and the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)
The lower monitor and keyboard are the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS). It displays Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs). This system allows officers on deck to see where they are in real-time. It can be updated frequently when new information regarding navigation (buoys, obstructions, depths, etc.) are charted. It has all but replaced paper carts.
Search lights and communication systems
The two panels on the left control the starboard and port side searchlights. Upper right is a fathometer. It is the less sophisticated echo sounder used to measure depth below the keel when we are transiting (moving from place to place) and not surveying.
Lower right, you will find the intercom that is used to communicate between the Bridge and the Data Acquisition desk in the Survey room.
This communications VHF radio is set on channel 16.
This radio is used to communicate with other ships in the area. Information to and from the US Coast Guard is also shared through this device.
This monitor shows where data have been collected.
This monitor shows what is going on with a software called “Hypack”. It displays data that has been collected. It helps hydrographers and those driving the ship to visually keep track of where data has been collected. Also, it feeds information to the autopilot which allows the ship to stay on the course while surveying, without having to steer in hand or adjust based on distance from the line.
The ship’s wheel
This is where the Helmsman stands and steers the ship. The Helmsman takes his/her orders from the Conning Officer. This officer is responsible for instructing the helmsman on the course to steer. Did you know that ships have autopilot? The helmsman steers the ship when it is turning or doing complicated maneuvers. When the ship is traveling in long straight lines (when we are “mowing the lawn”), the helmsman turns on the autopilot affectionately called, “Nav Nav”. It is called this because the Nav button needs to be pushed twice to activate the system.
This panel controls the power of the main engine that turns the propeller.
The bow thruster control panel
There is a small propeller on the bow called a bow thruster. This panel controls the thruster. It is often used when steering the ship in tight places at slow speeds. I like to think of it as a way to “fine tune” the direction of the ship.
There are many compasses on the ship.
This is the magnetic compass that hangs from the ceiling of the Bridge.
This is the LED display of the main compass used in navigation. It uses gyros.
This is a gyrocompass repeater that allows watch standers to take bearings to other vessels or significant points on land. There is one on each side of the bridge.
How did early people navigate the oceans?
The rudder is found aft (behind) of the propeller. Both are under the ship. The helmsman uses the rudder to turn the ship right or left. The rudder moves using hydraulics. The pointer on the display above moves as the rudder moves.
This dial displays the position of the rudder. The rudder is used to turn the ship.
This gauge is physically attached to the rudder.
The rudder is moved using opposing hydraulic systems.
Personal Log
We have had beautiful weather during this leg of the mission. This morning, we had a beautiful red sky at sunrise.
Red sky in the morning? Should I heed warning?
You may be familiar with the saying, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor’s warning.” The Library of Congress states that this concept is also repeated in Shakespeare and in the Bible.
In Shakespeare’s play Venus and Adonis, “Like a red morn that ever yet betokened, Wreck to the seaman, tempest to the field. Sorrow to the shepherds, woe unto the birds, Gusts and foul flaws to herdmen and to herds.”
In the Bible (Matthew XVI: 2-3,) Jesus said, “When in evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: For the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today; for the sky is red and lowering.”
Weather lore has been around since people have needed to predict the weather. Several agencies (NOAA Earth Systems Research Laboratory, Earth Observatory at NASA, and University of Wisconsin-Madison) have studied the science behind this piece of weather lore.
According to the Library of Congress, “When we see a red sky at night, this means that the setting sun is sending its light through a high concentration of dust particles. This usually indicates high pressure and stable air coming in from the west. Basically, good weather will follow.
A red sunrise can mean that a high-pressure system (good weather) has already passed, thus indicating that a storm system (low pressure) may be moving to the east. A morning sky that is deep, fiery red can indicate that there is high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain could be on its way.”
The beautiful sunrise + the NOAA weather report caused people to believe that we might be in for a weather change.
Looks like rain is coming! Batten down the hatches!
Rain clouds in the distance.
After a morning of surveying closer to shore, the launch came home to roost just in case of bad weather.
Right before the rain hit, I saw a monarch butterfly off the stern of the ship. We were about 5 miles from land. (Full disclosure – I did not take this picture.)
Heavy rain, wind, lightning, and higher waves. Weather decks were secured. This meant that no one could go outside until further notice.
The ship’s whistle is sounded one prolonged signal (4-6 seconds) every 2 minutes indicating that we are in an area of reduced visibility.
For the Little Dawgs . . . (Part 1)
Q: Where is Dewey? Hint: Only a very important person on board is allowed to sit in this chair.
Dewey, have you gotten permission to sit there?
A: Dewey is sitting in the captain’s (Commanding Officer’s) chair in the Bridge. CO Jaskoski gave Dewey permission to sit in the chair . . . just this once because he is so cute.
Dewey chill’n out in the CO’s chair
For the Little Dawgs . . . (Part 2)
Q: Where is Dewey? Hint: This is used by the helmsman to drive the ship.
Hang on Dewey! I am afraid that you are too short to do the work of a helmsman.
A: Dewey is sitting on the wheel in the Bridge. Yes, I am afraid that he is too short to do his job.
Watch out all who are in front of the bow! Dewey is trying to drive the ship.
Human-Interest Poll (HIP)
Other = writing letters, napping, or planning future vacations
Questions from students:
Casey M. asked, “Have you found anything shipwrecks yet?”
LG – Whether we have found something or not, I must respond the same way. It is classified information. I am not allowed to tell you whether we have or have not found anything until I am given permission to do so. Thank you for your curiosity.
Evelyn A. asked, “Have you seen anything that you haven’t seen before on Lake Erie. Also, what is the deepest spot you have seen so far?
LG: During this leg of the survey the deepest we have measured is 28 meters (~ 92 feet) deep. I asked one of my shipmates and she said the deepest she has measured is 999.8 meters (3280 ft or over 1000 yards) deep. That’s deeper than 10 football fields!
I’ve had many new experiences and have seen lots of new things on this voyage. The one that stands out for me is that we found a shipwreck. I cannot tell you where we found it – that’s confidential. It was about 70 meters (230 feet) long – a little shorter than a football field. It looked as if it had been there for a long time.
Gretta S. asked, “Do you ever miss being on land or miss your neighbors (Wink, wink)? How was the movie night? How tall is the ship? Have the waves ever gotten so high you could feel the sea spray on the deck? Have you seen both vertebrates and invertebrates?”
LG: Yes, I miss my family, cats, and neighbors, however, this is a voyage of a lifetime! The movie night was great. I didn’t stay up to watch the whole movie – bedtime called. The ship from “keel to wind birds” is about 100 feet. Yes, the waves have gotten high enough to wash up on to the main deck – especially during a turn. I’ve seen a lot of insects (invertebrates) but few vertebrates unless you count my fellow shipmates and some seagulls!
Josie S. asked, “What is your favorite meal on the ship so far? How do you like sleeping on the top bunk in your room on the ship? Did you see any fish in the lake? Are you allowed to have electronics on the ship? I liked the picture of you and Dewey on the ship!!!! You look happy!”
LG: My favorite meal so far has been prime rib and sweet potatoes. I like sleeping on the top bunk because I have a porthole. My bed is very comfy, and my roommate is nice. I have not seen any fish in the lake; however, we see a lot of seafood in the mess hall (examples: crab legs, cod, grouper, shrimp, oysters, and salmon). Yes, we are allowed to have electronics on the ship. I have my cell phone, computer, a small camera for videos, and voice recorder. We use a lot of technology! I am happy! This has been a wonderful learning experience in so many ways. I cannot wait to share this experience with my students when I return to Dalton. (P.S. I will give Dewey a hug for you.)
Janie S. said, “We were at Kelleys Island last weekend! When we were there, we saw Canada with our binoculars! Could you see Canada? What other foods did you have on the Thomas Jefferson ship? The deepest lake out of the great lakes would be Lake Superior. And the shallowest lakes out of the great lakes would be Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie.”
LG: That is very cool that you got the chance to go to Kelleys Island and see Canada. During the day, we cannot see Canada from where we are surveying. The Operations Officer in Training told me that if you go on the bridge at night, you can see radio towers and lights from the windmills in Canada. We are approximately 19 nautical miles (about 22 statute miles) from the nearest point of land in Canada which is Long Point National Wildlife Area in Norfolk County, Ontario. We stay mostly 4 to 8 nautical miles north of Presque Isle, PA. This link will give you all sorts of information about the depths of the Great Lakes. Did you know that Lake Superior is eight times deeper than Lake Erie! As for the part of your questions about what other foods we have on TJ – I decided just to include a panoramic picture of one of our snack shelves. Just suffice it to say that we are very well fed!
A panoramic view of just one of the snack shelves!
Keep those emailed questions coming! I love your questions! Contact me at lgrimm@daltonlocal.org. Be sure to sign your message with your first and last name. Farewell for now!
The date July 16, 2022 might seem like a typical Saturday, an ordinary day on the calendar to enjoy the last days of Summer before school starts around the corner. And this would be the case any other year. This year was different. It was a day that was two years in the making and one that this physics teacher could not come soon enough. It was in 2019 that I received the great news I was selected as a NOAA Teacher at Sea for the 2020 research cruise season. I was beyond ready for such an incredible learning opportunity. It would however turn out not to be…at least for the present. This is when life (also known as COVID) intervened. Eventually, thanks to vaccinations, mitigation strategies and effective treatments, conditions started to improve and in 2022, the research cruise season was slowly becoming a reality and I finally received my cruise assignment. Today (July 16, 2022) is the formal beginning of the cruise. So, how did the day begin?
I awoke at my usual time (about 7:00 am-ish) and got washed up and ready for the day ahead. I had begun the packing process several days before and had my luggage ready to go.
However, it doesn’t seem official.
My flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Gulfport was scheduled for late afternoon and had arranged for shuttle pickup at 2:40 pm. This meant I had a lot of time on my hands. I took care of school related professional development activities in preparation for the upcoming school year so it was time well spent.
But still, it doesn’t seem official.
Minutes and the hours passed by quickly and the shuttle driver showed up on time. I placed my luggage in the back, took my seat, fastened my seat belt and we were on the way to the airport.
Even then, it didn’t seem official.
The driver was very pleasant and personable, which is not always a certainty with shuttle drivers. He got me to the proper terminal, informed me of my gate number and I was on the way to check in my luggage and to security. I now had some waiting to do so I found a seat close to my gate, pulled out my iPhone, logged into my Facebook page and checked in.
An announcement on Facebook to kick off my journey as a NOAA Teacher at Sea.
Now, it was official. Even though I knew I would eventually be going on a research cruise for two years, it is not truly official until it is Facebook official. Now all I needed to do is get to Biloxi. After a 4-hour “pilots are past their working hours limit…we have to wait for a new crew” delay, we finally were allowed to board the plane. The flight was a relatively short one and pleasant one at that.
An overview of the flight, courtesy of FlightAware, from DFW to Gulfport where I will then travel to Biloxi for my cruise.
The next day was a rest day prior to the departure of the cruise. The weather was gorgeous and served as a perfect opportunity to tour Biloxi. I would like to share with you a couple of photos of my self-guided tour.
Photos from my self-guided walking tour of Biloxi. A historical Biloxi Welcome Sign located a short distance from my hotel.
Photos from my self-guided walking tour of Biloxi. A Biloxi sign located down the street from my hotel.
Photos from my self-guided walking tour of Biloxi. There are 8 casinos in Biloxi with one of them being the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. It is a casino hard to miss with its upright large guitar prominently situated in front.
Photos from my self-guided walking tour of Biloxi. A collage of photos depicting Biloxi City Hall.
Photos from my self-guided walking tour of Biloxi. This is one of my favorite photos of a mural depicting Dr. Martin Luther King taken at Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd.
As I was heading back to the hotel, I was looking for a bite to eat and walked by a restaurant I had heard rave reviews about so I decided to stop in. The restaurant was Half Shell Oyster House and the reviews are spot on!
Photos from my self-guided walking tour of Biloxi. Lunch consisting of a shrimp po-boy and fries courtesy of Half Shell Oyster House.
I got a shrimp po-boy and it was just as good as it looks. It was a great relaxing day in Biloxi but the exciting part of the trip happens tomorrow when we board the R/V Tommy Munro for the cruise. There will be more detailed information about the ship, the research, the crew and the day-to-day operations of the science team in subsequent posts. In fact, the next blog post will be shared with you from the ship.
As I round out this post, I would like to let you know of a couple of items to expect in the blog posts that follow that will not only provide insight to the research conducted aboard the R/V Tommy Munro and the NOAA Teacher at Sea program, but also will inspire and stimulate interest in learning more about marine science.
I would first like to introduce you to a Google Site that I created for this experience entitled, Welcome to my Classroom at Sea. The site can be accessed by the link below:
In this site, I not only introduce myself and discuss the research to be conducted on my assigned cruise, but I have also included ideas for ocean-related projects as well as a host of various resources to explore all aspects of marine science.
Secondly, I would like to introduce you to a recurring segment on this blog that centers around the Ocean Literacy Framework and the seven essential principles of ocean sciences, shown in the infographic below.
An infographic detailing the 7 Essential Principles of Ocean Science, developed to improve Ocean Literacy in the classroom.
The seven principles outline the integral fundamental concepts that all students Grades K – 12 should not only recognize from their science experiences but have an in-depth understanding as to how ocean sciences relate to the sustainability of and human life on Earth. Each blog post will highlight one of the seven principles of Ocean Literacy and an invitation to respond to three questions about the principle. There are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.
For this blog post, I will start with Principle 1: Earth has one big ocean with many features. After you have had some time to think about this principle, please click on the link below:
which will take you to a Padlet (an electronic bulletin board) with three questions to answer. Please click on the rounded plus sign and record your answer on the blank note that appears under each column. Once you have finished typing your response, click on Publish in the upper right-hand corner and you are done with that question. Once you finish your responses for all three questions, you may then close the page. Thank you for participating in this exercise and I look forward to reading your responses.
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson is one BIG ship. Here is a list of some of its characteristics:
Length overall: 208 ft
Beam: 45 ft
Draft: 14 ft below the keel (15.6 ft below the transducer pod)
Registered gross tonnage/Displacement: 1767 tons
Cruising speed: 11 kts
Survey Speed: 10 kts
Cruising range: 19,200 NM, 45 days
Authorized Officers and Crew: 34
Scientific Berths: 4 (They can take up to 4 visiting scientists.)
Follow this link for more information about NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson.
One thing not on this list is that currently, TJ is carrying four other boats + 6 life rafts aboard. Of the boats aboard, two are the survey launches (mentioned in a previous blog), one is a Fast Rescue Boat (FRB) that is very fast and maneuverable (more about the FRBs in a future post), and the last is a work boat affectionately called 1717. It is an inflatable boat with a ridged hull. It is frequently used to do preservation work on the hull and inspect areas for future work.
Today, the crew used the 1717 to do a crew transfer to Erie, PA. A crane (not a davit) is used to move this boat on and off the ship.
Step #1 They get the crane in position.
Step #2 Attach the crane to the boat harness.
Step #3 The crane lifts the boat off the cradle.
Step #4 The Chief Boatswain (CB Pooser in the blue hard hat) orders the crane to lift the boat higher.
Step #5 Swing 1717 over the fantail of TJ.
Step #6 Continue to swing the boat to TJ’s starboard side.
Step #7 Get the boat in the position to lower it into the water.
Keep swing!
Step #8 Lower . . . Lower. Be careful!
Step #9 Place the boat in the water.
Step #10 Once it is secured with lines to TJ, the crew can go aboard.
Able Bodied Seaman (AB) Thompson runs the crane and Chief Boatswain (CB) Pooser supervises getting the 1717 work boat in and out of the water.
AB Thompson & CB Pooser get it done!
The crane can lift 3800 lbs when it is extended 50 feet. Running this powerful piece of machinery is second nature for Able Bodied Seaman (AB) Thompson.
There are many different types of ships. People have been using ships for a long time!
According to Britannica Kids,
“People use different types of ships for many different purposes. Some of the main types are trade ships, warships, industrial ships, and pleasure vessels, or cruise ships.
“Trade ships carry different types of cargo. Container ships carry cargo packaged in large containers. General cargo ships carry lumber, farm products, and other goods that are hard to ship in containers. Bulk ships carry coal, grains, and other loose cargo. Tankers carry oil and other liquid cargo. Refrigerated ships, or reefers, carry meat, fish, and other products that need to stay cold.
“Navies use several different kinds of warships. The largest are aircraft carriers. A carrier has a large flat surface called a flight deck that airplanes can use for takeoffs and landings. Other types of military ships include cruisers, destroyers, and submarines.
“Industrial ships are sometimes called factory ships. Some industrial ships are oil rigs. They have big machinery that pumps oil from the ocean floor. Another type of factory ship processes fish that the crew catches at sea.
“Before airplanes made long-distance travel quick and easy, people traveled in ships called ocean liners. Ocean liners had dining rooms and cabins where guests could sleep. Today this type of passenger ship is called a cruise ship. Cruise ships carry tourists and vacationers to seaside locations around the world. Cruise ships often have swimming pools, shopping malls, and live entertainment.”
A cargo ship loaded with freight containers sails toward its destination.
History of Ships
From Britannica Kids:
“In early times people moved ships with oars. Many early ships also used the wind to move across the seas. These ships had sails—large, raised pieces of cloth that caught the wind. Ancient Egyptian warships had at least 40 oars and a single sail. The powerful longships of the Vikings also had oars and one sail.
“By the 1400s European ships had several sails. Sailing ships known as galleons carried large guns along their sides for making war. In the 1800s long, slim ships called clippers also had several sails. Clippers traveled faster than any ship before.
“Ships were made mainly of wood until the middle of the 1800s. At that time iron ships began to replace wooden ones. Steam-powered engines also began to replace sails.
Today most ships are made of steel or other modern materials. They have internal-combustion engines that run on diesel fuel or gas. Some modern ships run on nuclear power.”
Human-Interest Poll of the Crew
Crew’s responses to “What were the highest seas you have ever experienced?”
Personal Log – Christmas in July!
The U.S. Postal Service does not have an official moto. If it did, it could be, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” What about Santa Claus? He seems to deliver packages all over the world no matter the distance or weather!
Today, we had a delivery from a type of “Santa”. At least that is what it felt like! The U.S. Coast Guard delivered a package directly to our ship this afternoon.
Here comes Santa! He is bringing a very important package for our engineering department!
Our engineering department is very happy. Maybe now they have what they need to fix one of our davits. If the davits can be fixed, we will be able to deploy a launch (small survey boat) to assist with the survey mission.
![a painting of ships on the water, a sketch of Oliver Hazard Perry, and the quote: "We have met the enmey [sic] ad they are ours...." O. H. Perry](https://i0.wp.com/noaateacheratsea.blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/SW-19.png?ssl=1)
