Ruth Meadows – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 11, 2009April 5, 2021

Ruth Meadows, July 11, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ruth S. Meadows
Onboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
June 12 – July 18, 2009

Mission: Census of Marine Life (MAR-Eco)
Geographical Area: Mid- Atlantic Ridge; Charlie- Gibbs Fracture Zone
Date: July 11, 2009

Waiting to see what animals we can spot off the bow

Weather Data from the Bridge
Temperature 18^o C
Humidity 61%
Wind speed 4.2 knots

Science and Technology Log

Today is our last day at sea and the weather is certainly cooperating with us. We have beautiful blue skies, warm temperatures and calm waters. It is a perfect day for observing marine life. Several of us spent most of the day on the bow of the ship looking for any type of marine life. Throughout the day, we spotted three Mola mola fish, which is a very large ocean sunfish that can be found in temperate oceans.

A humpback whale breaches the water off the bow of the Bigelow. — A humpback whale breaches off the bow.

One went right by the ship so we were able to see the entire body of this fish through the water. Another one was just lying on its side but we were too far away to see it very well. Finally it was suppertime and we all went to the galley eat, somewhat disappointed that we had not seen more sea life. During supper, the call we had all been hoping to hear came, “Humpback whale off the bow.” We all left the galley and quickly ran up to the deck afraid we would miss seeing this majestic creature. We were in for a treat. It was as if the whale knew we were watching and performed for us. For over 40 minutes, the humpback whale slapped its pectoral fins, slapped its tail and even breached out of the water twice. It was an amazing sight.

As the whale slowly swam around, the ship carefully followed at a safe distance giving us an amazing opportunity to observe this massive mammal in its natural habitat. At one point, the whale was floating on its back and slapping both of its pectoral fins in the water at the same time. We were close enough to actually hear the sound of the fins hitting the water. Many members of the ship’s crew came to the bow to watch also. While we were watching, the chief engineer standing next to me looked down at the water next to the ship in time to point out a Mako shark swimming just below the surface moving slowly toward the rear of the ship. The afternoon turned into an amazing good bye present to the entire crew of the Bigelow. After the humpback whale made its final dive deep into the ocean, many of us stayed outside to enjoy our last sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

Personal Log

The past four weeks on board the NOAA ship, Henry B. Bigelow, have been an amazing experience for me. We traveled over 5,000 nautical miles to search for rare and unusual animals that live in the deep ocean along the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture Zone in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. I was truly fortunate to have been selected for this particular scientific cruise. The scientific crew, NOAA corps and crew were second to none. Everyone worked around the clock to make sure the goals of the cruise were accomplished. In addition to the professionalism of all the members of this cruise, everyone seemed to truly enjoy working together to complete all parts of the mission. Everyone, from the captain of the ship, the engineers, the deck hands, the cooks and the scientific crew, made me feel welcome and included in all the activities on board. I will take many things with me from this opportunity I was lucky enough to be selected for.

I knew I would learn a lot about the ocean and the organisms that live there. What I didn’t know before I left was how much I would enjoy getting to know the people that were a part of the MAR-ECO cruise. Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this wonderful experience.

July 9, 2009April 5, 2021

Ruth Meadows, July 9, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ruth S. Meadows
Onboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
June 12 – July 18, 2009

Mission: Census of Marine Life (MAR-Eco)
Geographical Area: Mid- Atlantic Ridge; Charlie- Gibbs Fracture Zone
Date: July 9, 2009

Venda, Shannon and Amy cleaning the baskets.

Weather Data from the Bridge
Temperature: 14.2^o C
Humidity: 61%
Wind: 6.5 kts

Scientific and Technology Log

One of the last things to be completed before arriving in Newport, Rhode Island is a final clean up of the lab. Once all the sampling is finished it is important to leave all the equipment used in good shape for the next cruise. Everyone from both watches worked together to get everything clean. The baskets and trays that were used to hold the samples were scrubbed down and rinsed off. Luckily, the day was beautiful for working outside.

While some of us cleaned the baskets, others rinsed them off and then placed them in the sun to dry. Once they were dry, then they were returned to the correct location for storage. Once the baskets were cleaned the next step was to clean our foul weather gear. These overalls and jackets had been used while collecting samples and they had all types of “dirt” on them, from “fish guts” to grease from the cables. The easiest way to clean them was to scrub them while you had them on. Someone would help make sure the back was clean and then someone would spray them with clean water. It was simple, effective and fun all at the same time.

Personal Log

Mealtime is a very important time aboard the ship. Not only do we eat a variety of foods, but it is also a time when both the scientific crew and the working crew get a chance to talk and visit with each other. The galley is a large open room with tables bolted to the floor to keep them from moving. Some tables are for four people and others are for eight. Each day the menu is posted before the food line and you may select what you want and how much. There are usually two entrées (main dishes) and several side dishes to go along with them. In addition, there is a fruit and salad bar that you can select. At the end of the cruise, you notice that some of the menu that some of the menu items have changed – we are out of lettuce and ketchup. We have been at sea for four weeks and some things just can’t be kept fresh that long. We still have apples, oranges, nectarines and ice cream!

July 7, 2009April 5, 2021

Ruth Meadows, July 7, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ruth S. Meadows
Onboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
June 12 – July 18, 2009

Mission: Census of Marine Life (MAR-Eco)
Geographical Area: Mid- Atlantic Ridge; Charlie- Gibbs Fracture Zone
Date: July 7, 2009

Tom Letessier holds a sea urchin fully inflated with water. — Tom Letessier holds a sea urchin still fully inflated.

Weather Data from the Bridge
Temperature: 8^o C
Humidity: 91%
Wind: 9.75 kts

Science and Technology Log

Usually by the time the catch was on board, the sea urchins were deflated and very flat. These are commonly known as collapsible or flat urchins. When it is taken out of the water, it collapses into a flat shape. There is a red shrimp on the right side. We caught many different sizes of the Bathysaurus during the benthic trawls. It has a very bony head, large mouth and lots of sharp teeth. It normally rests stationary on the bottom of the ocean floor with its head slightly elevated. It feeds primarily on fishes and decapods (type of crustacean).

A deep sea crab, Neolithodes grimaldii, was found in two different benthic catches. Its spines are very long and sharp. They were both in remarkably good physical shape and were carefully preserved so their spines would not break. — A deep sea crab, Neolithodes grimaldii, was found in two different benthic catches. Its spines are long and sharp. They were in remarkably good shape and were carefully preserved so their spines would not break.

We are finished with our trawls and are heading back to Newport, Rhode Island. The trip back will take about 7 days. During this time, the information that was entered into the computers will be analyzed and checked for any errors. In addition, the organisms that are preserved will be sorted and packaged for delivery to various locations. Many of the samples will be going to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and later distributed to various scientists to use in their research. Dr. Tracey Sutton will even send some specimens to me in Opelika for my students to observe.

Personal Log

Occasionally, when the weather and work schedule allows, the deck chairs come out and we relax and visit with one another outside. The crew calls this “The Stinky Sailor”. There will be soft drinks, slushy type drinks, sometimes candy and if we are lucky Andrew entertains us with his music. This part of the ship is called the O2 deck, two floors up from the main deck. The Stinky Sailor is set behind the superstructure of the ship so it is protected from the wind. When we were sailing east, the afternoon sun would warm the area making it a very pleasant place to visit and relax.

July 5, 2009April 5, 2021

Ruth Meadows, July 5, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ruth S. Meadows
Onboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
June 12 – July 18, 2009

Mission: Census of Marine Life (MAR-Eco)
Geographical Area: Mid- Atlantic Ridge; Charlie- Gibbs Fracture Zone
Date: July 5, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Temperature: 10.3^o C
Humidity: 93%
Wind: 8.9 kts

Science and Technology Log

Dr. Mike Vecchione holds a very large dumbo octopus from one of the deep sea trawls. This octopus got its name from the large fins that look like the ears of “Dumbo” the elephant. It is a benthic cephalopod (an ancient group in the phylum Mollusca) that lives above the floor of the ocean. It probably feed on copepods and other small crustaceans, but we don’t know much about its biology. This particular species (Cirrothauma magna) has only been caught a few times before.

John Galbraith and Tom Letessier hold a very large example of a slickhead. These fish are dark in color and their exterior is slippery. These soft-bodied soggy fish are common in waters greater than 1000m deep. They get their common name from the slimy look of their head. They lack a swim bladder and make themselves as light as possible by having weak bones and watery flesh. Chimeras are distantly related to sharks and rays and can be found at depths up to 2500m. These fish have cartilage instead of bones. We caught several of these in the benthic trawls, but this one was the largest. Most of these fish have a venomous spine at the back of its dorsal fin.

This is a chimaera that weighed in at 12 kilograms.

Basti (from Germany) is holding another chimaera, Venda (from Portugal) has a slickhead and Meridith (from Boston) has a lizardfish from the last benthic trawl of the cruise. — Basti (from Germany) with a chimaera, Venda (from Portugal) has a slickhead and Meridith (from Boston) has a lizardfish.

Do You Know?

What would happen between a shark and an octopus? Find out here.

July 3, 2009April 5, 2021

Ruth Meadows, July 3, 2009

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ruth S. Meadows
Onboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow
June 12 – July 18, 2009

Mission: Census of Marine Life (MAR-Eco)
Geographical Area: Mid- Atlantic Ridge; Charlie- Gibbs Fracture Zone
Date: July 3, 2009

Weather Data from the Bridge
Temperature: 6.2^oC
Humidity: 81%
Wind: 16.47 kts

This is one of the glass floats encased in plastic that can withstand the pressure of the deep waters.

Science and Technology Log

High winds and high waves put a temporary stop to our fishing with the nets. When the waves are too high, the safety of the crew comes first and we wait for the weather to clear before we can start using the trawl again. The waves finally calmed down enough for the net to be used today. We are using a different type of net to fish the deep bottom (benthic trawling) than was used to fish the mid-water (pelagic trawling). This net is much simpler in design. It is a very large net lowered to the bottom of the ocean and then pulled behind the ship. The top part of the net is held open by floats. These floats were bought specifically for this cruise. The pressure on the bottom of the ocean is so great that normal floats would collapse. The new floats are made of glass spheres with a hard plastic covering. Only glass can withstand the amount of pressure that is found at these depths.

This is the net used for deep bottom trawling that has the yellow floats attached to it.

There are rubber tire-like rollers that move along the bottom to help prevent snags and also to stir up the sea floor and cause the fish and other organisms to move into the net where they are then funneled back into the narrow end of the net (cod-end). There are weights on the bottom section of the net to keep it on the ground. Of course, there are always obstacles on the bottom of the ocean floor and occasionally the net will get caught on one of these. This is a particular problem here because of the mountainous terrain. When the net gets hung up the crew works very carefully to release it from the obstacle. Sometimes the ship moves backwards as the winches try to pull on the net to release it. Sometimes the ship moves in a circle to try and pull the net clear.

The full net after it’s been retrieved on deck.

So far the benthic net has gotten caught twice but the crew successfully retrieved the net without damage. Once the net is on deck, the cod-end is opened and everybody comes out of the lab with foul weather gear (waterproof boots, overalls, jackets, life preserver and hardhats) on to collect the catch. We use lots of baskets to do a quick rough sort of the organisms caught. If the net is full, it takes a while to complete the first sort. Some of the fishes are large and some of the organisms have been torn. The organisms found on the floor of the deep floor are very different from the ones found in the mid-waters. They are much larger in size and very different in coloration.

Personal Log

The scientific crew is divided into three groups. We have a “day” shift, called a watch, that works from 12 noon to 12 midnight, and a “night” watch that works from 12 midnight to 12 noon, and then one group that works whenever a net comes up. I am on the day watch and we have all gotten into a pattern of who does what in the lab. My watch chief scientist is Dr. Shannon Devaney from Los Angeles. She works at the Natural History Museum there. Dr. Amy Heger from Luxembourg, Tom Letessier from Norway, CJ Sweetman from Connecticut and Randy Singer from Georgia rounds out our crew. CJ takes DNA samples, Tom takes care of the crustaceans, Randy removes the ototliths (this helps the scientist figure out the age) from the fishes, and Amy and I use the computer to enter the data. With some species we remove the stomach, liver and gonads from the fishes. These body parts are then measured and either frozen or preserved for scientists that are not on the trip. It has been fun relearning how to do some of the procedures.