bluefin tuna – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 23, 2025July 23, 2025

Sinh Nguyen: Big Ocean, Big Mission, July 21, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sinh Nguyen

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

July 7, 2025 – July 24, 2025

Mission: Larval Bluefin Tuna Slope Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Ocean, Slope Sea

Date: 7/21/2025

Weather Data:

4:27 PM Eastern Time

screenshot from the "Windy" app, showing a map of wind direction and speed in the eastern United States and Atlantic Ocean. A white dot near the continental shelf east of Delaware marks Sinh's current location. The colors and wind marks indicate a storm over the ocean to the east. — Information source: Windy app

The current temperature is 26°C (°79F).

The wind speed is 270 knots (21mph). Source: Windy app.

Science Log

Mighty Primary scholars: Our mission has officially started! NOAA Ship Pisces sailed to an area of the ocean called Slope Sea. Slope Sea is what scientists use to describe a part of ocean here on the East Coast.

topographic and bathymetric map of the North Atlantic Ocean, including the Northeast Atlantic Coast, up through Canada, and part of Greenland. — *The Slope Sea is a region, or area, of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Photo credit: NOAA*

map of the northeast Atlantic Ocean color coded to show ocean temperatures. "Slope Sea" is identified offshore, east of Delaware and New Jersey. — *We’ve been sailing to areas with the best conditions for larval bluefin tuna to spawn, where larval bluefin tuna are born.* Each color represents water temperature. On the scale (right), from blue to red represents colder to hotter water temperature.

a man stands at the front of the mess hall (we can see the tables with condiment baskets) next to a large screen mounted on the wall, displaying a slide (version 1) — Chief Scientist Dave gave a presentation on the goals of our mission.

Activity: Let’s explore Slope Sea on Google Earth!

Click on this link: https://earth.google.com/web/@40,-68,7.90643423a,629.4080939d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CgRCAggBQgIIAEoNCP___________wEQAA?authuser=0
Search these coordinates: 40°N, 68°W
Click the “Ocean” option if you want to see more!

Remember, our mission is to survey (catch and identify) larval bluefin fish. Since one of our science members focuses on surveying seabirds, there are 8 of us left for work. We are divided into two equal teams for the shifts, or watches.

Sunset Crew

This team works from the 3PM to 3AM watch. They get to see the sunset!

a man standing at a work table in the wet lab — Chief Scientist Dave

close up view of a woman flipping through a book — Autumn

a woman sitting at a desk with multiple computer monitors — Betsy

Sinh, in his Teacher at Sea t shirt and a backwards baseball cap, holds up a small sample vial and smiles for the camera — Myself

Sunrise Crew

This team works from the 3AM to 3PM watch. They get to see the sunrise!

group photo of four women in matching light-blue t shirts on deck (Version 1) — Sunrise crew is representing! Photo credit: Allison Black

group photo of four women in matching light-blue t shirts on deck (Version 2) — Sunrise crew is representing! Photo credit: Allison Black

a woman poses for a photo with a safety skills dummy in the wet lab — Kristen

a woman kneeling on the deck next to a piece of scientific equipment looks up and smiles for a photo — Amanda

a woman in a hard hat and life vest crouches next to a suspended larval fish trap and a drifter, on the aft deck at night — Sarah

a woman rinses down a plankton net into a sieve in the wet lab — Chrissy

a woman stands at the rail on the flying bridge of NOAA Ship Pisces. She looks through a camera with a large, long lense. Words on top of the image read: "Seabird Crew. Allison surveys seabirds on the flying bridge, the highest point of NOAA Ship Pisces! She then identifies them for research."

Seabird Crew

Allison surveys seabirds on the flying bridge, the highest point of NOAA Ship Pisces! She then identifies them for research.

With Allison, watching for seabirds or marine animals!

Sinh stands at the alidade, an instrument mounted on a pillar on an upper deck of NOAA Ship Pisces. The sky and ocean are a bright blue, and there is a low line of clouds at the horizon. (version 1) — This tool is like binoculars.

Mighty Primary scholars: Here’s a math connection. How many hours are there in one shift? If we combine both shifts, what is the total number of hours?

hands use a squeeze bottle to fill a small sample vial; we see a microscope on the table in front of this person. Words on top of the imeage read: "We've all been coordinating (working together) for these four tasks to be done:"

We’ve all been coordinating (working together) for these four tasks to be done:

Computer for CTD and Data

a woman sits at a computer desk with multiple monitors; she looks up at one of the higher monitors, which is displaying four outdoor camera feeds

We look at CTD data. We use walkie-talkies to coordinate with deck crew and NOAA Corps Officers so that it is dropped into the sea. When it’s returned, we record data.

We then print out CTD information (remember conductivity, temperature, and depth) to label our bottles of samples.

Sinh sits at a computer desk next to a woman in a blue sweatshirt. they both look up at the computer monitors displaying video and data feeds. — Recording CTD data

Sinh sits at a computer desk next to a woman in a blue sweatshirt. Sinh looks ahead at a lower computer monitor. — Recording CTD data

We make sure all the data is saved and then backed up, or stored, so that other scientists can use them for more research.

Washing Bongo Nets

two crewmembers in hard hats and life vests stand around the retrieved bongo nets, which are splayed out on deck. It is nighttime. Words on top the image read: "After catching planktons (tiny fish and other small creatures), we wash the nets carefully, so we don’t lose any samples."

After catching planktons (tiny fish and other small creatures), we wash the nets carefully, so we don’t lose any samples.

Bongo nets return to deck.

Chrissy washed down plankton into a tray.

Preserving samples

close up view of a sample jar in someone's hands containing plankton suspended in solution; it is a bit out of focus. Words on top of the image read: We wash and store planktons in jars to keep them safe.

We wash and store planktons in jars to keep them safe.

Dave carefully washed plankton down to be preserved and then observed.

a woman wearing large orange overalls stands at a metal table in the wet lab, an empty sample jar in her hands. — Amanda stored collected plankton into jars, which are then studied and then saved for later research.

These bottles are stored in ethanol, which helps preserve (protect) the DNA of planktons.

fingers smooth out a printed label affixed to the white lid of a sample jar — We print CTD information from the computer to label collected samples.

Identification (ID)

We look closely and carefully at planktons’ physical properties to identify them.

a woman adjusts the lenses of a microscope at a lab bench — We use a **microscope** for this.

What is a microscope?

A microscope is a tool that allows small creatures or objects to be seen. Almost like looking through binoculars or a camera to zoom in.

view over a woman's shoulder as she flips through a guidebook. her phone is on the table next to the book, displaying an image of a plankton. — Autumn was observing and identifying what kinds of planktons we saw on the microscope.

view through a microscope of several types of fish larvae on a petri dish — Autumn was observing and identifying what kinds of planktons we saw on the microscope.

Sinh looks through a microscope on a bench. his Teacher at Sea hat is backwards so the rim stays out of the way. there is a pair of tweezers on the bench in front of him. — I had to pay close attention! I had to move the planktons around a lot using a tweezer (can you locate it in the picture?)

Sinh, in the foreground, leans over a tray holding tweezers in his right hand and a light cord in his left hand. in the background, Dave points at a guidebook laying open on a table next to a microscope, and speaks with another person who is mostly obscured by Sinh. — Pouring the samples into a tray helped us pick out certain plankton to observe. The light and the tweezer definitely helped!

Can you guess what we were looking at?

in the wet lab, Dave holds up a sample jar for two other science team members to look at. we see two additional people in the background, facing away from the camera. — Sometimes, when a scientist is really good at one task, he or she would stick to it throughout the entire shift.

You’ve learned about NOAA Corps Officers who work in the bridge and support our science missions. We’ve also been working closely with the deck crew to make our surveying possible.

close up view of a bulletin board. a nautical chart forms the background. five images have been posted to this section, labeled "Deck Dept." Their captions read: Chief Boatswain James "Boats" Walker, AB Brandon Wang, Freeman, AB Rodney English, and AB-F Todd Fatkin. — The deck crew helps the ship work safely. They make sure everything on deck working right.
Photo credit: NOAA Ship Pisces

view of the bongo nets lying folded flat on the aft deck of NOAA Ship Pisces; beyond, we can see the CTD rosette. the sky and water are bright blue. — Nets on deck

at night, three crewmembers wearing life vests lean over the railing. one holds a purple line (rope) attached to buoys and feeds it over the rail. — Nets on deck

view over multiple decks of the Pisces while it is in port; possibly over a small boat covered and in storage — They do things like drive small boats to and from the ship.

a pile of ropes on the gangway leading up to NOAA Ship Pisce — They do things like drive small boats to and from the ship.

A video of deck crew members making sure ropes were tied to the dock.

Personal Log

Right now, I’m writing to you from the flying deck, or the very top part of the ship.

The flying deck is a wide, open area where scientists can get a great view of the ocean, sky, and marine life.

This is part of an anemometer that measures wind speed and direction.

Allison gets very excited when she sees fish or seabirds! If we’re not with her on the flying bridge, she sends photos and videos:

A brown booby bird flying around NOAA Ship Pisces. Video credit: Allison Black

a dolphin leaping entirely above the water — Photo Credit: Allison Black, NOAA

a seabird grasps a piece of something (a fish?) in its bill as it swims along the ocean surface — Photo Credit: Allison Black, NOAA

a group of people on deck surrounded by life jackets and bagged survival suits; the drill has not begun yet — We spent more time practicing safety drills. It’s important that all crew members know about safety equipment.

We went over how to evacuate our staterooms in case there’s a fire and lots of smoke. This included hands-on practice. We were blindfolded to make it feel real!
Was scientist Allison able to evacuate safely?

view of the buffet bar in the mess hall; a line of people work on fixing their plates — Good healthy food is super important on a ship! We eat three meals a day in the mess (kitchen). There are continental foods, fruits, and drinks we can enjoy all day and night. Do you recognize some of the food here? What is something you’d like to eat aboard?

Right now, because of my shift, I sleep in so I miss breakfast. I make it up by having a big lunch instead. Throughout the afternoon and night, I snack on lots of vegetables and fruits.

The stewards in our mission cook and prepare all the delicious food for everyone. They make sure the scientists and crew stay strong and healthy by serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They work in the kitchen (remember: called the galley or mess).

Our Chief Steward Jean and Steward Mo.
Enjoying an ice cream social.
Crew members hang out in the galley, or kitchen.
Jean and Mo preparing our dinner, listening to awesome music.
Crew members lining up for lunch.
A riddle on screen while we wait in line. Can you solve it?
My colorful meal!
Can’t forget the hot sauce.

Did you know?

There are 15 different types, or species, of tuna that live in all the oceans of the world! Some are tiny… and some are giants (as you know)!

Here are just a few types of tuna!

Bluefin Tuna

The biggest! They can weigh over 1,000 pounds. Found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Yellowfin Tuna

Named for its bright yellow fins. Super fast swimmers. Popular in sushi!

Skipjack Tuna

Small but speedy. Most common in canned tun. Has stripes on its belly

Albacore Tuna

Known as “white tuna.” Has long fins. Also used in canned tuna

Bigeye Tuna

Got its name from its large eyes. Loves deep, cooler waters. Fished for sushi and sashimi

Now, if you’d like, try this activity: Compare and contrast two different types of tuna fish!

empty venn diagram circles, titled Venn Diagram Sorting — *Pick two types of tuna. Name them on each circle. Write or draw the differences (outside) or similarities (overlap, inside). Resource credit: Sinh Nguyen*

July 18, 2025July 23, 2025

Sinh Nguyen: What’s the Water Telling Us? July 15, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sinh Nguyen

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

July 7, 2025 – July 24, 2025

Mission: Larval Bluefin Tuna Slope Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Ocean, Slope Sea

Date: July 15, 2025

Weather Data:

6:29 PM Eastern Time

screenshot of an app on a phone showing a map of the coastline around the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, with white lines indicating direction and speed of wind. temperatures are listed for the following cities on the map: Virginia Beach (82 degrees), Norfolk (82), Newport News (80), Poquoson (80), Cape Charles (80) — The current temperature is 27°C (80°F).
The wind speed is 6 knots. Source: Windy app.

Science Log

Uplift Education, Mighty Primary students: Ahoy from the sea! We’ve set sail this morning to Newport, Rhode Island. There’s a port there that our ship will dock at. NOAA Ship Pisces has been sailing smoothly, or without any issues.

distant view of a lighthouse surrounded by water, seen from the deck of NOAA Ship Pisces. the sky is mostly cloudy and the water is calm. — We spotted a lighthouse! Did you know that lighthouses were made to help ships travel safely? They shine bright light at night to warn sailors about dangerous rocks, reefs, or shorelines. They’re almost like traffic signals for boats.

Sinh, wearing a long-sleeve shirt and shorts, poses for a photo on the aft deck of NOAA Ship Pisces. We see upper decks and empty trawl net spools behind him. He clutches a laptop under one arm. — It’s colder inside the Lab Room to make sure the computers don’t overheat. I’m typing this post on one of the deck tables. It feels amazing with the ocean view and breeze.

Today, I’m introducing you to a special instrument, or tool, that helps us learn about sea water. It’s called a CTD instrument.

CTD stands for Conductivity-Temperature-Depth. Video credit: NOAA

The CTD is very important for science missions at sea. Do you remember the goal, or purpose, of our mission? Here’s a hint….

magnified image of a larval bluefin tuna. it is mostly white, with a large eye and just some patches of yellow and blue coloring. — Photo Credit: Chrissy Hernandez (one of our scientists), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Yes, that’s right. We’re surveying, which means collecting and studying, baby bluefin tuna (larvae). The CTD will help us learn about the sea water where we find the larvae. Like how warm the water is and what it’s made of.

Conductivity tells us what’s in the water, like salt. Salt helps electricity move through water. If the water has more salt, that means it has higher conductivity.

Temperature tells us how warm or cold the water is. Some sea animals like warm water and some like cold water.

a bluefin tuna swimming underwater — Bluefin tuna larvae like warmer water, so that means grown-up bluefin tuna swim a long way to find warm water to lay eggs. The area where they lay eggs in are called spawning areas. Photo credit: NOAA

annotated illustration of the life stages of a bluefin tuna chasing their preferred foods. 1) Egg and Larva: 48 to 72 hours, droplet of oil. 2) Larva: 14 days, copepods and cladocerans (marine plankton). 3) Larva: 20 to 25 days, piscivore: larvae of tuna and other species. 4) Juvenile: from 25 days on, fish and cephalopods. 5) Adult: 4 to 6 years, fish and cephalopods — The life cycle of bluefin tuna. Photo credit: Planet Tuna

Depth tells us how deep the water is. The deeper you go, the darker and colder it gets, so we have find the depth where temperature and conductivity are just right for bluefin tuna larvae.

school of bluefin tuna underwater, as seen from underneath — This information helps scientists learn the physical properties of water where bluefin tuna larvae are found. This is important because larvae need just the right kind of living conditions to grow and survive. Photo credit: Discover Wildlife

By using the CTD, scientists can figure out where the best places are for them to live. This helps protect their habitat and make sure their population can last a long time. It also helps us find them next time, knowing where to come back to find them.

view of a scientific apparatus containing a probe and a ring of water sampling bottles as it is lowered by a winch over the side of a research vessel — During this mission, we’ll be using the CTD to sample, or study, the water. This requires a big crane like what you see at a construction site! Photo credit: NOAA

The CTD is connected to computers in our Dry Lab. This means we can see water information live, or real-time.
The CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) apparatus.

Sinh, wearing his Teacher at Sea baseball cap backward, sits at a computer desk containing five monitors and several keyboards. He faces a computer screen. — **Learning how to read data, or information, from the CTD!**

Personal Log

There’s been plenty of time to review, practice, and set up equipment for our mission. Here are some updates.

Do you remember the drifters from our last post? Well, they’re finished! Look at the photos below. These traps will be attached to the drifters. The drifters will be thrown into the ocean. The light will attract bluefin tuna larvae and then trap them in the net. Each drifter also has a GPS so we know where they are always. Here, scientist Kristen was making sure the nets stay in place.

Kristen adjusts a trap
Larval fish trap
Two larval fish traps
Discussing the trap design

Two women sit on opposite sides of a wooden table on an outer deck of NOAA Ship Pisces. There is a canvas shade cover overhead. The table contains a laptop, a book, some sweaters, and some rope. The sky is blue with some clouds, and the water seems very still. Black barrels line the edge of the deck. — Scientists Chrissy and Sarah were helping me review this blog post. I wanted to make sure I can explain everything to you correctly. All scientists have been helpful. They’ve been explaining a lot of scientific words and information that I don’t know.

view of the isolated conductivity, temperature, and depth probe resting on deck (with two hands reaching in from the right side of the photo) near the bundled up netting from the bongo nets. — Scientist Betsy was working on a part of the CTD (right). Bongo nets (left) are also in this picture. They are shaped like a pair of bongo drums and used to catch very small sea creatures.

close up view of a cloth-bound book titled Development of Fishes of the Mid-Atlantic Bight: An Atlas of Egg, Larval, and Juvenile Stages, Volume V, Chaetodontidae through Ophidiidae. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. — Scientists were walking me through books that scientists have created to identify sea animals.

close up view of a page in a book showing rows of illustrations of larval bluefin tuna at successive stages — Here’s scientific information about Atlantic bluefin tuna larvae. They’re called Thunnus thynnus.

Scientists Amanda and Allison were observing birds.

view of a lounge room from one of the reclining chairs. a woman sits with a laptop in a different reclining chair. there is a TV mounted on the wall above a sound system. — In the lounge room with Autumn, one of the scientists who will be on 3PM – 3 AM duty with me once we begin our survey. Here, crew members can watch TV, read books, or work on their laptops during free time.

Tomorrow, there’s a full day of practicing emergency drills. I’m about to sleep early to rest and to feel better from sea sickness. The ship’s been rocking back and forth so it’s time to turn off my laptop for the day!

Did you know?

Dave stands next to a drifter comprising a tall metal pole and four small canvas sails. He ties a line onto the central pole. Small round floats are visible on the deck nearby. — Chief Scientist Dave was tying each drifter to a float.

a close up view of hands tying a purple rope to a small round orange float, about the size of a cantaloupe — To make sure each drifter is tied securely to a float, we tied a special knot called the bowline knot.

a woman bends down to tie a purple rope to a small round orange float; we can see the spool for the rope resting on the deck nearby — People have been using this knot for a very long time. It was confusing for me, so Dave and Kristen gave me plenty of chances to practice!

two orange buoys tied to purple ropes with bowline knots — Can you find some rope and try to tie a bowline knot?

Here’s a helpful video! Video credit: Youtuber NightHawkInLight

Here’s a fun way to memorize it!

“The rabbit comes out of the hole,
Goes around the tree,
And back down the hole.”

May 15, 2015August 21, 2021

June Teisan, Tuna: From Plankton to Plate (and a side of STEM careers), May 15, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
June Teisan
Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II
May 1 – 15, 2015

Mission: SEAMAP Plankton Study
Geographical area of cruise: Gulf of Mexico
Date: Friday, May 15, 2015

Science and Technology Log:

Bluefin tuna are incredible creatures. Remarkably fast predators, they can swim at speeds up to 40 miles per hour and dive deeper than 3000 feet. They hunt smaller fish and invertebrates, and grow to between 6 to 8 feet long and weigh in at 500 pounds on average. Bluefin tuna are prized for their meat in the US and in other countries. Because bluefin tuna are relatively slow-growing, they are more vulnerable to overfishing than species that are faster growing or more productive. Atlantic bluefin tuna spawn in the western Mediterranean and the Gulf of Mexico. Since the early 1980s, NOAA has worked to conserve and manage the stock of bluefin tuna by monitoring stock in the Gulf of Mexico.

The data collected on plankton cruises provides one piece of the complex puzzle of the regulation of commercial and recreational fishing. Ichthyoplankton data is added to findings from trawl teams catching juvenile sizes of certain species, analysis of gonads and spawn from adult fish caught on other cruises, and other stock assessment information. Data analysis and modeling examine these information streams, and serve as the basis of stock assessment recommendations brought to policy makers.

Below is how we collect the plankton:

Hosing down the Neuston net to collect plankton in the codend.

Plankton from codend is transferred to sieve.

Sieve is tilted and plankton is transferred to sample jars.

Sample jar is topped off with preservative solution.

Jars are labeled and boxed for analysis in the lab.

Spring ichthyoplankton surveys have been conducted for over 30 years, and my Teacher at Sea time has been an amazing glimpse behind the scenes of NOAA’s critical work maintaining the health of our fisheries.

SEAMAP Full Cruise (3) — SEAMAP Cruise Track May 1 – 15, 2015

Personal Log:

I expanded my career queries beyond the NOAA science team to interview a few of the ship’s crew members aboard the Oregon II and heard some terrific stories about pathways to STEM careers.

ENS Laura Dwyer – Navigation Officer, Oregon II

Path to a STEM Career: Laura’s career path began with a bachelor’s degree in International Business. After college she spent time as caretaker for her aging grandmother, then moved to Bali and certified as a scuba instructor. When she returned to the states, Laura investigated the NOAA Corps, and took more university courses for the science credits she needed to apply. In doing so she earned her Master’s in Marine Biology. Laura began her Basic Officer Training in NOAA Corps in January 2013, graduated, and now serves her country as Ensign on the Oregon II.

Best Part of Her Job: Laura knows she has a ‘cool’ job: she gets to pilot a 170 foot vessel.

Favorite Teacher: Mrs. Coppock. Laura’s 3^rd grade teacher…She was in her late 60s or early 70s but every year Mrs. Coppock would start the school year by doing a head stand in front of the class. The inspirational lesson behind this gymnastic move was two-fold: Women can do anything they set their mind to, and age is just a number.

Path to a STEM Career: Larry earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. He worked as a fisheries observer out of NOAA’s Galveston, Texas lab, and volunteered as a guest biologist on NOAA vessels Gordon Gunter and Oregon II. Larry was raised in a military family with both parents serving in the Army, but had not known about the NOAA Corps until he met Corps officers during his time on NOAA vessels. Larry graduated with BOTC 116 in June 2010 and serves as Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LTJG)on the Oregon II.

Best Part of His Job: Larry appreciates that his work allows him to do and see things most people don’t experience, like being up close with 8-10 foot tiger sharks brought in on long line survey cruises or a rare encounter with sea turtles that have been tagged and released.

Favorite Teachers: Frank Ramano and George Cline, both college professors who were passionate about their work and helpful with any questions, offering guidance when Larry needed it.

Olay Akinsanya – Junior Engineer, Oregon II

Path to a STEM Career: Olay chose a career in the military because it was a great combination of hands on work and potential for training and further education. He served 8 years in the Navy, earning a GSM certification (Gas turbine Systems Mechanic). After his military service, he took exams with the Coast Guard to certify to be able to stand engine watch, which means qualified to be responsible for entire engine room. Olay then found out about NOAA through a friend and now works as a junior engineer on the Oregon II. He enjoys the work and finds it a good fit for his schedule; the shorter trips allow him to visit on shore with his daughter regularly.

Best Part of His Job: The opportunity to continue to build his skills and experience, to advance his career. And the food is good!

Favorite Teacher: Adrian Batchelor, a teacher at Mid-Atlantic Maritime School. “Mr. Batchelor is retired military, holds a GSM, and spent a lot of time with me, explained the job, encouraged me to reach out at any time. He’s been a great mentor.”

Classroom Fish ID Activity:

Correctly identify the “by catch” fish we brought up in our plankton nets. (Hint: we netted Flying Fish, Mahi Mahi, Half Beak, Little Tunny, File Fish, Sargassum Trigger Fish, Chub, Burr Fish, and Sargassum Fish). Enter your answers as a comment to this post!

Shout out to the students in Ms. Meredith Chicklas’ classes at in Troy, Michigan, and in Ms. Kelly Herberholz’s classes at Dakota High School in Macomb, Michigan!

A BIG thank you to the NOAA Fisheries Staff in Pascagoula, Mississippi, to the officers and crew of the Oregon II, and the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program Staff for this incredible adventure.

May 12, 2014August 20, 2021

Dave Murk: Three 2’s From the Okeanos Explorer, May 10, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Dave Murk
Aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer
May 7 – 22, 2014

Mission: EX 14-03 – Exploration, East Coast Mapping
Geographical Area of Cruise: Off the Coast of Florida and Georgia – Western portion of the Blake Plateau (Stetson Mesa)
Date: May 10, 2014

Weather data from Bridge:
Temperature 25 degrees celsius (can you convert to Fahrenheit?)
WInd – From 160 degrees at 14 knots (remember north is 0 degrees)
Latitude : 28 degrees – Longitude: 79 degrees.

Science and Technolgy Log:

Two of the goals for this expedition. (There are a lot more)

Expedition coordinator Derek Sowers said his best case scenario for this mission is to meet all the cruise objectives. The main one- an aggressive 24/7 campaign to map as much seafloor as possible within top priority mapping areas offshore of the Southeast United States and along the canyons at the edge of the Atlantic continental shelf.

L – R – Chief Scientist Derek Sowers, Vanessa Self-Miller, Kalina Grabb

In addition to that mapping goal, he wants the visiting fisheries scientist on board to get good water samples for the Ocean Acidification Program and good samples from the plankton tows. Last but not least, he “wants the mission team to have a great learning experience.”

The ship has three different sonars, each of which is good for different things. One sonar sends out a single beam of sound that lets you see fish and other creatures in the water column. Another sonar sends powerful sounds that bounce back off the bottom and gives you information about the geology (rocks and sediment) of the seafloor. Perhaps the most impressive sonar onboard is the multi-beam sonar. You know how your garden hose has a setting for jet spray when you want to aim it at your brother who is 10 feet away? The water comes out in a straight narrow line. But there’s also another setting called ‘shower” or wide spray. The multibeam sonar is like combining the best of both of these sprays into one and sends out a fan of sound that allows the scientists to map a broad section of the seafloor. By measuring how long it takes this sound to reach a patch of seafloor and return to the ship, it is possible to estimate the distance and that is how the shape of the seafloor can be mapped. Using this technology enables NOAA to map the seascape in order to better protect marine habitat and reduce harm from human activities. Mapping the marine protected areas off the east coast of Florida and Georgia is important because there are deep sea corals in this area and it is important fisheries habitat.

This cruise features a visiting scientist from NOAA Fisheries, named Chris Taylor. Chris’s part of the expedition includes collecting water samples and towing a net that can collect very small creatures called plankton. Chris is specifically examining the plankton he catches to see if bluefin tuna use this part of the ocean to lay eggs and raise young tuna. Samples from the net will go back to a lab to be analyzed to make sure they are bluefin and not yellowfin tuna.

Chris spent most of this windy but warm night tying a rope to the net that he’ll use for HOPEFULLY – catching some baby Bluefin Tunas. Like insects, Bluefin tuna go through an egg stage THEN a larva stage. When they are very small they drift with the currents with the rest of the ocean community. Once a larva is over 7 millimeters, they can avoid the net. But If we find some Bluefin tuna – it may mean that we have found a new spawning ground for Bluefin tuna in the southern North Atlantic.

Personal Log:

Lt. Emily Rose instructs AB Tepper-Rasmussen in radar navigation techniques.

Two people who make this ship run so well:The operations officer – Lieutenant Emily Rose. Officer Rose can usually be found on the bridge of the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer. Today she was teaching a course on small craft navigation before I caught up with her. The thing she really loves about this position is that there are new set of challenges each day. She is always learning (and I’ll add that she is almost always sharing that knowledge with others) but the ship is her first responsibility. The most difficult thing is getting up every morning before 3:00 a.m. and being away from everyone back home.

Electronics Technicians Conway and Okeson

Chief Electronics Technician Richard Conway and Electronics Technician Will Okeson are the Tech guys and they are always busy. Since Okeanos Explorer is America’s premier ocean exploration ship, there are a lot of computers, miles of cable and lots of video equipment to maintain. Richard and Will’s favorite part of the job is when all the parts work together and the public can see their product and when they can trouble shoot and help the science team reach their objectives. The most difficult thing it so be away from families when there is a crisis or joyous moment.

Two things about my personal experiences so far on EX-14-03 (our mission)

Using photometer to monitor aerosol properties. (photo taken by Mapping Intern Kalina Grabb

First – – “SCIENCE RULES” to quote Bill Nye. Every Okeanos Explorer crew member and scientific crew member are all about the science of the mission. When one of the science crew is going to launch something called an XBT over the side, they call and get an OK from the bridge (where the captain or second in command and the crew that are on “watch” are located). No one hesitates to ask questions of each other. Why is this? What is that? Where is the nearest ship? What’s for lunch? (just kidding ! Chief Steward Randy posts a menu every day and it beats out Golden Corral any day of the week for tastiness and diversity). But the important thing of the mission is the science and every single person on the ship works to make the mission a success.

Second – RESPECT – There is so much respect shown on the Okeanos Explorer. It’s respect for other people, for the ship, for the environment, for rules and for commons spaces. Yesterday while on the bridge, Ensign Nick Pawlenko was taking over from Commander Ramos and they both showed such respect for rules and for each other by going over all the observations of the ship’s speed, the weather conditions and whether there were any other ships in the area. When breakfast was over – I saw Operations Officer Rose stick her head in the galley (kitchen) and thank Chief Cook Ray and Chief Steward Randy for a great meal. No one slams doors since it might wake the crew and scientists who are on night duty. Everyone cleans up after themselves. If you ever have a question and if the crew or scientists can answer it, they will. There is respect for the environment when we separate our garbage each meal. If only the whole world was like the Okeanos.

MYSTERY PICTURE – Here are two photos – what’s different about them? And WHY?? That’s the million dollar question (or an even better prize –bluefin tuna larva in our trawl nets )

IN the mess (dining area)

May 19, 2013August 11, 2021

Emilisa Saunders: Finding the rhythm aboard the Oregon II, May18, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Emilisa Saunders

Aboard NOAA ship Oregon II

May 14, 2013 – May 30 2013

Mission: SEAMAP Spring Plankton Survey

Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: May 18, 2013

Weather Data: Wind Speed: 13.94 knots; Surface water temperature: 25.4; Air temperature: 26.4; Relative humidity: 87%; Barometric pressure: 1,015.33 mb

Science and Technology Log:

For the scientists on board the Oregon II, each shift follows roughly the same routine. When we start our shift, we check in at the dry lab to see how much time we have until the next sampling station. These stations are points on the map of the Gulf of Mexico; they were chosen to provide the best coverage of the Gulf waters. Our ETA, or estimated time of arrival, is determined by how fast the ship is moving, which is influenced by wind and currents, which you can see in the map below. A monitor mounted in the dry lab shows us a feed of the route mapping system that is used by the crew on the Bridge to drive the ship. This system allows us to see where we are, where we are headed, and what our ETA is for the next station. We also get warnings from the Bridge at one hour, at thirty minutes, and at ten minutes before arrival.

Gulf Currents — The currents in the Gulf of Mexico, plus our planned route. Image courtesy of NOAA.

At the 10-minute mark, we put on our protective gear – more on that later in this post – and bring the cod ends up to the bow of the boat, where we attach them to the ends of the appropriate nets. Then, we drop the Bongo nets, the regular Neuston net, the Sub-surface Neuston net, and the CTD into the water, in that order. These all go down one at a time, and each one is pulled out and the samples collected before the next net goes in.

Towing the Neuston net on the night shift

The idea of dropping a net into the water probably sounds pretty simple, but it is actually a multiple-step process that requires excellent teamwork and communication amongst several of the ship’s teams. The scientists ready the nets by attaching cod ends and making note of the data that tracks the flow of water through the net. Because the nets are large and heavy, and because of the strong pressure of the water flowing through the nets, they are lifted into the water using winches that are operated by the ship’s crew. The crew members operate the machinery, and guide the nets over the side of the ship. While this is happening, the crew members communicate by radio with the Bridge, providing them with information about the angle of the cable that is attached to the net, so that the Bridge can maintain the a speed that will keep the net at the correct angle. At the same time, a scientist in the dry lab monitors how deep the net is and communicates with the deck crew about when to raise and lower the nets. This communication takes place mostly over walkie-talkies, which means that clear and precise instructions and feedback are very important.

Operating the winches — Crewmember Reggie operating the winch, while crewmember Chris measures the angle of the cable

When each net is pulled back out of the water after roughly 5-10 minutes, we use a hose to spray any little creatures who might be clinging to the net, down into the cod end. At stations where we run the MOCNESS, we head to the stern of the ship, where the huge MOCNESS unit rests on a frame. Lowering the MOCNESS takes a strong team effort, since it is so large. After we retrieve each net, we detach the cod ends and bring them to the stern, where a station is set up for us to preserve the specimens. I’ll go into more detail about the process of preserving plankton samples in a later post.

Hosing down the nets — Alonzo, hosing down the Bongo nets before bringing them aboard.

We’ve had a couple of nights of collecting now, and so far it has been completely fascinating. I’m in awe of the variety of organisms that we’ve come across. The scientists on my shift, Glenn and Alonzo, are super knowledgeable and have been very helpful in explaining to me what we are finding in the nets. Although this is a Bluefin Tuna study, we collect and preserve any plankton that ends up in the nets, which can include copepods, myctophids, jellies, filefish larvae and eel larvae, to name a few. When we get the samples back to shore, they will be sent to a lab in Poland, where the species will be sorted and counted; then, the tuna larvae will be sent back to labs in Mississippi or Florida for further study and sometimes genetic testing.

My favorite creature find so far has been the pyrosome. While a pyrosome looks like a single, strange creature, it is actually a colony of tiny creatures called zooids that live together in a tube-shaped structure called a tunic. The tunic feels similar to cartilage, like the upper part of your ear. Pyrosomes are filter feeders, which means they draw in water from one opening, eat the phytoplankton that passes through, and push out the clean water from the other end. So far on the night shift, we’ve found two pyrosomes about four inches in length and one that was about a foot long; the day crew found one that filled two five-gallon buckets!

Alonzo and the pyrosome — Alonzo holding the pyrosome

Challenge Yourself:

Hello, Nature Exchange Traders! Pick one of the of the zooplankton listed in bold above, and research some facts about it: Where does it live? What does it eat? What eats it? Write down what you find out and bring it in to the Nature Exchange for bonus points. Be sure to tell them Emmi sent you!

Gumby Suit — In the Gumby suit, practicing the Abandon Ship drill. Photo by Glenn Zapfe

Personal Log:

Safety is the top priority on board the Oregon II. We wouldn’t be able to accomplish any of our scientific goals if people got hurt and equipment got damaged. We started our first day at sea with three safety drills: the Man Overboard drill, the Abandon Ship drill and the Escape Hatch drill. For Man Overboard, everyone on board gathered, or mustered, at specific locations; for the Science team, our location was at the stern, or back of the ship. Aft is another word for the back. From there, we all scanned the water for the imaginary person while members of the crew lowered a rescue boat into the water and circled the Oregon II to practice the rescue.

For the Abandon Ship drill, we all grabbed our floatation devices and survival suits from our staterooms and mustered toward the bow, or front of the ship. I got to practice putting on the survival suit, which is affectionately called a Gumby suit. In the unlikely event that we would ever have to abandon ship, the suit would help us float and stay relatively warm and dry; it also includes a whistle and a strobe light so that aircraft overhead can see us in the water.

For the Escape Hatch drill, we all gathered below deck where our staterooms are, and climbed a ladder, where crew members helped pull us up onto the weather deck (the area of the ship exposed to weather) on the bow of the ship. This is meant to show us how to escape dangers such as fire or flood below deck.

Safety gear on; ready for station! Photo by Glenn Zapfe

But safety isn’t just practiced during drills; it’s pretty much a way of life on the ship. Whenever winches or other machinery are in operation, we all have to wear hard hats and life jackets; that means that we wear them every time we reach a station and drop the nets. We are also all required to wear closed-toed and closed-heeled shoes at all times, unless we’re sleeping or showering. Another small safety trick that is helpful is the idea of, “keep one hand for yourself and one hand for the ship.” That means we carry gear in one hand and leave one free to hold onto the swaying ship. This has been really useful for me as I get used to the ship’s movements.

Until next time, everyone – don’t forget to track the Oregon II here: NOAA Ship Tracker