NOAA Teacher at Sea
Amy Pearson
Onboard NOAA Ship Delaware II August 13 – 30, 2007
Mission: Ecosystem Monitoring Survey Geographical Area: North Atlantic Ocean Date: August 13, 2007
Amy Pearson helping Chief Scientist Jerry Prezioso load equipment onto DELAWARE II
Science and Technology Log
DAY 1 – Onboard, pre-cruise work Woods Hole, MA.
Arrived in Woods Hole at 11:45 to an overcast, humid day. Upper 70’s. Felt privileged to be able to drive into a shipside parking lot. There he and Kim Pratt, another teacher on our cruise, helped me load my gear onto the ship. Everyone was friendly, and I was shown my room – meant for 4 w/ 2 bunk beds. Great to feel the air-conditioning!!! All to myself, how wonderful, and its own bath, a shower and head in one room, sink in the room w/ the bunks. Under the bunks were latched drawers, four in total. There were also four hanging lockers, which I filled w/ hanging stuff, shoes and was able to place things on the top shelf. Assorted activities included lunch in the galley- delicious choice of crab cakes (my choice-awesome), rice, asparagus, creamy pot-onion soup and fresh green salad. Bravo to John the Chief Steward. In the galley there is a fridge w/ milk, juice, and a freezer w/ ice cream plus snacks and sandwich supplies for those who work at times that cause them to miss a meal.
Teachers Amy Pearson and Kim Pratt during their first evening on DELAWARE II
On to unloading supplies from a nearby storage area using wheeled carts. Boxes of jars, bongos, and much more, several trips. We were introduced to Cristina who would later instruct us on CTD data collection, but as the CTD was being repaired that was moved until later in the afternoon. We met Betsy who would be on board during the second week, saw her lab and the cool fish larva – ichthyoplankton, that she studies the stomach contents of. Met some of the crew and visited the helm to see equipment and borrow a 3-hole punch. Unpacked our stuff a little, then had lessons on CTD data collection. Free time for the rest of the evening. Time to explore the village of Woods Hole. Fish were jumping in water, seemed to be small stripers, lots of action. Tired and turned in – cannot sit up in lower bunk w/o hitting head, that’s ok. Finished unpacking as once we get moving, it may be difficult. There is a good light above my bunk for working here. I will have 3pm-3 am shift….We leave at 1 pm tomorrow, which is slack tide. The ship only goes 8 knots so the idea is to leave when the tidal flow into Woods Hole is best for departure.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Chuck Gregory
Onboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson August 12 – 24, 2007
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: New York Harbor Date: August 13, 2007
Chuck’s stateroom aboard the ship. During his voyage, Chuck (bottom bunk) shared his stateroom with Ensign Andrew Ostapenko (top bunk).
“He who knows best knows how little he knows.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Andy’s alarm clock went off around 0600h. I was already awake but comfortable, so I didn’t get up right away. I could hear that one of the Megan’s was using the shower. The staterooms on our deck have an interesting arrangement – two guys sharing a bath (shower and toilet) with two gals (Megan & Megan). The trick is to knock first and, once the coast is clear, to enter and lock the gal’s door from the inside. But the real trick is to remember to UNlock the gal’s door before leaving. Stay tuned…
After Andy used the shower it was my turn. I’ve used smaller showers, but not much smaller. The water pressure was good, and the temperature comfortable. I am now awake! I quickly dressed and went to the Mess Hall to catch up on some eating. I met the CO, and a few other crew. I also met Tom who is from the NOAA office in Silver Springs, Maryland (near DC). He is on board to observe and get a better idea what the ships do to gather the data. Breakfast was simple (I am trying to lose about 10 lbs.) – cereal, fruit and coffee – and I was off to take a few pictures before we headed out to sea.
The morning sky is clear and the day will be hot, so it’s probably a good thing we are going to be on the water. Next to us on the pier a group of visitors was getting the tour of the USS INTREPID. Manhattan and the surrounding area was enshroud in a gray haze. It’s going to be a learning day and I have a lot to learn. For now, I think it’s time for me to stop writing and take my Dramamine.
The Plan of the Day (Day #225) for the THOMAS JEFFERSON is as follows:
Sunrise = 0604h Sunset = 1958h 0000h
Ship moored alongside Stapleton Pier, Staten Island, NY 1100h
Ship underway 1130h
Deploy 31’ Launches (3101 & 3102) 1215h
Anchor @ Sandy Hook Anchorage 1545h
Retrieve launches
Tides for Sandy Hook Low @ 0258h (-0.2 ft.) & 1459h (0.2 ft.); High @ 0855h (5.0 ft.) & 2105h (5.6 ft.) Currents in Sandy Hook Channel Flood: 0604h (2.0 kts.) & 1814h (2.3 kts.); Ebb: 1212h (1.6 kts.) & 0041h (1.7 kts.) Weather from Sandy Hook to Fire Island AM: W winds 10-15 kts., seas 2-3 ft.; PM: NW winds 10 kts., seas 2 ft.
Today was a learning day as I wanted to learn more about the bathymetry instruments. The THOMAS JEFFERSON is equipped with a Klein 5000 Side Scan Sonar (aka SSS Fish). Informative place settings dot the mess hall and I was able to learn the basics of the equipment from them:
“The side-scan sonar is NOT just like a photo of the ocean floor. Objects get “stretched and distorted”. They need to be interpreted.”
“The SSS Fish data can be affected by: 1) tides, 2) survey speed, 3) sea conditions, 4) angle of incidence of sound waves, 5) launch (or ship) attitude (roll, yaw & heave), 6) etc.”
“When sound waves from the SSS Fish are reflected off an object a dark or “hard” return is created in the data. The object blocks the sound waves from traveling beyond it, which creates a “light colored shadow”.
“Unlike Multibeam Sonar, side-scan sonar created better images of the bottom when objects are off to the side, rather than directly beneath the instrument.”
“Side-scan sonar sends out an acoustic pulse out both sides of the vessel. The intensity of the acoustic reflection from each side is measured for a period of time. An image of a stripe of sea bottom is made with each pulse.”
At 1730h I met with Peter the hydrosurvey data technician and observed him downloading today’s data. Peter applied a series of corrections (heave, tide and sound velocity) to the data. This time consuming process took about two hours. This data will be sent to NOAA’s Atlantic Hydrographic Branch (AHB) where it will be reviewed, checked, cross checked, and additional data will be added if needed (e.g., from Army Corp). The raw data is also sent to the National Geographic Data Center in Boulder, CO where it is archived. From AHB the data is sent to NOAA’s Chart Division where it is made into the navigation charts we commonly use. FOO and Acting XO Chris informed me I will be going on one of the launches tomorrow. #3102 with SSS Fish and Multibeam (MBES). I can’t wait. I’m going to need a good night’s sleep as we’ll be on the launch for about 10 hours! Good night!!
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Chuck Gregory
Onboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson August 12 – 24, 2007
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: New York Harbor Date: August 12, 2007
“Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”
~Thomas Jefferson
NOAA Teacher At Sea, Chuck Gregory, getting ready to leave from Portland, Maine. His destination is LaGuardia airport on Long Island, and from there, the NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON tied up to the Stapleton Pier on Staten Island.
I left the Portland, Maine Jetport at 1:55 pm for LaGuardia on US Airways. A nice, short flight. About 1 hour later we landed on Long Island. It was a beautiful day to fly. After a 45 minute wait for my duffel bag I grabbed a cab for the ride to Staten Island and 355 Front Street.
At 1610h – and $70 later (including tip) – we pulled up to the NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON (affectionately called the ‘TJ’). She was docked on the northern side of the Stapleton pier, hidden by the retired USS INTREPID – an “old” (commissioned by the Navy in 1943) aircraft carrier now acting as a floating sea, air and space museum. You may remember the USS INTREPID as the aircraft carrier that got stuck in the Hudson River mud not to long ago. No wonder, she is 872 feet long and an overall beam of almost 150 feet! And very, very gray.
In the distance, off the northern side of the pier is (from left to right) the Staten Island Ferry and piers, New Jersey, the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, the entrance to the Hudson River (the west side), Manhattan, the entrance to the East River (the east side), Governors Island, and Long Island (Queens & Brooklyn). In the foreground is the Inner Harbor of New York bustling with tankers, tugs, and ferries. Not many recreational boats in sight.
Destination – The NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON tied up at the Stapleton Pier, Staten Island, NY.
The THOMAS JEFFERSON is a member of the NOAA Fleet. She was delivered to the Navy in 1992 and commissioned by NOAA in 2003. She is 208 feet long, 45 feet broad, and has a draft of 14ft. She can berth 36 (crew and guests), and is packed with neat equipment (multibeam sonar, side-scan sonar, two 31’ launches, an emergency launch, and more hoses, cables and gizmos than I care to mention). She is scheduled to leave port tomorrow for 19 days. I will be getting a ride back to shore after day 12. The THOMAS JEFFERSON will not return to Staten Island, but head on to her home base of Norfolk, VA.
The first person I met when I crossed the gangway was Ensign Megan Guberski. She is a NOAA Corps Officer and a graduate from Smith College. She took me down a flight of stairs to my ‘stateroom’ and introduced me to my bunkmate, Ensign Andy Ostapenko. Andy is another NOAA Corps Officer who works on the important navigation systems. He is from Minnesota. He gave me a great tour of the vessel, showing me the six decks, emergency areas and equipment, various stations, bathymetry equipment, etc., etc. Boy do I have a lot to learn. Port, starboard, aft, forward, main deck, amidships, bridge, lounge, computer station, yadda, yadda! The one term that stuck was “Mess Hall”. It is located just up the main stairway and almost above our room. Nice location!
Andy and I chatted for about an hour and he kindly answered all of my basic questions – toilet protocol, shower, a good place on the ship to hang out, where to make cell phone calls, what we will be doing for the next 12 days, etc. He is a really nice person and seems like a great crewmember. I’m really interested to see him at work doing his navigation thing. In addition to Andy, I met the Commanding Officer (CO), Commander Tod Schattgen. Another nice person and easy to talk with. He really seems interested in the various activities occurring on the ship, but not in a controlling way. I am sure he and I will have more opportunities to talk during the voyage. I met the FOO (Facilities Operation Officer) and Acting XO, Chris Van Westandorp. Chris will be my ‘supervisor’ since the regular XO, Jim Crocker, is on leave.
While in the Mess Hall I ran into Engineer Charlie. A retired Navy person, Charlie was eager to give me the tour of the engine room area. And what a tour it was. This may be the only time I get to tour the engine area, so I took advantage of the moment. Engines, air conditioner, water treatment, sewage treatment, compressors, refrigeration systems, control room, workshop, etc., etc. And all compressed into a small space. There was enough equipment (and back-up equipment) to keep that vessel going for weeks! And that’s a good thing! Charlie was happy to show me around and give me some ear plugs for the engine room. It was loud and I needed them!
I’m trying my best to meet everyone on the ship and chat about what they do on THOMAS JEFFERSON and how they “found” NOAA. In general, it seems like there are two types of crew – the old ex-navy types, and the young recently-graduated types. A nice mix of both. Lots of experience able to teach the next generation. One piece of bad news: I forgot the cable that connects my digital camera to my computer. While I can take many photos I just can’t send them to NOAA until I return home. Bummer!
Another piece of bad news: Since I was busy getting the tour of the ship and missed dinner. Not like me, but I was too interested in the ship to stop for food. Once my initial excitement calmed down I was able to call my wife, Roxann, and have a snack before bed. After a few pages of “Cannery Row” I drifted off and slept quite well.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Elizabeth Martz
Onboard NOAA Ship Albatross IV August 5 – 16, 2007
Mission: Sea Scallop Survey Geographical Area: North Atlantic Ocean Date: August 8, 2007
Weather Data from the Bridge
Visibility = <1 nautical miles
Cloud cover = fog
Wind direction = 200 degrees
Wind speed = 21 knots (kts.)
Sea wave height = 2-3 feet
Swell wave height = 2 feet
Seawater temperature = 15.1 degrees Celsius
Sea level pressure = 1004.2 mb
I love finding the sea scallops in the pile of all items from one dredge tow. I am having a remarkable time on the ALBATROSS IV
Science and Technology Log
12:00 midnight—Today my 12 hour shifts began. This is an amazing experience. I am loving my time onboard the ALBATROSS IV. It is quite exciting. Today was outstanding. I am experiencing being a researcher at sea. The ALBATROSS IV has 12-hour shifts. The researchers are organized into two different shifts which are each 12 hours. I am on the midnight to noon shift. It is very different than my “teacher hours”. I usually work from 7:30 to 5:00 at school. I am only required to be at school from 7:45- 3:15, but I can never accomplish all of my responsibilities in that brief of a time. I love school and I love being prepared. To work on the ALBATROSS IV, you need to be prepared and ready for a hard day’s work! I am loving the work and at this time it is not too hard.
My Responsibilities
Steve is assisting with sending the dredge into the water. It is about 2 am and we are 2 hours into our watch shift. The dredge is over 1,600 lbs. and there are many pieces of equipment that help the dredge function properly!
I am a working member onboard the ALBATROSS IV. I am making every moment count and I am learning so much. The dredge haul experience is unbelievable. There are two fishermen that help to release and the dredge. The two fishermen on my watch are Steve and Mike. They are amazing at fixing the net, loading the dredge, releasing the dredge, retrieving the dredge, cleaning the deck, helping to sort the organisms in the tow, and so much more. These fishermen have the expertise of sending the dredge into the water and helping it return back after a 15-minute tow. The Chief Boatswain (head fisherman), Tony, controls the mechanical devices that assist the fishermen in sending the dredge to sea. Tony is so talented. He has the ability to communicate and accomplish any task onboard the ALBATROSS IV! The fisherman and all the scientists on my watch observe the dredge coming onboard the ship. Once the dredge is on deck there is so much to do!!! When the dredge returns from being in the water for 15 minutes, there is so much to do. First, the fishermen need to bring the dredge up on deck. There are strong metal wires that bring the dredge up on deck. There are metal pulleys that help move the wire. There are mechanically parts that are controlled so that the dredge lands on deck without damaging anything… including the dredge. The entire process is so awesome and neat.
The scientists are all so excited to discover new things in this pile. Every dredge tow is full of biotic and abiotic items. It is so wonderful to discover new things.
After the dredge is placed on deck, the fun begins. First, a scientist checks the dredge to see if it laid correctly on the ocean floor. The equipment that records the behavior of the tow is called an inclinometer. The inclinometer is placed inside the top of the dredge and the information is recorded. The scientist then needs to go to a different room to read the information from the inclinometer. It is an interesting piece of scientific equipment. The next experience is the best!! After a quick photo of what materials are found in the dredge, all the scientists gather around the dredge materials. We all marvel at what we dredged and then sort the items. We place all fish in one bucket and all skates in another. The scallops are all collected. The scallops are even organized by size. (Very small scallops are placed in a different bucket.) All the extra items go in a different bucket. When all biotic items have been discovered, then we shovel all the “habitat” (rocks and sand) into baskets. Every object that lands on deck is counted and documented.
I love all the amazing things I have found from this experience
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Miriam Hlawatsch
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster July 29 – August 10, 2007
Mission: Lionfish Survey Geographical Area: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Carolina Date: August 6-7, 2007
The science team awoke to this notice on Monday, August 6th.
Personal Log
Bad news… late Sunday night the ship’s main computer, the Integrated Vessel Monitoring and Control system failed. The IVMC functions as the brain of the ship —monitoring engineering related systems such as propulsion, ship’s power, fire main, tank levels, alarms, etc. CDR James Verlaque returned NANCY FOSTER to the Ft. Macon Coast Guard Station. We awoke to find the mission on hold—so, for two days; I became a Teacher in Port. At one point during our stay, NANCY FOSTER was relocated from the Coast Guard station to the state port in Morehead City. To everyone’s delight, we learned we would be underway again at 0900 hours, August 8th. As most of the scientists live nearby, they returned to their homes and jobs at the NOAA research facility in Beaufort, NC. The ship was very quiet while they were away…
CDR James Verlaque supervises as ENS Marc Weekley docks NOAA ship NANCY FOSTER in the Morehead City port.
Science Log
Objective #6: Deploy and retrieve temperature sensors…
Understanding that lionfish are tropical and their survival is dependent upon temperature, Chief Scientist Paula Whitfield continues to collect data to answer questions regarding the role temperature plays in lionfish distribution in North Carolina waters. Along the North Carolina shelf, temperature in waters deeper than 90 feet are moderated year round by the warm Gulf Stream current. Data collected from surveys on this research cruise suggest lionfish are not found in high numbers in water shallower than 90 feet. Laboratory studies have revealed lionfish will not tolerate temperatures below 11ºC (52ºF) and it appears they stop eating at temperatures below 16ºC (61ºF). Lionfish will die at 10ºC (50ºF). To better understand the role temperature plays in limiting lionfish distribution, temperature sensors were deployed along the seafloor to monitor seasonal bottom water temperatures. Sensors deployed during the 2006 mission were retrieved and will be analyzed. New sensors are being deployed during this mission and will be retrieved in 2008.
NOAA divers, Thor Dunmire and Roger Mays analyze air supply tanks during our stay in the Morehead City port.How do the warm waters of the Gulf Stream contribute to lionfish distribution along the southeastern coast of the US?Gulf Stream winter temperature gradient for Onslow Bay, NC.Chief Scientist Paula Whitfield
