On our way out of Dutch Harbor and Captain’s Bay, I spent some time on the bow with Katie, Michele and birder Nate Jones. As I know very little about birds, I quizzed him on every flying specimen we encountered and used his binoculars to observe the birds up close. After a few sightings, I was able to identify the Fulmar by its unique wing movement (quick quick quick soar). We also saw tufted puffins and a black-footed albatross. There are two birders (Nate and Marty from US Fish and Wildlife Service) on this leg who are responsible for scanning the horizon and counting and identifying the seabirds they observe from the bridge.Here is bird observer Nate Jones scanning the horizon for seabirds:
Nate Jones observing
We were distracted from our bird watching by a call of orcas. We hustled up to the “flying bridge” to join the marine mammal observers. There are three “mammals” (Paula, Yin and Ernesto from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory) on this leg and they are constantly scanning the horizon with their “big eyes” to observe and identify cetaceans. I was able to observe two separate groups of orcas and heard that porpoises were also spotted.Here is marine mammalian observer Ernesto Vazquez looking through the big eyes on the flying bridge:
Ernesto observing mammals
Although I am technically on the fish shift, I hope to check in with the “birds” and “mammals” later in the cruise. After spotting birds and mammals, it’s time for the first installment of the “animals seen” list:Animals Seen in Dutch Harbor
Bald eagles
Ground Squirrel
Sea Urchin
Sea Stars
Sea Cucumber
Pigeon Guillemot
Oyster Catchers
Mussels
Chiton
Limpets
Hermit Crabs
Snails
(but no horses…)Animals Seen in Transit
Orcas
Fulmars
Black Footed Albatross
Tufted Puffin
UPDATE
As many of you know, I am a horrible speller. When I went to check the spelling for the birds I had seen, I spotted a Thick-billed Murre from the bridge. Okay, in reality, the observation and identification went more like this:
Me: “Hey that’s a bird”
Nate: “Yes, it was a Thick-billed Murre”
I am impressed by the seabird and marine mammal observers’ abilities to spot and identify birds and mammals from such far distances. Like any recall-related skill, I recognize that animal identification takes both an innate talent and years of practice. But the animal observers also need to have extreme patience to maintain a clear focus, a methodologically-sound routine and a sense of possibility (as the weather is not always in their favor). We’re lucky to have such talented scientists counting species in the Bering Sea.
As we say goodbye to land, we know the real adventure is about to begin
NOAA Teacher at Sea Mechelle Shoemake Onboard NOAA Ship Oregon II June 19 – 30, 2010
Mission: SEAMAP Groundfish Survey Geographical Area of Cruise: Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Weather Data from the Bridge Time: 0000 hours (12:00pm) Position: Latitude = 28.45.067 N; Longitude = 091.35.189 W Present Weather: cloudy Visibility: 6 nautical miles Wind Speed: 8 knots Wave Height: 4-6 foot swells Sea Water Temp: 29.8 degrees Celsius Air Temperature: Dry bulb = 27.3 degrees Celsius; Wet bulb = 26.2 degrees Celsius
Science and Technology Log
The Groundfish Survey’s purpose is to find out what species are here in the Gulf how many, and their size, sex, and maturity status. On average the trawl produces at least 20-40 different species on each tow. The type of trawl used on the Oregon II is the Bottom Otter Trawl. The deck hands put the net out, it trawls for around 30 minutes, and it is then pulled back in by the deck hands. The catch is then placed in basket where it is weighed and then separated by species Each species is then individually weighed, measured, and sexed.
This is a red snapper I’m sorting out of the catch
We caught a nice red snapper that will be sent back to the lab for testing. It will also be determined if the oil spill had any effect on the fish, shrimp, crabs, and other species we caught. We also took some more water samples using the CTD to determine how much oil is in the water. We We used the Neuston net and the Bongo nets to gather plankton, which is also being collected for testing. The Neuston gathers plankton on the surface while the Bongo nets gather plankton all the way from the bottom of the gulf to the surface. This plankton is then placed inglass jars with a preservative Twenty-four hours later the plankton is transferred to a lesser preservative. The initial set sample is too strong for long storage. The plankton samples are then sent to Poland to a specialized plankton lab. In this lab, the plankton is identified to the family level. It is then sent back to the NOAA labs where it is identified to the species level. It was amazing to see all the little critters in the jar. There were so many of them.
Deploying the bongo net
Later in the day, we did another trawl….the catch of the day. Well it was a tire! It did have two little critters living in it, though. They were both identified and weighed and then frozen and packaged for the lab. The speculated reason for the trawl producing so few specis what’s called hypoxia. Hypoxia is the depletion of the oxygen in the water. If there is no oxygen,the fish and many other species cannot live. You can read more about hypoxia at http://www.ncddc.gov.
A frog fish
To the right is a frog fish that we found living in the tire. It has a trick to catch its food. The tentacle on the top of the head acts as a lure to attracts its prey. When a smaller fish comes by to eat what it thinks is food at the end of the frog fish’s lure…..well it gets caught and the frog fish eats the little fish. This frog fish still had its dinner in its mouth.
To the left is a picture of the last trawl that my shift made. You can see that this catch was full of shrimp and little crabs. We had to turn back towards Texas due to Tropical Storm Alex, which is forecasted by NOAA’s National Weather Service to become a hurricane by tomorrow. It’s too dangerous for the ship to be out in weather like that.
Some of the critters from out last trawl
Personal Log
Well, I can say that this has definitely been an adventure of a lifetime. I have enjoyed my voyage with all of my new NOAA friends. They have taught me a lot. As I am writing this, we are sailing back to port in Galveston, TX. As I said earlier, we had to cut our trip short due to Tropical Storm Alex. Believe me, I know he is out there. Our ship is rolling with the waves. I had a quick lesson in securing my belongings. You never know what you might encounter when you go to sea. Thanks to NOAA for giving me this opportunity.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Melinda Storey Onboard NOAA Ship Pisces June 14 – July 2, 2010
Mission: SEAMAP Reef Fish Survey Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico Date: June 28, 2010
Weather Data from the Bridge Time: 0700 hours (7 am) Position: latitude = 28° N longitude = 089º W Present Weather: storm clouds, thunder, lightning, rain Visibility: 10 nautical miles Wind Direction: E Wind Speed: 29 knots Wave Height: 3-5 foot Sea Water Temp: 30.6°C Air Temperature: dry bulb = 27°C, wet bulb = 26°C
Science and Technology Log
Stormtrack of Tropical Storm Alex
Tropical Storm Alex, which is a very strong tropical storm, has moved over the Yucatan Peninsula and continues to show signs of strengthening and organization. It was headed straight for us before we started steaming eastward to get out of its path. Our CO has monitored this progression carefully so he can make the decision to go into home port or not. Yesterday evening we started steaming east at 13 knots so we could be closer to Pascagoula if indeed he decided it was unsafe to stay at sea. When we woke this morning we found that Tropical Storm Alex had intensified overnight maintaining wind speed of 50-60 mph. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance plane found that the atmospheric pressure was decreasing thus creating a very dangerous situation for the Pisces. The CO said that 12 foot waves crashing over the bow would not be fun so he made the decision to head back to Pascagoula today.
We’ve been traveling at 14 knots all night long. Since that is as fast as we can go, we know that the CO is anxious to get us safely in port. He told us that he has to make a decision to return to home port early enough to get a berth at the dock. With all ships in the area heading to shore, he needs to make a decision within 72 hours of the storm hitting so we can get a berth. If you do not get back before the port closes, you have to ride out the storm on water.
The swells have gotten much larger and deeper causing the ship to rock and roll. Walking down the halls is like being a ping pong ball bouncing everywhere. Taking a shower this morning and cleaning up was quite a challenge. When we came down to the lab, they were packing it in. The ship’s crew is busy cleaning the rooms, deck, and ladders (stairs). No more science.
Deepwater HorizonDeepwater Horizon
On our way back to Pascagoula, we passed within 6 miles of the Deepwater Horizon/BP disaster site. We saw 40 ships – pipeline boats, supply boats, a research vessel, tugs and barges that collect the oil, and the Stemstar, which is the ship that injects mud, steam, and concrete into damaged wells. On board the Stemstar are geologists and engineers who are working on solutions to stop the oil leakage of the well. We also saw a fire boat sending water toward a flame that was burning off oil from a rig. The CO thought this might be to keep the heat from damaging the rigs and ships. When oil is burned off the surface of the water, oil crystallizes and hardens much like obsidian rock. It then sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is much easier to collect and dispose of.
Personal Log
Me driving the ship
I am saddened that our cruise is over. I enjoyed the crew, scientists, and officers so much. They made our stay so enjoyable, but I am looking forward to bringing back to my students all that I’ve learned. As we watched Deepwater Horizon, I was stuck by the thought that you can’t connect the classroom to the real world better than this! To think that we were within 6 miles of Deepwater Horizon taking pictures to show my students, I thought, “We are watching one of the greatest disasters of our time.” It is incredibly sad to think how this oil is going to damage our pristine coast and affect so many lives. It is remarkable to think that I am one of the few people who get to see this up close and personal!
Me on the binoculars
On a happier note, not every student gets to say his/her teacher has piloted a 208-foot NOAA research vessel! One night our Commanding Officer let me steer the ship – for REAL! I couldn’t believe the CO let me do that! He kept saying how easy it was to turn the ship. He said that the steering is very sensitive so if I made a sharp angled turn I could knock people right out of their berths, or beds! I sure didn’t want the crew mad at me so I wanted to be really careful. When he took the ship off automatic pilot and handed the ship off to me I was nervous as a tick, but I got the hang of it and really had fun. Nicolle, the other teacher, drove straight lines, and I steered in circles. She obviously was the better pilot! They printed off the “track line” so you can see my “donuts” in the sea! Pretty cool watching the bow of the ship swing right and then left. Although I enjoyed steering the ship, I was relieved to turn the helm back over to the CO.
It’s also very important to watch where you’re going. I was very surprised at how many obstacles there are out here – oil rigs, oil tankers, recreational boats, and the ever-present fish. So far, people on the bridge have sighted a dead whale, dolphins, and a sunfish. The CO told me that once he almost ran over a humpback whale. So you do have to watch where you’re going. Last night while we were in our rooms we heard, “Teachers at sea, report to the bridge. Teachers at sea, report to the bridge.” I felt like we were being sent to the Principal’s office! But it was a good thing. The XO had spotted dolphins and wanted us to see them.
One afternoon we saw a beautiful double rainbow, but THIS rainbow was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. They both were circular rainbows and they circled the sun. It was really strange seeing an upside-down, round rainbow. Our Chief Scientist researched this phenomenon and found that circular rainbows are formed in very high cirrus clouds. These clouds have ice crystals formed in them that act like a prism. When lighttravels through these ice crystals they bend the light and that is what causes the circular rainbow
Rainbows in cirrus clouds
I’ve wanted to see a shark on board the whole trip, and when it happened, I was asleep! Nicolle was watching the deck hands fish off the stern when one of them caught, not one, but TWO sharks! The sharks were both dogfish sharks and had to be brought aboard with a net. I was surprised to learn that dogfish sharks don’t have teeth. I thought all sharks had teeth, but that’s just an example of the types of things I’ve learned on this trip.
Shark on board!
Chris Gledhill, one of our scientists, told us that last night we would have a rare opportunity to view the Space Station as it passed overhead. So, at 9:00 pm I went to the bow and stared up at the sky. The stars were brilliant against the dark night sky and I had such a peace to come over me (even though at 14 knots the waves were splashing over the bow). Suddenly, I saw a light streaking across the sky! It was amazing! As it sped past, I thought of all the wonderful “firsts” that I’ve experienced while aboard the Pisces. It has been truly a remarkable trip.
New Term/Vocabulary
Muster – to gather
Berth – bed on a ship
“Something to Think About”
While on the bridge last night, I heard on the radio another ship broadcast they were “taking on water.” What would you do if you were on a boat in the Gulf and it suddenly started taking on water?
After 14 + hours of traveling from the sweltering heat of DC to the snow capped mountains of Alaska, I finally arrived in Dutch Harbor late Friday evening and began to explore the town on Saturday. Due to some mechanical difficulties, our departure was delayed and we were given a couple bonus days in Dutch Harbor which I definitely used to my advantage.
The town of Dutch Harbor and the neighboring village of Unalaska are located on the island of Unalaska, the second largest island in the Aleutian Chain. It is referred to in some documents as the gateway to the Western Aleutians – containing an airport and a large commercial fishing operation. The majority of full year residents appear to live in Unalaska (which contains the school district and schools) while Dutch Harbor contains commerce to support the local processing plants and canneries. According to the local I quizzed, there are about 3000 full year residents of Dutch Harbor and Unalaska and several hundred more fishermen stopping through.
Unalaska was originally home to the Unangan people who survived for thousands of years off the fish and mammals found in the sea before the Russians arrived in the mid-eighteenth century. As described by the Museum of the Aleutians, the relationship was first hostile but evolved into something that was treasured. Many residents of Unalaska are Russian Orthodox and several have Russian surnames. The Russian Orthodox church was completed in 1825 and is one of the oldest in North America (here is a picture of the outside).
ChurchWWII Memorial
Unalaska became a United States territory in 1867 (as part of “Seward’s Folly”) and while there was some American presence – notably from fisherman seeking the bounty of the Bering Sea, there was not a great deal of contact until World War II. The US Military started fortifying Dutch Harbor in 1940 (building a variety of small bunkers known as pill boxes which were so embedded in the town, I didn’t even take a picture!). Japan must have been aware of this as the island was attacked on June 3-4, 1942. Numerous buildings were destroyed and dozens of people died. (Look up the “Battle of Dutch Harbor” for more information).
Although I would claim to have learned a great deal about World War II during the course of my education, I had no idea that a battle was waged on American soil after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (Check out the war memorial to the left). Further, I did not realize the cost of this battle to the native residents. Although there was a military base, the US government decided it was “too costly to secure and protect the residents” (according to a display at the Museum of the Aleutians) and instead, conducted mass evacuations soon after the attack. The residents were interred in camps in Southeast Alaska for the duration of the war. While visiting the Museum of the Aleutians, I watched a very powerful video on the untold story of this internment which included interviews from the survivors and told of harsh conditions and confusing information.
In addition to learning a great deal about the history of Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, I also had a chance to see the sights and explore a bit:
I hiked until I hit the snow,
touching snow
I checked out sea creatures at low tide with Katie and Michele,
Sea Cucumbers
I joined a search for wild horses which, although unsuccessful, led to some amazing vistas,
Summer Bay
I saw more bald eagles than I could count (see how many you can spot in this picture) (to give the local cliché — they are like pigeons here),
How many bald eagles
And I tried to take some cool shots of local life.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Nicolle Vonderheyde Onboard NOAA Ship Pisces June 14 – July 2, 2010
Nicolle von der Heyde NOAA Ship Pisces Mission: SEAMAP Reef Fish Survey Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico Date: June 28, 2010
Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 0700 hours (7 am) Position: latitude = 28° N longitude = 089º W Present Weather: storm clouds, thunder, lightning, rain Visibility: 10 nautical miles Wind Direction: E Wind Speed: 29 knots Wave Height: 3-5 foot Sea Water Temp: 30.6°C Air Temperature: dry bulb = 27°C, wet bulb = 26°C
Science and Technology Log
Tropical Storm Alex, which is a very strong tropical storm, has moved over the Yucatan Peninsula and continues to show signs of strengthening and organization. It was headed straight for us before we started steaming eastward to get out of its path. Our CO has monitored this progression carefully so he can make the decision to go into home port or not. Yesterday evening we started steaming east at 13 knots so we could be closer to Pascagoula if indeed he decided it was unsafe to stay at sea. When we woke this morning we found that Tropical Storm Alex had intensified overnight maintaining wind speed of 50-60 mph. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance plane found that the atmospheric pressure was decreasing thus creating a very dangerous situation for the Pisces. The CO said that 12 foot waves crashing over the bow would not be fun so he made the decision to head back to Pascagoula today.
Track of Tropical Storm Alex
We’ve been traveling at 14 knots all night long. Since that is as fast as we can go, we know that the CO is anxious to get us safely in port. He told us that he has to make a decision to return to home port early enough to get a berth at the dock. With all ships in the area heading to shore, he needs to make a decision within 72 hours of the storm hitting so we can get a berth. If you do not get back before the port closes, you have to ride out the storm on water.
The swells have gotten much larger and deeper causing the ship to rock and roll. Walking down the halls is like being a ping pong ball bouncing everywhere. Taking a shower this morning and cleaning up was quite a challenge. When we came down to the lab, they were packing it in. The ship’s crew is busy cleaning the rooms, deck, and ladders (stairs). No more science.
View of Deepwater HorizonView of Deepwater Horizon
On our way back to Pascagoula, we passed within 6 miles of the Deepwater Horizon/BP disaster site. We saw 40 ships – pipeline boats, supply boats, a research vessel, tugs and barges that collect the oil, and the Stemstar, which is the ship that injects mud, steam, and concrete into damaged wells. On board the Stemstar are geologists and engineers who are working on solutions to stop the oil leakage of the well. We also saw a fire boat sending water toward a flame that was burning off oil from a rig. The CO thought this might be to keep the heat from damaging the rigs and ships. When oil is burned off the surface of the water, oil crystallizes and hardens much like obsidian rock. It then sinks to the bottom of the ocean and is much easier to collect and dispose of.
Personal Log
For most of the time on board Pisces I have not felt much rocking and rolling from sea swells, but that began to change two nights ago as winds from Tropical Storm Alex added energy to the surface waters off the coast of Mexico and made its way into the Northern Gulf. There had been talk of the cruise ending early but when I woke up this morning I did not expect to be headed back to port, putting an end to this amazing adventure and learning experience at sea. Since this will be my last log, I have a few more tales to tell before summing up how I feel about stepping onto solid ground and leaving my sea legs behind.
Two nights ago I was taken by surprise when our Commanding Officer (CO) Jeremy Adams invited us to come up to the bridge after our scientific work was complete to pilot the ship. That’s right – he was actually willing to hand over the reins of the Pisces to me! When we walked up to the bridge it was really dark and it took a minute for our eyes to adjust. The officers on watch need to maintain their night vision and use dim red light to see. They constantly watch the waters, even though the radar picks up most objects like oil rigs and other ships. The CO showed us the compass and how to turn the rudders to steer the ship, including making a complete 360° circle!
Melinda went first and it was so great to see her reaction as she piloted the ship in circles, probably knocking a few crew members off their feet! When it was my turn, I opted for a straighter path and attempted to steer the ship in specific directions that the CO commanded. Feeling the 208 foot steel ship turn on my command was a thrill. It was fairly easy to turn but not so easy to stay on course, fighting with surface currents and smashing into waves. We couldn’t take pictures because the flash would be too bright, but the picture below shows all the NOAA Corps Officers on the bridge as they steered through the channel that took us home to the port of Pascagoula. In addition to the scientists on board, I learned a tremendous amount from the officers on the ship.
NOAA Corps Officers on the Bridge
Melinda made me laugh one evening when she was determined to “catch a shark”. She took a fish that we did not need to keep for Seafood Inspection, tied it to a thick rope, and dangled it in the water trying to lure a shark or a fish to the boat. She had no success, even trying again the next day. That evening, Melinda turned in after our work was done and some of the crew decided to go fishing off the stern. After waiting around for a while (remember, it’s called “fishing” not “catching”) one of the deckhands, Clint, got a bite and began reeling the fish up to the surface from the depths. You really have no choice in what decides to take the bait and usually hope for a decent sized fish rather than something with large teeth and a bad temper. It was obvious that Clint had caught something big because the fishing rod was bent down pretty far and the catch was putting up quite a fight. I watched the surface in anticipation of seeing what was on the line and eventually, I began to see the ghostly underwater image of what appeared to be a shark! The next task was to reel the shark close enough to remove the hook and release it back into the water – I did not volunteer for that task. This was a job for the experts.
Fishing from the deck fo the PiscesSmooth Dogfish Shark
On closer look at the shark, it was identified as a Smooth Dogfish (Mustelus canis), with a distinguishing feature being low, flat teeth rather than pointy, triangular teeth associated with most other sharks. This did not make removal of the hook any easier as another deckhand, Victor, handled the shark and threw it back into its water habitat. Believe it or not, after releasing the shark, Clint tried again to catch something a little tamer and found himself once more reeling a powerful fish to the surface. It was another Smooth Dogfish! Probably not the same one, but if it was, didn’t it learn its lesson? This one snapped the line before making it on deck. Boy was Melinda disappointed when she found out the next morning all the excitement she had missed. Fortunately I was there with my camera to capture the moment.
So now I have to say good-bye to the Pisces and all the scientists and crew who helped make this an experience of a lifetime. There are so many science concepts, skills, and life lessons that I will be able to show my students through the pictures, discussions, and resources that all of you contributed to. I can’t wait to share these with my students and help them see how valuable the oceans are to the health of our planet. I feel very fortunate that our cruise had so many unique and interesting qualities like sighting a dead sperm whale and seeing the food chain in action, catching a diversity of reeffish including a yellowmouth grouper, and experiencing a small fire that was quickly under control by a prepared crew. And let’s not forget the perfect weather with most rainstorms staying far enough in the distance to capture them on camera in entirety. Even Alex who cut our trip short can be used as a teachable moment on hurricane season.
Certainly the most significant event is still gushing into the Gulf waters and the effects are largely unknown and will be felt for quite a while. I wasn’t expecting to see the actual Deepwater Horizon sight during this trip and was surprised when I walked up to the bridge and saw it looming on the horizon. Appropriately, a cloud was hanging over the sight and rain poured down obscuring the view for a while. When the clouds cleared and we got within 6 miles of the sight, I was struck by having the opportunity to see this environmental tragedy up close. It was sad to see, but I know that we will learn from this tragedy and if anything, it draws attention to a serious debate in our society: the pros and cons of our dependence and use of oil based products. The countless working and abandoned oil rigs that consistently dot the horizon also provide habitat for numerous fish species and the corals that support them. My students will be able to analyze and discuss this problem from the unique perspective that I have been given while on board the Pisces. I also believe this tragedy emphasizes the importance of the scientific work that NOAA does and will continue to do in the Gulf of Mexico.
A final thanks to Chief Scientist Paul Felts, Dr. Christopher Gledhill, Joey Salisbury, Jeneane Davis, and the officers and crew of Pisces for being so patient with our questions and making us feel so welcome on board. And thanks to Melinda, my fellow Teacher at Sea, for experiencing this amazing adventure with me.
