NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

August 10, 2025August 17, 2025

Cheryl Milliken: Only a Few Days Left, August 7, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Cheryl Milliken

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 25 – August 10, 2025

Mission: Bottom Longline Survey, Leg 1

Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Coast of Florida

Date: August 7, 2025

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 32° 37.7′ N

Longitude: 078° 34.0′ W

Wind speed: 13 kts

Wave height: 2-3 ft

Air temp.: 28.5°C (Water temp. Is 28.7° C!)

Sky: BKN (broken cloud cover, meaning between 5/8 and 7/8 of the sky is covered by clouds)

Science and Technology Log

Yesterday the most exciting part of our watch was catching a spinner shark, a new species for me. Henry Legett, a volunteer on the other watch, is on the cruise to implant acoustic tags into any spinner or blacktip sharks we catch on this leg. Henry had to race out to the deck in order to perform this procedure.

top down view of a shark in a teal mesh cradle suspended over the water. two crewmembers in hard hats and life vests are nearby; one crew member raising his arm perhaps to signal someone

close up view of a hand holding a black metal object about three inches long

two crewmembers wearing life vests, hard hats, and gloves lean over a shark in the cradle

Photos, L to R: Spinner shark in cradle (photo courtesy of the Bridge). Acoustic tag that is now implanted into spinner shark. Henry Legett tying closing sutures on spinner shark.

At the beginning of our watch today we finished Station 38, and we are hoping to complete 46 stations during this leg before landing in Miami, FL. We aim for 5-6 stations per day, but sometimes the steam (distance to travel) between stations is long, and during this leg we had to avoid some weather (the tropical depression that was later named Dexter). Summer in this region of the Atlantic Ocean can be threatened by hurricane activity, so I would expect that this survey is used to working around weather.

At our first station, we had a small catch, but it is always exciting. I was able to tag another 2 meter long (6.6 feet) sandbar shark hauled up in the cradle. I had trouble cutting the fin for genetic testing, but Field Party Chief Trey helped me out. We also caught a small spotted eel (that was wrapped around the line) and a shark sucker. I am glad we were able to get a good look at the sharksucker. Apparently there are two species of sharksucker, and you have to count the number of grooves in the sucker in order to identify (the one we observed had 24).

three crewmembers in hard hats, life vests, and work gloves work together to measure a large shark in a teal mesh cradle

while two other crewmembers steady the shark, Cheryl, wearing a hard hat, life vest, and gloves, readies to insert a tag

view of a sharksucker being held up for a photo

Photos, L to R: Trey, Cheryl, and Josh measure the sandbar shark for pre-caudal length, fork length, and total length. Cheryl inserts spaghetti tag into skin of sandbar shark. Scientists rely on the return of these tags to get information on growth and migration between tagging and recapture.

But then, we hit the mother lode! On the next station, we caught a shark that Trey Driggers, the chief scientist, has not seen in decades: an adult night shark. Gretchen and I took photos and videos to document the catch, while Trey and the fishermen measured, tagged, and took a fin clip of the female. As soon as she was lifted, Trey was teaching us about night sharks: “see how long the snout is and how big the eye is?” My pictures show Trey also removed and preserved parasitic copepods from her body to send to Ash Bullard, a parasitologist in Illinois, to identify. Based on scratches on her back, Trey said that she had recently mated. We feel privileged to have been a part of this catch. We knew it was a big deal when Trey got excited!

straight-on view of a shark in a teal mesh cradle suspended above the ocean surface

straight-on view of a shark in a teal mesh cradle suspended above the ocean surface; its large mouth is open

close up view over Trey's shoulder has he uses what might be pliers to pull something (a parasite) off the skin of a shark in the mesh cradle

Night shark in cradle. Night shark in cradle with mouth open. Chief Scientist Trey Driggers removing parasitic copepods from night shark for preservation and future identification.

Interview with Matt Kupiec

portrait view of a man in a gray hard hat, orange life vest, and blue and white fish gloves. he smiles and flashes two thumbs up for the camera. in the distance, we see very cloudy gray skies and a sliver of gray water.

view down a set of stairs. at the base is a cement floor with buckets, a shop vacuum, and a trash can that is decorated to look like R2D2. there are also footprint sticker on the floor, and someone has drawn the outline of a body.

Photos, L to R: Second Assistant Engineer Matt Kupiec immediately following his first time tagging a shark on the bottom longline survey. View from main deck down into the Engine Room, where engineers spend their work time on the vessel. I was most taken by the body outline on the floor because I teach forensic science at my high school.

NOAA Ship Oregon II, as does every ship, needs people on board to make sure everything is running smoothly, from a mechanical standpoint. Five engineers help to make that happen: Chief Marine Engineer Joe Howe, 1^st Assistant Engineer Nate Durbin, 2^nd Assistant Engineer Matt Kupiec, Junior Engineer James “MacDaddy” McDade, and oiler Mike Fountain (who has been assisting the day watch with fishing on this leg).

Matt has been working on NOAA Ship Oregon II for a year this week (he started right around his birthday, which is coming up again this weekend!). Engineers in this job with NOAA generally work 2 months on followed by one month off. He will be off for the next leg of this cruise, which is about three weeks, so he will have time to fly home to Ashland, MA, where he shares a place with his brother.

I am most interested in Matt’s experience because he graduated from Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA), which is in my home town. At least three of my students last year are enrolling at MMA for marine engineering, so I am curious about their future. I know MMA claims a 99% employment rate following graduation, which is incredible.

How did you find out about your major?

“My cousin’s boyfriend went there and told me about it. He said engineers make a lot of money. My brother joined the Navy, and this is like the next step down. I chose marine engineering because I had never been on a boat before. The TS (Training Ship) Kennedy was my first love. I went out on a couple of sea terms (a period of time when maritime academy students gain hands-on experience on a ship) after graduating. They called me the maintenance hero because I was always on the ship. In my senior year I was Cadet Chief Engineer, which was a lot of work. It was a great experience, though. I was responsible for hundreds of kids as a kid. It would have been great for my hiring possibilities, but I came out at a tough time.”

What do you do as an engineer on a ship?

“We are responsible for the plant, or the engine room. We make sure the boilers, pumps, HVAC, hydraulics, and electrical are all functioning. Oregon II is an older ship, so you can see the mechanical parts of her. Newer ships have a lot more electronics, and it’s harder to find a faulty circuit board or something on them.”

What else have you done with your degree?

“My first job was on a cruise ship (Celebrity Summit) that sailed under foreign flag [owned by someone outside the United States]. That ship could take 5000 people out. I have seen every island in the Caribbean! I had a five month contract with them, and then a four month contract. Then a friend told me how much he was making on a US ship… I was the only US engineer in the fleet. I made $8000 a month as opposed to my friend making $20K per month plus benefits. I bounced around different jobs and then found AMO (American Maritime Officers union) about 5-6 years ago. I sailed all around the world moving cargo, working 4-5 months at a time, then had 4-5 months of vacation. During COVID I stopped sailing, took a break and worked at Sea World in San Diego [maintaining pumps and plants]. I had another shoreside job as lead building engineer for Lincoln Properties in Cambridge, MA, keeping science buildings running, but the commute was an hour each way and I was a slave to my cell phone, nights and weekends after working all week.”

How did you learn to SCUBA dive?

“NOAA invited me to be on the SCUBA Diving Team. I took an open water course and dive school in Seattle in dry suits (43° F!).

“I like working for NOAA because of the stability, and there’s less turnover. Oregon II is my first NOAA ship. Nate Durbin, the 1^st Engineer, also went to MMA, so he was able to ask around to find out about me. This is only the third vessel I’ve stayed on for more than three trips. It’s a small boat, but the crew is awesome. Here everyone gets together outside of work. It’s a family atmosphere. I’m going diving on a shipwreck with some of the guys when we are off in Miami. It’s nice working on a ship based on science rather than moving cargo.”

Interview with Chuck Godwin

portrait of a man standing in front of a banner. he wears a suit and tie, but also a beanie. this image has been cropped out of a larger group photo; we see the cut-off arm of someone standing to his right. — *Chuck Godwin present in February 2024 to receive Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award on behalf of* Oregon II crew, who aided a vessel that was taking on water in 2022.

I had the pleasure of learning more about Chuck Godwin, the lead fisherman on NOAA Ship Oregon II. Chuck (Charles Scott) has been working on Oregon II since July 2000. When I looked up “Oregon II” on the internet, I found a photo of Chuck in a suit receiving the Department of Commerce Gold Medal in February 2024 after he and crewmates saved a vessel in distress (it was taking on water) in November 2022 (look it up!). He was excited to share his personal story with us.

Chuck has four kids: two girls and two boys, ages 19-34, and three grandchildren who all live in Alabama. Chuck currently lives in Milton, FL, about two hours from Pascagoula, MS, where the ship is docked when not at sea. In his off time, Chuck likes to play guitar and harmonica, karaoke, kayak, hike, and go off-roading in his Jeep. He also likes reading and writing short stories and poetry, or trying to (but he will not share his writing with me).

What training have you had for this job?

“I graduated from the University of Florida (UF) with a degree in Wildlife Management and Ecology. I wanted to work for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or any nearby State Fish and Game Department. I couldn’t find a job in that field after I graduated, so I joined the U.S. Coast Guard and served 10 years, where I did Fisheries Enforcement and Search and Rescue. After separating from the military, I applied for a job with NOAA and found work on the Oregon 2 and have been here ever since.

I enjoy my work when underway, the shark cruise, especially. The people, boat, and various surveys have kept me around. The great white [shark] is my ‘dream catch.’”

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career near the ocean, or in science?

“I decided in high school. I grew up in, around, and under the water. I was raised in Florida and lived in Panama (the country) when I was 10-14 years old, and I became a certified scuba diver at age 12. I got to go back to Panama for a summer internship when I was in college, doing field work in biodiversity.”

If you could invent any tool to make your work more efficient and cost were no object, what would it be and why?

“Robots to do this! Have you seen the robots that are out now? It’s only going to get more advanced and sophisticated. I could stand by and supervise….lol.”

Personal Log

I am getting ready to go home. This trip has been amazing, but it is also the longest time I have been away from my family, I know my pets and gardens are in good hands with my husband, Henry, but it’s time to go back and help out. Our beehives, in particular, need to be examined. I am hopeful the bees found some summersweet to tide them over.

Did You Know?

Sharksuckers, from the Remora family of fishes, do not hurt sharks when they are attached. Their first dorsal fin is modified into a series of plates that form a suction pad to hitch a ride on sharks, turtles, whales, or other large marine creatures. They get a free ride and can eat the leftover scraps from their ride’s meal.

Animals seen since last blog:

Octopus! I saw three (or perhaps the same one, three times?) wrapped around the baited hook as it came up.

Spinner shark

Sharksucker

Red grouper

Night shark!

August 8, 2025August 11, 2025

Dorothy Holley: The Driver’s Seat!? August 6, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Dorothy Holley

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

July 31 – August 15, 2025

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Blog Post #4: August 6, 2025

Weather Data from Bridge:
Latitude: 43^o20.065’ N
Longitude: 067^o11.122’ W
Relative Wind speed: 6
Wind Direction: 66
Air Temperature: 19.6
Sea Surface Temperature: 16.91
Barometric Pressure: 1029.76
Speed over ground: 9.3
Water Conductivity: 4.13
Water Salinity: 32.04

Dolphins on the bow!

First, A blog-reader reader emailed to ask me why they put tennis balls on the chairs in the mess hall. Their guess was that it keeps the chairs from sliding. What do you think? Should I ask the captain? Thanks for reading and asking questions!

portrait photo of Dorothy, wearing a sweatshirt, very large orange work overalls, and a swim vest. she stands on a narrow side deck of NOAA Ship Pisces, one hand on the rail and one hand on her hip. — *After a CTD collection, Dorothy watches the sunset*

view of the bridge room of NOAA Ship Pisces: we see control panels with monitors and displays, a chart table in the center, and a line of windows surrounding the room. — The BRIDGE: where the driving happens……

Second, an answer to the math problem from the last blog: If I filtered water from 3 CTD Rosette bottles for 12-minute protocols at 100 stops, then I would spend 2.5 days just on that project. (Yes, I could spend a fraction of a day on a project.)

Science at Sea: This Summer EcoMon cruise is collecting data that will be analyzed to support NOAA’s mission to protect, restore and manage the use of living marine, coastal, and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management. Our planned path through the northwest Atlantic Ocean, from Rhode Island to Cape Hatteras to the Gulf of Maine, is shown in the map below. NOAA Ship Pisces is a floating weather station, reporting temperature and weather data (available on the Windy app).

a map of the station locations. the x axis ranges from 76 degrees West to 64 degrees West and the y axis ranges from 35 degrees north to 45 degrees north. We see the coastline from North Carolina's Outer Banks to Newfoundland. sample locations are marked with blue dots (bongo only stations), red dots (911 + CTD deployments) and red dots with black circles (both). A few green dots denote bongo sampling locations near wind energy areas.

Once we embarked, NOAA Corp members and Scientists evaluated weather data to determine it was preferable to go north before heading south. So, we are now in the Gulf of Maine, one of the most biologically productive marine ecosystems and possibly one of the most rapidly warming.

Unique bathymetry (that’s topography, but under water) of the area is shaped by the mixing of cool freshwater from the Arctic, the Labrador Current, and over 60 Nova Scotia to Cape Cod rivers with warmer salty Gulf Stream currents. Referred to as a semi-enclosed sea, the Gulf of Maine has shallow and deep areas such as the Bay of Fundy and Georges Shelf. As our polar ice cap melts, the Labrador Current and the more-shallow rivers become warmer. Warming temperatures strengthen the Gulf Stream. The “bath tub” effect for the Gulf of Maine translates to warming at nearly three times the global ocean average. (Read more about the Gulf of Maine and Acadia National Park’s 60 miles of coastline and 18 islands in the U.S. National Park Service here )

We have had to maneuver around humpback whales and tons of lobster pots to reach our stops and collect data that will better help scientists understand and manage this important ecosystem. But when we talk about how fast we are going, those steering the ship use the unit of “knots” instead of mph. Why?!

screenshot of Google maps from Dorothy's phone showing the current location: the blue dot surrounded by solid blue (which is how the ocean appears on Google maps)

Screenshot Photos of Dorothy’s phone: Google Maps isn’t very helpful in the ocean!

Interesting Things: Mariners (and aviators) don’t have road maps or Google maps to steer them. They must navigate using latitude and longitude readings, based on the circumference of the earth. One nautical mile is equivalent to one minute of latitude, and one nautical mile per hour is then called one knot. NOAA Ship Pisces cruises at around 8 knots between stops. My land-based brain is still trying to convert!

On the bridge, our NOAA Corps is constantly figuring out speed, time, and distance problems to make sure the Pisces is getting where it needs to be on time, or how we’ll pass with another vessel. LT Urquhart posts the stations for the following day in our “Plan for the Day” Communication.

You do the Math: If 1 knot = 1.15 mph, how long (in hours) will it take us to get to the next stop, 15 miles away? Remember, the ship is traveling at 8 knots. Check in the next blog post for the answer.

Career Spotlight

LT Karina Urquhart

LT Karina Urquhart is a part of the Ship’s NOAA Corps. In other words… She gets to DRIVE THE SHIP! (NOAA Ship Pisces currently has seven NOAA Corps officers, collectively called the Wardroom.) A fascination with the ocean and a strong work ethic developed through years of competitive swimming propelled her into this role. Growing up in Sanford, Maine, she began swimming in elementary school. While she appreciated the access to deep family roots, her mom also grew up in Sanford, she chose to leave Maine to attend college and continue swimming. (She didn’t especially enjoy academic studies, but figured the classes would take care of themselves. Right?)

Graduating from Clark University in Massachusetts with a degree in Environmental Science Conservation Biology and a minor in Studio Art, LT Urquhart returned to Maine summer beach lifeguarding and then found a USDA Pathways Internship in Washington, DC. The lifeguarding and internship experiences, especially spending 8-hour shifts with a colleague observing ocean currents and movements, set the stage for her NOAA Corp Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) application. Once accepted, she was trained in ship handling and navigation to prepare her for her role as an Officer in NOAA.

BOTC provided many opportunities to sharpen her problem solving and perseverance skills. She often said, “I can do one more week of this,” and then, at some point, it got better. Her first ship assignment was on NOAA Ship Rainier, for 2.5 years, where she conducted hydrographic operations from Alaska to Guam. LT Urquhart took the technical foundation she gained from Rainier and then rotated into a three-year land assignment at NOAA’s National Center for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) where she supported seafloor and lakebed habitat mapping. While working full time, she pursued a master’s degree in Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, from the University of Maryland.

As advice for people starting a new opportunity, LT Urquhart suggests leaning into the things that scare you the most because they’ll probably help you grow the most. It’s scary for a reason. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed, she suggests doing the thing that you don’t want to do first. Sometimes you just have to get over it and sometimes you have to be the person pushing yourself. LT Urquhart credits her experiences in NOAA with helping her distinguish between the challenges she can overcome, when to ask for help, and when to take a step back.

As one of two Operations Officers on board Pisces, LT Urquhart invests in the crew and scientists on our EcoMon mission, making sure we have what we need so that our mission runs as smoothly as possible. She prints the daily “Plan of the Day” listing the stops and times we’ll be collecting samples. She begins by asking “where do I think we’ll be at midnight?” and “Is this 24 hours worth of stations + transits?”. She credits our electronics and Navigation Officer (ENS Cheney) for doing much of the leg work (and math!) for the team. One tool she says that she couldn’t live without are the RADARs– the ship’s eyes that let us see objects and hazards way further than we can actually see. I’m personally glad that she has her camera. While taking pictures is not a part of her official duties, you may have noticed I’ve posted LT Urquhart’s photos in some of my blogs.

Currently, LT Urquhart is reading The Hero Within by Carol S Pearson and On Character by Stanley McChrysal. Two books she would highly recommend are Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Disaster in U.S. Naval History and the Fifty-Year Fight to Exonerate an Innocent Man, by Lynn Vincent and Sara Vladic and The Curve of Time, by M. Wylie Blanchet. I enjoy reading her daily updates. Thank you for communicating so well!

Personal Log

Here are some pictures of my cabin (called a stateroom). In the last blog, I posted some amazing pictures taken by my cabinmate Alyssa. Since we are working opposite shifts, we each feel like we have a private stateroom! While I think I am the oldest person onboard, Alyssa (a college student) is the youngest. I wonder if she can share more information on NOAA scholarships, internships, and volunteer opportunities available to college-aged students? Maybe we should ask….

view into a stateroom: we see two bunkbeads with curtains, a window with the curtain drawn, a desk chair, a suitcase. — Berths

view out the stateroom window: a plastic ducky with a sailor's hat sits on the sill looking outward — Berths

Photos: Home, sweet home on NOAA Ship Pisces!

Isn’t it nice to have so many great photographers in one place? It has been said that a picture says a thousand words. Come meet a member of the science team who has published two bird books in my next blog…

Beautiful sunset over the Atlantic

August 7, 2025August 8, 2025

Cheryl Milliken: It’s a Great Day to Go Fishing, August 5, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Cheryl Milliken

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 25 – August 10, 2025

Mission: Bottom Longline Survey, Leg 1

Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Coast of Florida

Date: August 5, 2025 11:25 PM

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 34° 40.1455′ N
Longitude:075° 45.5686′ W
Wind speed: 8 kts
Wave height: 1 m
Air temp.: 29.4 C
Sky: Clear

Science and Technology Log

Yesterday we reached our northernmost station, off the coast of Cape Hatteras. These shark lovers were hoping to catch a great white there, and we had two lines that were bitten through, so there may have been one that escaped (his name was Winston, in case you were wondering).

a large tiger shark hooked (momentarily) on a line, swimming in the ocean. — Large tiger shark that bent the hook and swam away before we could cradle and measure her.

close up view of two hooks resting on a metal surface. the bottom hook is a standard "circle hook" - it curls now quite all the way around into a circle. the top hook is only slightly curved. — Large tiger shark that bent the hook and swam away before we could cradle and measure her.

During that station we caught two Atlantic sharpnose sharks, a large tiger shark (estimated to by 2.25 meters, or more than 7 feet long), a baby tiger shark (0.87 meters, or a little less than 3 feet), and a male great hammerhead shark that was 2.71 meters (almost 9 feet!) long.

view of a great hammerhead shark visible just below the surface of the water; it is attached to a line — Great hammerhead shark waiting to be hoisted alongside the ship for tagging and measuring.

I was so excited that I was able to tag and fin-clip the great hammerhead! From not really having much background experience with or knowledge of sharks beyond dogfish, I have had a tremendous exposure to these apex predators!

close up view of a round fiberglass buoy: white on top, blue on the bottom. the white section is decorated with stickers and marker drawings.

close up view of a round fiberglass buoy: white on top, blue on the bottom. the white section is decorated with stickers and marker drawings. this angle shows a drawing of a red snapper.

view from across the deck of three people wearing life vests carrying the drifter buoy

two men in life vests lift the drifter buoy (the buoy and its attached drogue) up toward the rail of the ship. it is nighttime.

two men wearing life vests toss the drifter buoy over the rail. it is night time.

Photos: decorations on Drifter #3, launched by Josh and Sean south of Cape Hatteras on Tuesday night.

Near the next station, we were able to launch the third drifter close to the Gulf Stream. I can’t wait to share the information about these drifters with my students! The Adopt a Drifter program has lesson plans that you can check out here: Adopt a Drifter Teacher Resources.

Here are links to see where our drifters are:

Our goal in launching these drifters was to put them into the Gulf Stream to see how they behave. Perhaps they will all stay in the Gulf Stream, or perhaps they will veer out because of eddies. We shall see!

Interview with Gretchen Kruizenga

Gretchen stands next to the CTD rosette on the deck of NOAA Ship Oregon II. the sky is blue with puffy white clouds, and the ocean is a very vivid blue. — *Gretchen Kruizenga, senior survey technician on NOAA Ship* Oregon II, explaining to new staff the purpose and procedure for launching the CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Density) apparatus.

Gretchen, the ship’s senior survey technician, always has a smile on her face. She has been so helpful and supportive to me as a newbie on this project, and I appreciate her level-headed guidance and patient encouragement as I learn all the new things. Gretchen’s high energy level and enthusiasm is appreciated. She works with the science crew to bait hooks, then she hustles to collect water quality data from the CTD (short for conductivity, temperature, and depth). Gretchen grew up in Walworth, WI (graduating from Big Foot High School!), then earned a degree in Biological Sciences (minoring in Environmental Science) from Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Her avid affection for sharks is contagious. She has had an amazing breadth of experiences so far, which led her to this job in January 2023.

Why is your work important?

“My job is vital for keeping the scientific operations running. For example, when a sensor breaks, I can replace it to keep them collecting water quality information for the survey.”

What are your responsibilities? This position is new to me.

“I am in charge of maintaining and operating scientific sensors and oceanographic sampling equipment. My job on this vessel is different than on other NOAA vessels because since this ship is small, I also stand a science watch.”

What do you enjoy most about your work?

“I love being able to work on my two biggest career passions: water quality data collection and scientific data collection. I consider myself to be the luckiest person on the ship.”

What tool do you use in your work that you could not live without?

“I’d have to say multimeter. It allows me to figure out if cables are broken or if sensors are getting enough power without having to bring the whole apparatus into the lab.”

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?

“My dad took me to see the ocean for the first time at South Padre Island, TX, when I was 9 years old. I knew then that I wanted the ocean in my life in any capacity it could be. I originally wanted to work for National Geographic to write blogs about places around the world. I got an internship in South Africa with Oceans Research, where I fell in love with sharks. When I’m not on Oregon II, I work with American Shark Conservancy out of Jupiter, FL, to collect water quality data and shark information on recreational shark ecotourism diving boats. I gave a presentation at the American Elasmobranch Society in 2023 about that citizen science work. We collect data that would otherwise be missed.

“I found this job when I googled “NOAA shark research” and found out about this [bottom longline] survey. I’ve always wanted to work with Trey [Driggers] on this shark survey. Being able to contribute to the stock assessment data that I’ve been looking at for years is crazy.”

What is the toughest part of your job?

“The toughest part of my job is keeping a healthy work-life balance. The needs of the ship means being away a lot, which impacts maintaining social relationships.”

What part of your job with NOAA did you least expect to be doing?

“I do more electrical work than expected. I have to read a lot of manuals because there aren’t a lot of people who can answer those questions for me.”

How do you help wider audiences to understand and appreciate NOAA science?

“Coming from an outreach background, I love to share everything I learn with others. I share links and stories on Instagram to get the message out there to anyone who will listen. I do wish we had more outreach opportunities.”

Do you have any outside hobbies?

“I like to make epoxy waves (www.etsy.com/shop/GretchenEpoxSeas), kickbox, and scuba. I like to see my friends. I like to push myself out of my comfort zone. I love to travel (favorite place is Iceland).”

What do you think you would be doing if you were not working for NOAA?

“This is my dream job, but if I can’t work here anymore, I would try to do anything that combines my technical expertise with sharks.“

Personal Log

This time is flying by, and yet every day seems to blend into the next. We have a television on in the science lab while we are moving between stations, and yesterday a Meg (Megalodon) marathon was on… I I loved the quote from the movie, but the portrayal of a long-thought-extinct shark coming back to kill all the people was a little more than I wanted to think about (spoiler alert: especially when one megalodon launched itself out of the water and onto the research vessel in the movie…)

Although I am not going to officially interview her, I want to give a shoutout to Tera Winters, the other watch member who is affiliated with the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine And Atmospheric Studies. Tera has been a veterinarian in Tallahassee and Panama City, FL, but has added marine science to her skill set. Tera takes pride in working efficiently, particularly when she is back in the lab processing otoliths (ear stones) from bony fishes to estimate growth rates and ages of individual fish. This information is a critical part of the stock assessment information, because managers need to know how long it takes (in addition to size) for fish of a certain species to reach sexual maturity. Tera has been responsible for FT-NIRS scanning, imaging, weighing, and ageing thousands of otoliths from red snapper. Without this information, the catch limits of red snapper may be miscalculated. I have been privileged to work with such amazing professionals.

Did You Know?

Sharks were around 200 million years before the dinosaurs, and they have persisted for 450 million years. Don’t you think it would be a tragic event if humans caused the extinction of any of the over 500 species of sharks that have been identified?

August 6, 2025August 8, 2025

Dorothy Holley: Columns of Information, August 5, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Dorothy Holley

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

July 31 – August 15, 2025

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Blog Post #3, August 5, 2025

Date: August 5, 2025

Weather Data from Bridge:
Latitude: 4259.65 N
Longitude: 07026.35 W
Relative Wind speed: 15
Wind Direction: 356
Air Temperature: 21.3
Sea Surface Temperature: 18.996
Barometric Pressure: 1023.4
Speed over ground: 9.9
Water Conductivity: 4.265
Water Salinity: 31.21

Sky is overcast due to the Canadian wildfires!

First, a Thank you to Pam who posted a comment to my last post. When out at sea, it is good to know someone is reading along!

Second, an answer to the math problem….. If we are out at sea for two weeks, and deploy the Bongo nets at 100 different stops, our team of scientists will deploy and collect plankton over seven times each day, and since there are two groups, we’ll each deploy and collect about 3-4 times each day. (No, we can’t do partial, or fractional, jobs!)

Dorothy, wearing a 35th anniversary Teacher at Sea sweatshirt, takes a selfie from an upper deck. the sun is starting to set in an aquamarine sky over light blue water. — *Photo: Sunset while on duty is the best!*

Science at Sea:

Over 70% of our planet’s surface contains water. While we can’t analyze every single drop, we can monitor and evaluate water quality patterns to better understand and predict changes in weather, climate, oceans, and coasts. NOAA scientists’ work supports severe weather preparedness and international shipping.

a view from farther down the rail of a CTD rosette suspended just at the water's surface; the sky and water are very gray

a view from farther down the rail of a CTD rosette suspended above the water's surface; the sky and water are very gray

a view from farther down the rail of two crewmembers wearing life vests pulling the CTD rosette back on board; the sky and water are very gray

Photos: Scientist team and Deck team work together to get CTD equipment in place. Photos by LT Karina Urquhart.

The CTD Rosette is an instrument used to collect water samples in the water column at our stops on our Ecosystem Monitoring (EcoMon) Cruise. “CTD” stands for conductivity, temperature and depth. Closer to the ocean floor, the temperature will be colder (lower) and the pressure will be higher. Conductivity describes how well electricity is being conducted and can be used to determine salinity. Taken together, salinity, temperature, and pressure influence water density, which in turn drive ocean currents and influence global climate patterns. Monitoring salinity and temperature patterns helps us better understand marine life distribution and predict changes in our planet’s water cycle.

The CTD Rosette also has oxygen sensors and a fluorometer. There are 12 Niskin bottles that open and close to collect water samples at different depths in the column. Water from three of the bottles is for a project on chlorophyll concentration. We filter water from three different depths to be examined back at the land lab. (Find out more about CTD Rosettes here.)

view of the CTD rosette resting on deck. the sky is hazy gray blue, and the water is gray. at the horizon, a few windmills are barely visible.

view of the ocean over the deck; the sky is cloudy and gray, and the water is gray. at the horizon, a few windmills are barely visible.

CTD Rosette waiting for the next stop. Do you see the windmills?!

You do the Math: If I filtered water from 3 CTD Rosette bottles at each of our 100 stops, and it takes 12 minutes to run the protocol to filter each bottle, then how much time (in days) would I spend on the project? Check in the next blog post for the answer.

Interesting Things: There are no landfills in the ocean. So what happens to our waste?! After every meal we scrape our food waste into a bucket and our paper and plastic waste into another bucket. Plates, cups, bowls, and silverware are washed for the next meal. The food waste is pulverized and dumped into the ocean to biodegrade. The other bucket’s waste is incinerated onboard.

Career Spotlight:

portrait view of Santanna on deck. He is wearing black work gloves, a life vest, and a yellow hardhat. We can see part of a bongo plankton net on deck behind him. The sky is a muted blue, cloudless; the ocean is blue and very calm. — Santanna Dawson, professional mariner

Santanna Dawson has been a part of the deck department on NOAA Ship Pisces for the last year and a half. His team is responsible for everything deck – docking, undocking, equipment, cargo, operations, maintenance, painting, repairing, and even security rounds (in case something comes loose and starts rolling around in the night). He ensures the science experiments actually happen by getting the equipment safely in place.

Santanna speaks with a Gullah Geechee dialect, a mixture of creole and low county charm. And even though he grew up around the ocean in South Carolina, his plan was to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the Air Force. A car accident after graduation snapped his femur in half, changing everything. Santanna began his career with little knowledge of the maritime industry, working his way up from entry level with training (earning a spot at a maritime school in San Diego) and persistence.

One tool Santanna says he can’t live without is a hammer. A tool he doesn’t have yet is a Bluetooth screw driver. The next book on his reading list is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins.

Santanna was one of the first people I met on the ship, and he made me feel right at home. How is that? It wasn’t the obvious southern drawl (he sounds more Senegalese!) but the fact that Santana recently lived in Knightdale, NC, my hometown! He knows about the beautiful Knightdale Station Park and his son attended Knightdale High School. As my mom would say, it really is a small world!

Personal Log: It is joyful to get to “do science” every day! Today I saw pilot whales on the flying bridge with binoculars and a fish egg in the lab with a microscope. I hope you get to experience some joy today, too!

close up view of a tiny sea star in a plankton sieve — Sea star

top down view of a sieve filled with small jellyfish — Sea star

Photos by my cabin mate, Alyssa Rauscher

August 5, 2025August 5, 2025

Robert Markuske: Introduction, August 3, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Robert Markuske

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

August 13 – 29, 2025

Mission: Long Line Shark and Snapper Survey

Geographic Florida Coast

Today’s Date: August 5th, 2025

Embarkation Date: August 13th, 2025 Port of Miami

Personal Introduction

selfie of Rob near above-ground subway tracks. he is wearing highly reflective sunglasses, a hat, and a backpack. — Subway ride to the airport, a rare sighting

extremely close-up view of a rose bud — Roses from my backyard container garden.

Hello from Brooklyn! Don’t get too excited—I’m originally from Long Island, just about 60 miles from where I now live with my partner, Clara, and our cat, Samson. I enjoy live music, building composting systems, reducing waste through organic collection, gardening, and bicycling around the city. I turn 41 on August 13—the same day we set sail on the Oregon II. This journey marks another step in my personal life and in my unexpected path as an environmental educator.

selfie of Rob and his grandfather, both wearing sunglasses and baseball caps, on a hill in front of a very large house — Grandfather at a house we built on the coast of Long Island.

As a kid, my grandfather used to take me to the beach on his only day off from framing houses—Sunday. I would splash in the Atlantic Ocean while he lounged under an umbrella with his aviator sunglasses on—pretty sure he was sleeping under those shades. Throughout my childhood, I subconsciously absorbed the interconnectedness between our vast ocean and our lives. Just took some adulting to figure it out. Life experiences have shown me that coastal environments offer a range of benefits, including work, play, food, culture, love, and spiritual enrichment. From my attempt at surfing in high school, being rescued by lifeguards, attending high school beach parties, and spending time at sea fishing with my commercial fisherman friend, to framing houses with my grandfather on the beaches of Long Island, I was absorbing that people use our coasts for many things. As a kid, I underestimated its importance, size, and power. It wasn’t until I moved to NYC in 2002 that I began to learn from others and observe what I had been surrounded by all my life.

school portrait of Rob, perhaps a senior, against a standard studio background — Aspiring Lawyer. 🙂

I often share my high school yearbook quote with my students. It said, “I want to be a lawyer and live in a penthouse in NYC.” After graduating from high school, I set out on that path and was determined to make it happen. After island-hopping at various academic institutions in the metro area, I graduated from Stony Brook University with that degree in 2009. I continued pursuing these goals and enrolled in a master’s program in Political Science at Brooklyn College. I’m not sure what happened, but I changed course and pursued a master’s degree in Adolescent Education with a focus on Social Studies.

During my final year of the master’s program, I became involved in writing a curriculum for my final project, which focused on place-based learning and utilized the National Park Service. This would inspire me and encourage me to seek a position with the National Park Service. Over two years, I had the privilege of working at three parks: Gateway National Recreation Area, Governors Island National Monument, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. All of these locations sparked my passion for working with youth and engaging with our communities as a classroom. The traditional classroom seemed a distant place.

Rob, in a National Park Service park ranger uniform and backpack, photographed in front of an impressive view: conifers and several layers of mountains in the distance — Rangering at Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park

While working on Governors Island National Monument, I collaborated closely with the New York Harbor School on the island to encourage their students to use the park as a classroom. Additionally, I participated in field experiences with their students as a ranger at the school. This led me to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. I didn’t want to be a lawyer. I didn’t want to be a classroom teacher. I wanted to be an environmental educator with the National Park Service. But the dream was beyond reach and so competitive. To be honest, I also didn’t have the science chops at that point in my life.

panoramic view of an empty classroom. the chairs are upside down on top of the student desks. — Room 207, NYHS Global History, my first year of teaching

While at Sequoia, I got an email to come in for an interview at the New York Harbor School. I came, interviewed, and was offered the job. I began my teaching career in 2012, specializing in social studies. After spending two years at Harbor School, I relocated to New Orleans to pursue my career in education, teaching U.S. history. Eventually, I returned to Harbor School, where I was tasked with developing a policy and advocacy course as part of their offerings. With support from academic institutions and industry partners, I created a hands-on curriculum for a cross-disciplinary program called Marine Affairs, focusing on environmental science and sustainability. In this program, students explore emerging issues related to natural resources and work on solutions through advocacy. I took the leap, and I didn’t know that one day I would use all the skills from my youth, my 20s, and 30s to be doing all the professional goals I aspired to do—engaging students in environmental place-based learning that considers all the facets of the economy, environment, and culture, with the end result advocating for positive change.

Rob looks down at the camera as he holds up above his head a strand of flat seaweed. behind him we see unfinished wood walls and some sort of mounted equipment with cables — Seaweed students and I help grow through volunteering with Seaweed City.

What I teach now wasn’t where I started. However, time and again, experiences I pursued led me to this path. All that I teach today, I’ve learned by doing and from those in the field. Much of what I teach has evolved from its inception—primarily because the community’s needs have evolved. Projects like seaweed farming and composting have opened my eyes—and those of my students—to the impact of local actions on global systems. I’ve become a student alongside them. My goal is always to make learning relevant, hands-on, and rooted in advocacy. I had no idea I would be teaching students about urban agriculture, stormwater management, and estuary health through greening, resilience, waterfront design, and beekeeping, with the list growing longer. I initially aspired to be a lawyer to effect change. Now, on any given day, I work with youth to create change through hands-on solutions in science and advocacy. If it weren’t for partners such as Earth Matter, Waterfront Alliance, Newtown Creek Alliance, Billion Oyster Project, FFA, Bee University, and Seaweed City, among others, I wouldn’t have gained the knowledge to have such an enriching career in environmental education. I’ve learned from my community and what the community needs. By expanding my network, my students’ networks also grow.

The collage below is now my classroom. I’ve learned to make the physical and cultural aspects of my community my classroom, adopting this approach from my surroundings and all that they have to offer—including mentors, nonprofits, city officials, and experiential learning. The Teacher at Sea mission is the icing on the cake, expanding my network and providing an opportunity to learn and acquire additional skills that I can then apply to my students. Fill in some gaps in my knowledge that I might have. As I stated, this isn’t what I intended, but I am all in now. Part of what I love, which is both a blessing and a curse, is that the course I teach depends on evolving and being spontaneous. I enjoy learning alongside my students. I am excited to bring back some fresh ideas for them to experiment with after my time at sea.

Student photos courtesy of New York Harbor School.

students, wearing face masks, shovel leaves and dirt into a pile in a courtyard

three students in matching black sweatshirts with the words "New York" on the back sit facing away from the camera in a formal conference room. against the far wall, underneath flags, sit three people in suits.

three people in a boat wearing waders and life vests. two lie sprawled on the boat's deck to reach over the end of the boat for something in the water; the third looks on

Rob and others use shovels to mix compost in a courtyard

Rob stands at a log on a bench holding a pipette in his right hand

gloved hands reach into a pile of wet oysters

Rob and a student stand at an aquarium containing some sort of experiment

group photo of students in a garden with their harvest

Rob, wearing an apron and gloves, stands at a bunson burner and chemical stand

Last summer, I spent a week learning about the USDA’s diverse work around our economy, environment, and food systems from dedicated USDA employees.

a large group photo of people in formal attire, inside a courtyard of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. various flags are displayed in lines underneath arched windows. — Kika De La Garza Fellows and Secretary of Agriculture 2024

Rob stands in a community garden at a raised garden bed and reaches with two hands toward what may be a red zinnia — Kika De La Garza Fellows and Secretary of Agriculture 2024

This summer, I am heading to the open water to engage with NOAA on the Oregon II, which promises to be an entirely different experience—no suit jackets required.

But ultimately, it encourages me to engage in material and with people in the industries I train my students to aspire to become a part of. Once again, I have the chance to enrich and learn from a new network of stakeholders working with natural resources. I am excited to add more networks for my students to see that what we do in class isn’t just projects Rob likes. Well, I do—they just happen to be all connected, and I am lucky enough to work at an institution that aligns with both my personal and professional lifestyle.

I’m eager to get started. I hope my students are prepared for a little light summer reading about my journey, and I look forward to some new projects this fall. The Teacher at Sea excursion will fill some missing pieces in my curriculum and enhance our current projects through science and data analysis.

Preparing for My Mission

Preparing for this mission has been a surreal experience—mainly because I can’t believe it! To be honest, it’s been a little stressful. It’s been a flood of discovery, and often, unexpected uncertainty. It’s been hard to balance the wave of excitement, the fear of school starting upon returning, and wondering if I passed the medical and security clearance. I think the most challenging part was remaining present and not thinking about what’s to come. The anticipation and quest to be both mentally and physically competent were tried throughout the summer. But throughout the summer, I realized that all I had done in the last 14 years was new to me; this was going to be familiar and different—yet at the same time, very different.

NOAA Ship Oregon II underway. — NOAA Ship *Oregon II*
**Type of Ship:** Fisheries
**Hull Number:** R332
**Length:** 170.00 ft
**Range:** 3800 nautical miles
**Endurance:** 33 days
**Speed:** 11.00 knots

Part of my preparation involves reading about where I will be sailing and what I will be doing while at sea. I’ve been going down a rabbit hole of all things about the Oregon II, sharks, red snapper, long-line fishing, and the geography of the area. I am excited to be part of this exceptional place-based learning experience.

Between all that literature and content review, I bought a car with my partner and toured the East Coast, attending some live music shows. I hit places I love: Charleston, Philadelphia, and Saratoga Springs. Just before my mission, I will be spending some time on the West Coast in San Francisco. Although this doesn’t seem like much preparation, it’s been vital to get some respite after a long and successful school year. My partner is also an educator, and we’ve become quite skilled at managing our time during summer break. My bags have been mostly packed all summer and just need to be swapped out for gear for my Teacher at Sea experience. In all honesty, I’m probably packing the most efficiently for this trip. The Teacher at Sea packing list made my life simpler than I was making it—that’s for sure. I generally overpack for any journey, especially when it involves time at sea; following directions is typically a safe bet when it comes to the sea.

Hiking Catawba River
Phish Forest Hills
Hudson River in Champlain Region
Eagle a top Forest Hills
Sunset over the harbor

I’ve spoken to a TAS alumnus who sailed on this same mission, and it was beyond helpful. Talking to people has been the most beneficial. I have some friends in the business: one is involved in NOAA fisheries enforcement, another is a commercial fisherman, and a longtime mentor of mine was also a Teacher at Sea. These folks have shared valuable insight on dealing with life at sea. Always good to ask for help.

Selfie of Rob and Roy on the aft deck of a small vessel as it speeds away from New York City, leaving a long white wake — TAS Alum and Harbor School Colleague

group photo of three men — TAS Alum and Harbor School Colleague

detailed diagram of the inside portions of a drifting buoy, labeled Drifting Buoy - Internal View. labeled parts include control board, barometric pressure sensor, strain gauge sensor, sea surface temperature sensor, tether, barometer port, iridium satellite antenna, d-cell battery packs, tether carrot. — Dissection of Drifter Buoy

I am most excited about and have been preparing to participate in NOAA’s Adopt-a-Drifter Program. As it states in the Global Drifter Program: “A drifter, or drifting buoy, is a piece of scientific equipment that measures sea surface temperature, but most are also equipped to measure other variables. As the drifter moves around, guided by ocean currents, measurements of atmospheric pressure, winds, wave height, and salinity can be taken. This data is collected by sensors in the drifter and transmitted to overhead satellites. Tracking the location of drifters over time allows scientists to build a profile of ocean currents.” I’ve been reviewing some of the data and starting to think about all the exciting ways this can support my curriculum to be more real-life and data-driven.

Rob holds a travel mug of coffee and poses for a photo at a coffee shop counter — Sipping a cup of BK Roasters, a new partner to NYHS

After my Teacher at Sea journey, it’s back to the classroom. Between summer travels and some preparation for the new school year, my time has been taken up. I work with several partners who will be supporting our students next year. From designing an advocacy project with the Newtown Creek Alliance to participating in work-based learning experiences with Brooklyn Coffee Roasters, it has been exciting to consider how Teacher at Sea experiences will enhance these initiatives and help connect the dots. Brooklyn Coffee Roasters is even sending ten pounds of coffee for this mission!

Roy and another man pose for a photo beneath the Roll Roaster sign — Hanging in BK at Roll N Roaster

I’ve been mentally preparing by remaining humble and open-minded about what’s to come—a practice I need to adopt every August as the new year approaches. I just need to start that mental gymnastics a little earlier and take a breath.

I am excited to travel to Miami to catch up with family and friends before departing, celebrating my departure, and officially entering middle-aged territory. Particularly my grandfather, someone who has been a part of my Renaissance-like knowledge loop in my life. It’s been nice to see him this summer, and it will be good to see him before he leaves the dock. What better way to celebrate life and my career than by going on this experience to once again be a student? I’m eager to learn and fill some knowledge gaps I have.

extremely close up view of a cats face as it comes in to lick the camera — Samson the cat

And honestly? I’m also just trying to prepare for how much I’ll miss my cat.

Thanks for reading about my journey that inspired me to apply to Teadher At Sea. Life isn’t linear, and I’m excited to learn further from those who are sure, and where the wind takes us.

Fair Winds. Stay tuned for more blogging while at sea.

P.S. Shout out to Tiffany Duong, an Author from EcoWatch, for giving me pointers on taking photos and writing a blog.