boatswain – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

June 11, 2026June 14, 2026

Amber LaMonte: Don’t Doubt The Drifters: Plankton Are In Charge, June 6, 2026

Calm turquoise ocean water under a clear blue sky. — *Caribbean blue water in Southern New England waters*

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amber LaMonte

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

May 31 – June 10, 2026

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Southern New England

Date: June 5, 2026

Data from the Bridge

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): 8:26 PM

Latitude: 39° 02.684’ N

Longitude: 072° 43.098’ W

Doppler Wind Speed: 1.97 knots (kt)

True Wind Speed: 2.31 knots (kt)

Wave Height: 1’

Air Temperature: 15°C/59°F

Wet Bulb Temperature: 12.4°C/54.3°F

Bottom Depth: 204 m

Sky: Clear

Alright, it’s time for global drifter buoy #2, a.k.a. THE BUOYS, I am ready for you, class of 2027! This one is for the juniors rising up like the sun on the horizon at first light. We have made our way further north and back into Southern New England waters. This drifter was deployed at 39° 02.684’ N, 072° 43.098’ W

Amber and Nick stand facing each other at the railing at twilight. they each hold one side of the folded drogue of the drifting buoy, with the round buoy portion resting on top.

close-up of the side of a white buoy; black hand-drawn letters read "YHS c/o 2027" — **Shout Out Class of 2027**

close-up view of the buoy portion of a drifting buoy; it looks like white and blue fiberglass ball. on the top white portion we see stickers that read "York Falcons" and hand drawn words in all caps: THE BUOYS

The Buoys Going Overboard, Mrs. LaMonte with Nick Vang (Survey Tech)

Science and Technology Log

Research

top half of a humpback whale extends vertically up from a blue ocean surface

a mostly white seabird flying over a choppy ocean surface

a brown bird flying against a blue sky, with just wisps of clouds

view of a dolphin returning to the water after a leap; the water is choppy from the ship's wake

a simplified Google earth map of the water south of Long Island. in the ocean is a blue circle containing a little symbol of a shark, and an orange dot at the top right rim.

1- Humpback whale lunge feeding 2- Great Shearwater (Photo courtesy of Chief Scientist Audy Peoples) 3- South Polar Skua (Photo courtesy of Chief Scientist Audy Peoples) 4 – Common dolphin playing in the ship’s wake 5 – A tagged Great White shark I’ve been following near our ship https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/

Animal monitoring is an exciting part of life aboard our research vessel. It doesn’t take much to spark enthusiasm; an alert comes over the radio (not the loudspeaker because we don’t want to wake the sleeping crew!) about animals sighted near the boat, and the crew pops up to the deck (no, it’s not just Mrs. LaMonte), eager for a glimpse of these charismatic marine visitors. Nick Metheny is the dedicated observer for the Pisces on this cruise survey. He is observing and documenting from sunrise to sunset; that’s some dedication! Meanwhile, NOAA Corps officers on the bridge keep a steady, watchful eye to ensure we safely share these waters with much larger neighbors, including whales.

Person surveying the ocean using a large pair of binoculars mounted on a pedestal, wearing a bright yellow jacket and a hat under a canopy. — *Nick Metheny is the protected species observer on this cruise*

humpback whale was feeding right next to our ship during a station stop!

Beyond these spontaneous moments of excitement, Seabird and Marine Mammal Observers play a critical, structured role within our science team. From their perch on the Flying Bridge, they scan the horizon, tracking everything. Each sighting, species, group size, behavior and any photograph is carefully recorded and cataloged.

These data feed into long-term monitoring efforts, including AMAPPS (the Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species). Through this work, NOAA scientists are building a clearer picture of how whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and seabirds move through and rely on these waters. It’s rewarding to know that those thrilling, real-time sightings of these incredible animals are also contributing to critical research, helping us better understand and protect the vibrant marine life that makes every watch on deck feel a little bit magical.

Satellite image depicting the northeastern United States and parts of the Atlantic Ocean, showcasing landforms, vegetation, and varying shades of blue in the water, with clouds present. — NASA PACE – Identifying Blooms Off The North Atlantic https://pace.oceansciences.org/data_images_more.htm?id=561

A person standing in a workspace with metal cabinets and various equipment, including a computer and hoses, with a blue shirt draped over a cart. — Artem Dzhulai a Ph.D. candidate in biological oceanography at URI

You are likely familiar with the satellites of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), although high-tech, the satellites must be carefully validated. During the NOAA EcoMon cruise, we’re helping to ground-truth NASA’s PACE satellite, which monitors phytoplankton. Artem Dzhulai and Rowan Cirivello are Ph.D. candidates in biological oceanography who study how light interacts with the ocean. When the NASA satellite passes over our ship at noon, they deploy a radiometer to measure how light decreases through the water column.

A person wearing glasses and a dark hoodie is operating laboratory equipment, with computer screens displaying data in the background. Various tubes and containers are visible in the workspace. — Rowan Cirivello a Ph.D. candidate in biological oceanography at URI

They also collect water samples, either from CTD Rosette casts or the ship’s continuous water line system (more about that in the next blog). In the lab, the samples are filtered to separate particulate matter (such as plankton) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). This is done repeatedly for validation or “triplicates for particulates,” as Rowan puts it. These are analyzed with a spectrophotometer to determine how light and color vary in the water, with some samples sent directly to NASA.

A row of clear graduated cylinders secured in place, each covered with a transparent plastic bag and foil on top, arranged on a laboratory countertop. — Filter columns for particulates

Advances in technology now allow us to deploy sophisticated instruments that can continuously track individual organisms in the ocean. Two Imaging FlowCytoBots (IFCB) are being used to confirm accuracy. Inside the cylinder tanks, images of individual plankton are taken with thresholds set based on backscattering & fluorescence; for example, lower the threshold for pelagic water with fewer organisms and increase it for neritic (coastal) water with a higher abundance of organisms.

view of a laptop displaying an image of plankton as seen through a microscope.

Microscopic image displaying various microorganisms, including a copepod and numerous cellular structures, arranged in a grid format. — **Images being captured in real time**

Two black oceanographic instruments with labels, one featuring a 'Danger: Laser Radiation' warning, sitting on a workstation with various lab equipment in the background. — ***Pair of flow cytobots***

Look at how cool it is to see the phytoplankton in real-time!

With these tools, we are not just observing ecosystems, we are witnessing them unfold in real time, opening the door to deeper insight, discovery and innovation in marine science. Ultimately, this work improves our understanding of ocean health and could help fisheries identify productive ecosystems by tracking phytoplankton, the foundation of the marine food web.

Scientific Concepts

Below are some terms you may have learned in a science class before, but are key to understanding why the measurements are being collected as data for the EcoMon survey samples. These parameters, along with nutrients and oxygen, determine the types and abundance of plankton.

Close-up view of small aquatic organisms and debris scattered on a light surface. — *Calanus – genus of copepod, from 20 m bongo* – Right whales love these! The darker green sections are oil sacs that provide the lipids.

Plankton – Don’t doubt the drifters, plankton run the world. Despite their name, rooted in the Greek planktos, meaning “wanderer” because they cannot swim against the current, these tiny powerhouses are anything but passive. They are dynamic, influential forces that quietly orchestrate life on a global scale. From fueling marine food webs to regulating the carbon cycle and even shaping weather patterns, plankton prove that impact isn’t about size, it’s about significance.

Close-up of small, transparent shrimp-like organisms swimming in a glass of water. — *Euphausia – genus of krill, from 60 m bongo, I waited a week to find some large ones! These are 6 cm*

Temperature, salinity and density vary with depth – below is a general graph of how scientists might expect parameters to change with depth. In addition to this general trend, scientists will layer in information about a specific location to account for variables such as bathymetry (underwater topography) and latitude. By understanding these general trends, they can determine when changes occur and how they may impact plankton.

Graph displaying thermocline, halocline, and pycnocline profiles with increasing depth, temperature, salinity, and density in ocean water. — https://hurricanescience.org/science/basic/water/index.html

A group of four students in a classroom, all wearing safety goggles and smiling excitedly. One student is holding a beaker with bubbling liquid, while others react with surprise and joy. The classroom is bright and equipped for science experiments. — Students completing a salinity lab, the “old-fashioned” evaporation way to obtain the mass of the salt (photo courtesy of York High School)

Conductivity (salinity) – Pure water conducts electricity very poorly. However, when salts such as sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolve, they dissociate into free-moving, charged ions that readily conduct an electric current. As a result, increasing salinity corresponds to higher electrical conductivity. A CTD instrument captures this relationship using a conductivity sensor, which measures how effectively the water transmits an electrical current, a direct reflection of its dissolved salt and ion content.

Fluorescence – Oceanographers rely on chlorophyll (a) fluorescence as a primary biological proxy to estimate phytoplankton concentration and biomass. Phytoplankton cells absorb blue light and re-emit the absorbed energy as red fluorescence (at around 685 nm), which can be efficiently measured and graphed.

Methodology

The Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) is an instrument with several physical and chemical sensors: pH, temperature, salinity, oxygen, depth, and fluorescence that collects data at every station from which we collected fisheries data. On the ship, there are two CTDs: one is attached between the bongos and one is attached at the bottom of the Rosette (a circular instrument with bottles for collecting water samples). Depending on the station’s criteria, both are sometimes deployed.

A scientific water sampling device on a research vessel deck at sunset, with calm ocean waters in the background. — Rosette with CTD beneath

A scientific oceanographic device with two clear sample containers suspended from a rigging, against a backdrop of a colorful sunset over the water. — Rosette with CTD beneath

For this instrument, the ship must be diligent in following protocol; one important job for the Able Body Deck Crew is getting the instrument into the water and maintaining the guidelines for the cable lines’ angle and depth. The NOAA Corps officers radio from the bridge, “10 minutes until bongo” (I have heard this 100’s of times) and the crew begins operations.

Two workers on a boat deck wearing hard hats and life vests, holding equipment with nets overboard against a backdrop of the ocean. — AB Fisherman Abe Sims & Junior Cornell (Chief Boatswain)

Deployment

Lift CTD into water.
Hold at Surface, to allow the CTD to stabilize, the crew receives instructions from the watch scientist for the depths.
Send CTD down to just above the sea floor.
The lab says “fire” to open the bottles.
Lab completes data collection before bringing it to the surface.

A woman in a blue jumpsuit and orange life vest is working with monitoring equipment on a ship, focused on a cylinder setup. — Collecting water samples from the cyclinders

In addition to deployment, there are two tasks for this instrument to be completed by the science team: monitoring its deployment in the lab as some data is transmitted instantly and retrieving the water samples that will be processed for additional lab data.

Open valves for the cylinder
Rinse sample bottle 3x
Filter water into the sample bottle for chlorophyll
Collect water in glassware for nutrient testing

This data is used alongside catch data collected from the bongos, allowing scientists to make connections between water quality and fish caught. While the relationship is complex, water quality and marine life abundance are directly related. Water quality and the survivability of marine species contribute to our economic, cultural and public health. This data can help identify potential threats and inform management plans for both water quality and targeted species.

Careers

For this post, I’ll highlight the possible certifications you would need to receive to be hired for these positions.

A worker in a bright yellow jacket and helmet operates equipment on a boat, handling two cylindrical containers near the water. — *Boatswain AB-F Todd Fatkin*

Boatswain – If you want to sail our oceans, getting to travel while you work and receive room & board. A typical pathway to becoming a boatswain with NOAA begins by entering the Professional Mariner workforce and building foundational maritime experience. Candidates are required to secure a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). NOAA’s online job portal.

Three individuals on a boat deck scanning the ocean with binoculars, with a laptop and equipment visible in the foreground. — Assisting our dedicated observer

Protected Species Observer – If you love marine organisms! To serve as a steward of marine ecosystems, monitoring whales, dolphins, sea turtles and other protected species during NOAA operations. Provides real-time guidance to ship crews, to minimize environmental impact. You can travel the world, receive room & board then check out NOAA’s requirements.

Scenic view of a calm sea at sunset, with soft waves reflecting warm hues in the sky. — First Light Over Atlantic Ocean

Personal Log

A bulletin board featuring photos of eight scientists with their names, including Audy Peoples, Katey Marancik, Nick Metheny, Ava Cleplinski, Olivia Robson, Rowan Cirivello, Artem Dzhulai, and Amber LaMonte. The background includes a map labeled 'HAVANA' and nautical charts. — **The science team on the bulletin board**

A laptop displaying a document is set on a desk with various sticky notes scattered around. The background shows a window with an ocean view. — **My office view**

The NOAA Ship Pisces has been so welcoming to me as I have become fully immersed in the ship’s daily routine. There is a bulletin board with pictures of the people currently onboard, you can see I am part of the science team, most of whom I have written about or will write about. They even posted a QR to my blog and some of the crew have read along and learned the details of some of the science being conducted onboard. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE the FIRST LIGHT of the day! Just breathtaking. I feel like I am working and on vacation at the same time. For work, I bounce back and forth between washing bongo nets, writing the blog, posting student challenges on Instagram and watching for wildlife. Getting to see so many marine organisms, having delicious choices for breakfast/lunch (also good choices for dinner, but 3 am-3 pm shift, I am already in bed) ready for me and getting to do laundry while I work definitely feels like vacay mode.

A plate featuring shrimp, seasoned rice, and yellow squash along with a slice of red velvet cake and a water bottle with the label 'Science Not Silence.' — **Yummy dinner (stayed up past my bedtime)**

A person holding a plastic bag filled with clean laundry in a laundry room, with a dryer and detergent products visible in the background. — **Yummy dinner (stayed up past my bedtime)**

Did You Know?

That beautiful Caribbean blue water could be seen from the NASA satellites and it was caused by microscopic phytoplankton. Plankton, specifically phytoplankton, really are in charge! I actually pranked several students into thinking the ship was down in the islands.

Coccolithophore bloom

Satellite imagery of the northeastern United States, showing coastal waters, landmass, and cloud coverage. The display includes layers for sea surface temperature and chlorophyll levels, along with navigation tools and time settings. — *Coccolithophore bloom seen from satellite (screenshot of NASA Worldview)*

Coccolithophores span a broad range of surface environments, from nutrient-rich (eutrophic) waters in temperate and subpolar regions to persistently nutrient-poor (oligotrophic) subtropical gyres. They contribute about 1–10% of primary production and phytoplankton biomass, with their share rising to ~40% during bloom conditions.

Coccolithophores are among the most significant pelagic calcifiers, producing large quantities of calcium carbonate. The shedding drives a sustained flux of carbonate to the deep ocean, supporting vertical gradients in seawater alkalinity and playing a key role in the carbonate pump. In addition, coccoliths enhance the sinking rate of organic matter and improve the efficiency of carbon export to depth. Over long timescales, this has contributed to the formation of a carbon sink; feedbacks between seafloor carbonate accumulation and the carbon cycle help stabilize Earth’s climate.

A series of scanning electron microscope images showcasing various microscopic structures, labeled A to N, including diverse shapes and patterns of microorganisms, with some displayed in different orientations and angles. — *Diversity of coccolithophores under an electron scanning microscope https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1501822*

THANKS PHYTOPLANKTON!

July 3, 2018July 3, 2018

Brandy Hill: How to Mow the Lawn and Needle Gunnin’, July 3, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Brandy Hill

Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

June 25, 2018 – July 6, 2018

Mission: Hydrographic Survey- Approaches to Houston

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: July 3, 2018

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 29° 17.5’ N

Longitude: 094° 27.7’ W

Visibility: 10+ NM

Sky Condition: 3/8

Wind: 10 kts

Temperature:

Sea Water: 29.5° C

Air: 31.1° C

Science and Technology Log

In the beginning, it took me a little while to realize that we were passing by some of the same oil platforms and seeing the same ships on the radar screen (above). For example, today the Thomas Jefferson covered many nautical miles within the same 2.5 NM area. This is characteristic of a hydrographic survey. A sheet (area to be surveyed) is split into sections and a plan is devised for the ship to cover (using sonar) the area in a “mow the lawn” approach. In the photo below, you can see the blue lines clustered together. These are the main scheme lines and provide the majority of data. The lines going perpendicular in a loose “zig-zag” to the main scheme lines are called crosslines. While main scheme provides the majority of sonar data, crosslines provide validation. For every 100 nautical miles of main scheme, 4 NM of cross lines (4%) must be completed.

CoastalExplorer — You can see the main scheme and cross lines in this image using the Coastal Explorer program.

You can also see the main scheme and crossline(s) in the Hypack viewer below. Hypack is a software program controlled from the Plot (Survey) Room and is duplicated on a screen on the Bridge (steering deck). This allows Bridge watch standers to see track lines and the desired line azimuth (direction). In this case the line azimuth is around 314°. Additionally, the bottom portion showing -0.0 means that the ship is precisely on track (no cross-track errors). Typically, during a survey from the main ship, there is room for up to 10 meters of error in either direction and the sonar data coverage will still be complete. Once the course is set, the ship can be driven in autopilot and manually steered when making a turn. The high-tech equipment allows the rudder to correct and maintain the desired course and minimize cross-track error. Still, at least two people are always on the bridge: an officer who makes the steering orders and maintains watch and a helmsman who steers the ship. I was fortunate to be able to make two cross line turns after a ship steering lesson from AB (able seaman) Tom Bascom who has been on ships his whole life.

Communication between Survey and the Bridge Watch is critical. Every time the ship makes a turn, the side scan towfish and MVP must be taken in. The Bridge also notifies Survey if there are any hazards or reasons to pull in survey equipment.

At night, the ship is put into “night mode” and all lights are switched to red. The windows are covered with a protective tinted sheet and all computer screens switch over. The CO leaves a journal with posted Night Orders. These include important summary points from the day and things to look out for at night It also includes a reminder to complete hourly security rounds since most shipmates are asleep. A “Rules of the Road” section is included which serves as a daily quiz for officers. My favorite part of CO’s Night Orders are the riddles, but they are quite difficult and easy to over think. So far, I have guessed one out of five correctly.

Bridge Watch Night Vision — ENS Sydney Catoire explains how important it is to preserve your night vision while maintaining watch, thus the dimming and/or use of red lighting. Her favorite watch time is from 0800-1200.

With a lot of my time spent looking at computer screens in survey, I was happy to spend an afternoon outside with the Deck Crew. Their job is highly diverse. Rob Bayliss, boatswain group leader, explained that the crew is responsible for maintaining the deck and ship. This includes an ongoing battle with rust, priming, painting, and refinishing surfaces. Rob wiped his hand along the rail and showed the massive amount of salt crystals collected throughout the day. The crew has a PR event and will give public tours the day we arrive in port, so the ship is in full preparation!

Needle Gun — I was introduced to the needle gun- a high powered tool used for pounding paint and rust off surfaces to prepare them for the wire wheel and paint primer. CO thanked me for my contribution at maintaining the preservation of the TJ.

Revarnishing Deck Work — One of the Thomas Jefferson wooden plaques sanded and receiving a fresh coat of varnish.

I also spoke with Chief Boatswain, Bernard Pooser. He (along with many crew members) have extensive experience in the navy. Pooser enjoys life on the ship but says, “It’s not for everyone; you have to make it work for you.” He claims that the trick is to find a work and recreation balance while on the ship. He gave me some examples like being sure to take breaks and have fun. Pooser even pulled out a corn hole set that we may use one of these evenings.

Peaks

+ It’s been fun being on the bridge at night because all of the ships and platforms light up.

+ I was given my own stateroom which was nicely furnished by its usual occupant. She has even installed a hammock chair!

+I hadn’t realized how responsive the ship would be when steering. At 208 feet, I thought it would be a bit more delayed. The maximum turn angle is 35 degrees and we have usually been making turns around between 5-15 degrees.

+We saw two sea turtles and dolphins while taking bottom samples! (See future post.)

September 15, 2016March 26, 2021

Barney Peterson: Who Works on NOAA Ship OREGON II? Part 3

NOAA Teacher a Sea

Barney Peterson

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

August 13 – 28, 2016

Mission: Long Line Survey

Geographic Area: Gulf of Mexico

Date: Sunday, August 28, 2016

Weather Data is not available for this post because I am writing from the Biloxi/Gulfport Airport.

DECK CREW

Tim Martin, Chief Boatswain, aboard the OREGON II, left his home near the Missouri River in Missouri for a life at sea and has never looked back. Like many young people from the Central United States, he joined the Navy as a way to travel and see the rest of the world. He was stationed on Whidbey Island in Washington State and when he left the Navy he became a commercial fisherman working out of Seattle to fish the in Bering Sea from Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

Tim left the west coast and the world of commercial fishing to join NOAA and worked for several years on ships out of NOAA Woods Hole Station in Massachusetts. Eventually, through connections he made on the job, he was able to transfer to the Southeastern Fisheries group. He has worked on several ships, but has been on the OREGON II for 12 years. Tim likes his job for the variety and activity it provides, as well as opportunities to apply his mind to ways to make things work better or more smoothly. He attributes much of the good working atmosphere on the ship to the stability of many crew members who have worked together for years. As a long-time civilian mariner with NOAA he appreciates the importance of believing in what you are doing and being committed to being successful.

But, Tim Martin is not so one dimensional that you can know him as just a mariner. Talking with him I learned that he is a voracious reader with very eclectic tastes in literature. He devours everything from travel accounts to true adventure, biographies, and historical accounts of exploration and settlement of the world. He has traveled broadly and uses his reading time to continue to learn about the places he has visited. He is a licensed diver and enjoys the underwater world as much as sailing on the surface of the sea. I was fascinated to learn that he has dived to authentic pirate wrecks…quite a change from his underwater beginnings in the dark and brackish Pascagoula River. Tim is a great example of someone who recognizes that his only limits are the ones he sets for himself. That is a great legacy to leave for his family.

Chris Nichols, Lead Fisherman, got into marine work for the adventures. Growing up he read classics like “Captains Courageous” and “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” His years as a Boy Scout helped empower him with a can-do attitude that kept him from quitting when things got difficult. After a mediocre high school career and his childhood years in West Palm Beach, Florida, hanging around the docks and fishing, his quest for travel and adventure led him first to commercial fishing and then to join the Navy.

After six years in the service, including training in water rescue, Chris left the Navy and started classes for work in the merchant marine industry. As he worked toward earning his 100 ton master rating he discovered that using math, which had seemed unimportant and boring in high school, was critical for navigation. Applying the things he was studying to real world problems made learning important. The life-style structure of his military years helped him move fairly seamlessly into the shift work that became his routine aboard merchant ships. The travel fed his sense of exploration and adventure.

Now, after 20 years working either on NOAA ships or for companies that contracted with NOAA, Chris still loves his job and his life style. His experience in the merchant marine gave him the background to understand working on ships from the viewpoint of the wheel house and the deck. He patiently explained to me that the job titles of people working on the deck crew are just positions for which eligible Able Bodied Seamen were hired. They are not classification by skill or experience; they are job descriptions. Each survey watch requires 3 crew members on deck to work equipment and support the scientists in deployment and retrieval of lines. Cooperation and communication are the most critical skills needed by everyone on the ship for success in carrying out their mission.

“NOAA has recently been experiencing a lack of interested, qualified applicants,” Chris told me. “I think many young people lack the sense of adventure that makes life at sea attractive.” He certainly demonstrates that desire for adventure: his eyes light up and an infectious grin spreads across his face as he talks about the places he’s been and the places he still wants to go.

The whole deck crew, including Chris Rawley, Mike Conway, Chuck Godwin, and James Rhue, are a lively, hard-working bunch. They do their jobs, they have some fun doing them sometimes, and they like what they are doing. Every time I was around them I could hear John Fogarty’s song “Rambunctious Boy” playing in my head and I ended up smiling and humming along!

the-deck-crew-chris-nichols-mike-conway-tim-martin-james-rhue-and-chris-rawley — The Deck Crew – Chris Nichols, Mike Conway, Tim Martin, James Rhue, and Chris Rawley

ENGINEERS

Thirty-six years ago Rich Brooks took the advice of his high school math and history teachers and enrolled at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The strict structure of the Academy helped him develop his study habits and learn the discipline needed to raise from a low C student a B+ student who took pride in his work. He graduated with a degree in Marine Engineering, but spent time as a substitute teacher while deciding where he wanted to go with his career. Currently he holds 3 chief engineer licenses: steam, motor and gasoline and is qualified to operate any watercraft.

Eventually he started working on ships, spending a number of years in the Merchant Marine. He worked on merchant transport ships contracted to our government to support Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Persian Gulf. For 10 years he worked on independent oil tankers on the West Coast, transporting oil and gasoline to and from various ports. He has been a 1^st Engineer for NOAA for 2 years.

Rich enjoys the travel and adventure that are part of his career. He likes visiting different cities and has been through both the Suez and Panama Canals in his travels. It has been a long journey around the world from his childhood home in Haverhill, Massachusetts to Mobile, Alabama where he made his home base for the last 25 years. He is proud that his work as an engineer has influenced his son to pursue a career in engineering, following his father’s example of hard work and sacrifice as the way to get ahead in life. Rich hopes to see more young people turn to careers in engineering, knowing as he does that the average age of marine engineers in this country is 58 years which means there will be openings for young people as they complete their training. As for him, when he retires several years in the future he looks forward to moving closer to his father in Florida, going fishing and playing golf.

THE PEOPLE I MISSED INTERVIEWING:

My roommate, Chrissy Stepongzi, is a marine biologist and the person of whom I saw the least on this cruise. She knows her job and was always eager to answer questions. We just did not see each other often to talk because of being on opposite shifts and sharing the room. She slept while I worked and visa-versa. I appreciated her quick smile and well-developed sense of humor and wish we had been able to get better acquainted.

night-crew-before-shift-change-trey-chrissy-lydia-and-toni — The Night Crew before a shift change – Trey, Chrissy, Lydia, and Toni

Fisherman Mike Conway has been working on ships for a long time. He loves the ocean and loves the travel. His willingness to make sure I learned and got opportunity to see things was really helpful and made me feel welcome. Mike was always willing to grab my iPad and take pictures so I could be in them and he was the one that made sure I got to see the sky at night and appreciate the beauty of being on the ocean in one more way.

Fisherman Chris Rawley, quick to grin, but slow to talk, took some effort to get to know. Chris was a fisherman on our shift and helped with everything from running the crane to pulling lines to wrestling sharks. He was “born under a wandering star,” and loves to travel. He’s a gypsy at heart.

James Rhue is another fisherman working on the deck crew. He too was with the night shift so we didn’t cross paths often. When we did talk he could always answer my questions and made me feel welcome.

Mike, Chris, and James are pictured in the Deck Crew photo above.

Mary Stratford was filling in on the deck crew this cruise. She lives in Puerto Rico where she is a ceramic artist, but much of her life has been spent working in jobs that allow her to see the world. Mary was helpful and friendly and always interesting to talk to.

2^nd Engineer Darnell Doe, the quiet, friendly guy I ate breakfast with most mornings. We shared a little conversation and watch the news over a quick bite to eat and a cup of coffee. I never turned out into a formal interview and didn’t take notes on our casual conversations.

3^rd Engineer Sam Bessey was filling in a temporary vacancy. He is a recent graduate of an academy in Maine and worked the opposite shift of mine so we had a few chances to talk a little, but not enough to call an interview. I do know he wants to head for Hawaii and try to find work there after this cruise, but will head home to Maine to see family first. Good luck in your new career Sam.

Roy Tolliver was our tech person. I most often saw him walking from place to place on the decks, checking on electronic equipment and trying to troubleshoot computer problems when they arose. Roy has worked on ships for many years and has been many places around the world.

roy-tolliver-and-sam-on-the-flying-bridge-as-we-moved-into-the-harbor-at-gulfport-mississippi — Roy Tolliver and Sam Bessey on the flying bridge as we moved into the harbor at Gulfport

O C Hill, Listed on the staff roster as a “wiper” was another one of the people who kept the ship running. Our interactions were limited to friendly smiles and greetings. When folks work in the engine room it is hard to find a time to talk with them, especially if shifts don’t match.

Valerie McCaskill, our cook and one of the most important people on the ship. I know she has a daughter she was eager to get home to see. I know she had very little warning that the previous cook would not be on this voyage so she had to step in in a hurry. I know that she has a beautiful smile and makes legendary macaroni and cheese! She kept us very happy!

Chuck Godwin would normally be working on this ship as a skilled fisherman on the deck crew, but he worked in the kitchen with Valerie this trip to fill an important empty spot and keep us all well-fed. His irrepressible sense of fun and lively conversation kept us all hopping. His career has spanned time in the Coast Guard as well as years with NOAA. His is a proud new grandpa.

valerie-mccaskill-and-chuck-godwin-in-the-galley-of-noaa-ship-oregon-ii — Valerie McCaskill and Chuck Godwin in the galley of NOAA Ship OREGON II

That I did not get to know everyone on the ship is my loss. Everyone that I met was friendly and helpful. It was a true pleasure to meet and work with these great people.

June 18, 2015August 21, 2021

Sandra Camp: A Day in the Life of a Marine Biologist, June 17, 2015

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Sandra Camp
Aboard NOAA Ship Hi’ialakai
June 14 – 24, 2015

Mission: Main Hawaiian Islands Reef Fish Survey
Geographical area of cruise: Hawaiian Islands, North Pacific Ocean
Date: June 17, 2015

Weather Data: mostly cloudy, showers, visibility > 7 NM (nautical miles), winds east 10-15 KT (knots), air temperature 80° F, water temperature 80° F

Science and Technology Log

Days at sea begin early for the scientists aboard the Hi’ialakai. There are push-ups on the bow at 0630 (not mandatory), followed by breakfast at 0700. After breakfast, everyone meets outside on the deck at 0730 for a meeting about the day’s diving. Safety procedures are always reviewed during this meeting.

Morning Meeting — Morning meeting at 0730 in the fantail

Afterwards, the divers suit up, get their gear together, and get ready to board small boats, which will take them to the day’s scheduled diving sites. The way the small boats are lowered into the water with their passengers and gear from the larger ship is nothing less than a carefully orchestrated ballet of synchronized movement, line management, and communication. The chief boatswain (“bosun” for short), the senior crewman of the deck department, is in charge of this process. You can see him in the first photo, operating the crane. Anyone on deck during this time must wear a hardhat for safety purposes. You would not want to get hit in the head with moving cranes, hooks, or cables!

First, the small boats are lifted from the upper deck with a crane and lowered over the side of the ship.

small boat launch 1 — The crane lifts the boat from the deck.

small boat launch 2 — Then it swings the boat to the side of the ship.

boat launch 3 — The boat is lowered to the cutout on the deck.

Then, gear and passengers are loaded onto the boat, and it is carefully lowered into the water. Lines are released. and the boat drives away.

boat launch 4 — Gear and passengers are loaded aboard.

Lines carefully lower the boat into the water.

boat launch 6 — The lines are released and the boat drives away.

After that, the coxswain, the driver of the boat, takes the divers to the first survey site of the day. As we learn in class, a very important part of any scientist’s job is to gather evidence and data. Three to four groups of divers in separate small boats will gather data from 5-7 different sites each per day. After this project is complete, scientists will have gathered data from hundreds of different sites around the main Hawaiian islands. At each site, they do fish counts and benthic (sea floor) analysis. They estimate the amount of coral present on the sea floor, and then list fish by their species and quantity. Each diver takes a clipboard with a waterproof piece of paper attached to it on which they record their data. They also carry waterproof cameras with them, as well as a small extra tank of oxygen called a RAS (Redundant Air System) that they can use in case their tank runs out of air.

Clipboards with waterproof paper, waterproof cameras, and other scientific equipment

After data is recorded for several different sites, the small boats return to the ship no later 1700, which makes for a very long day out on the water. Dinner is from 1700-1800, and afterwards, scientist divers head to the dry lab, where all the computer equipment is located, to enter the data they gathered on fish during their surveys.

Data Entry — Scientists entering data from the day’s surveys

Scientist Interview

While we were out at diving sites today, I had the opportunity to interview Jonatha Giddens, one of the divers on the boat. Jonatha is a graduate student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She has an undergraduate degree in coral reef fish ecology, and she is currently studying the effects of an introduced grouper (a species of fish that is not native to Hawaii) on the local marine ecosystem for her Ph.D.

What are your primary responsibilities? Being part of the fish team, scuba diving, doing fish surveys, and entering the data collected during the day into computer systems at night.

What do you love most about your job? Being on the water!

What kind of education do you need to have this job? An undergraduate degree in marine biology

Do you have any advice for young people interested in your line of work? Get involved with research as early as possible. Find out what kind of research is going on in your area, and volunteer. Do summer internships at places that are farther away. You learn so much just by jumping into it.

Jonatha followed her passion and learned all she could about it. Now she has won an award from ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) for her work in conservation ecology. ARCS is a foundation organized and run entirely by women to encourage female leadership in STEM careers. Go Jonatha!

Personal Log

Ninja Snorkeler — Don’t mess with this snorkeler!

I can sometimes go snorkeling while the divers are completing surveys, as long as I stay far enough away from them that I do not interfere with their work (they do no want me to scare the fish away). I have to wear a knife strapped to my leg while snorkeling, in case I become tangled in fishing net or line (or in case there is a shark!). Again, it is all about safety on the Hi’ialakai.

Did You Know?

The underwater apparatus held by Raymond Boland in the above photo is a stereo camera. It is composed of two separate cameras encased in waterproof housing. When a diver uses it to photograph a fish, two simultaneous pictures are taken of the fish. NOAA scientists calibrate the images using computers to get an accurate measure of the length of fish.

New Terms

chief boatswain – the person in charge of the deck department

coxswain – a person who steers a ship’s boat and is usually in charge of its crew.

benthic – relating to, or occurring on, the bottom of a body of water

May 22, 2012August 11, 2021

Ellen O’Donnell: There’s a Lot of Food in the Ocean and One More Whale to Feed! May 20, 2012

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ellen O’Donnell
Onboard NOAA Ship Delaware II
May 14 – May 25, 2012

Mission: North Atlantic Right Whale Survey
Geographical area of the cruise: Atlantic Ocean; Franklin Basin
Date: May 20, 2012

Weather Data from the Bridge: Light winds, slightly overcast, ocean swells between 3 to 5 feet.

Science and Technology Log:

We spent the night out at sea and today and we worked the Franklin Basin. It is about 120 miles from Cape Cod. At first we didn’t see many whales, but things started picking up by lunchtime. We launched the little gray boat shortly after to get close to the right whales we were seeing. While I didn’t go on the gray boat today, many of the whales came right up to the ship. It was another amazing day and we were quite successful.

copepod maine — Copepod (photo: at-sea.org)

I have seen so many different ways that the whales catch their prey. I asked the question last time, “Why do sei and right whales often appear together?” This is because they like the same food. Both whales eat copepods. Copepods are tiny crustaceans that range from microscopic to a quarter of an inch. Crustaceans are invertebrates which are related to lobster, shrimp and crabs. They eat diatoms and plankton, which are even smaller! They are the most abundant species on earth and are important in many ocean food webs.

Cool Fact from the Monterey Bay Aquarium: A single copepod may eat from 11,000 to 373,000 diatoms in 24 hours!

So sei and right whales feed on these tiny abundant organisms, which is amazing given their size. Humpbacks and fin whales also filter feed, but they eat krill (another tiny crustacean), plankton and small fish. Humpbacks can consume up to 3,000 pounds of food a day.

Sei and right whale feeding in same area (photo: Genevive Davis)

All of these whales are called baleen whales because they filter their prey out of the water as they move through it. Right whales and sei whales surface feed a lot. They are close to the surface slowly moving through the water filtering out copepods. Often they are seen feeding side by side.

Sometimes right whales do what is called echelon feeding. One whale is up front and then whales along each side create a V-shape. The whales to the side of the one in front pick up prey that didn’t make it into the forward whale’s mouth. We saw a great example of echelon feeding right from the ship. There were six right whales slowly swimming in this V-shape. Every once in a while, if one got out of formation, they would swim back toward the V and turn and get back in formation.

Humpback whales also use a method for catching prey. When we got close to the humpback, Slumber, the other day, we noticed large bubbles rising to the surface. This is called bubble feeding. Humpbacks create large bubbles to trap and herd fish. Often they do this in groups.

Mother and new calf (photo: Jenn Gatzke)

So while watching the different whales, and how they feed was very interesting, this was not the most exciting thing. These surveys are important because they keep track of vital information needed to develop good conservation plans. Therefore, information such as where the individual whales are, which females breed, where they breed, and how many calves are born is important.

We identified around 17 whales yesterday and found one that one had not been biopsied. This whale was then biopsied so its information can go into the database. We also saw two mothers and their calves. Right whales typically give birth to their calves after a 12 month gestation period, off the coast of Georgia or North Florida.

This year only six calves were born and one died. This number is not good as biologists hope to have the number of calves born in the double digits. So you can imagine how happy everyone was when we identified a female who hadn’t been seen since 2010 with a new calf! We were able to get a biopsy from the calf as well, which will not only give genetic information from the skin, but also information on contaminants from the mother since it is still nursing. But I’m not finished yet! The icing on the cake was that the baby whale also released some fecal matter. Yes that’s right…whale poop! This may not seem important to you, but the whale biologists were ecstatic. The collected whale poop, yes it was collected in a bucket, gives a wealth of information, such as what it has been eating and the level of contaminants in the calves body. Adult whale poop also gives hormonal information. All in all it was a very successful day of collecting important data on right whales.

DSCN2803 — Relaxing after a hard day’s work

: NOAA Scientists Peter Duley and Allison Henry scoop whale poop into a collection bag to be later analyzed

Personal Log

NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Their reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as they work to keep citizens informed of the changing environment around them. Obviously the ocean is a big part of our environment. NOAA vessels have differing focuses on the data they collect from the ocean. The Delaware II is a fisheries vessel. It goes out on various research cruises, which collect data on different organisms within our oceans. As you know they perform right whale cruises, like the one I am on now, but they also perform other studies as well. Midwater trawling is done for studies on herring. Large nets are pulled along the boat at mid-water level, and the data collected gives information on the distribution and abundance of herring. Deep water trawls with nets are done to collect scallops and clams, and determine their relative abundance and distribution. Shark cruises collect sharks by sending out a line with baited hooks. The sharks collected are tagged and released. Lastly, the Delaware II performs ichthyoplanktic studies, which collect eggs and larvae from various species of fish.

DSCN1991 — Jim Pontz (left) and Todd Wilson (right) getting the trawl net ready (photo: Delaware II)

DSCN2016 — Herring catch (photo: Delaware II)

Clam and Scallop Survey (photo: Delaware II)

Shark Tag and Release Survey (photo: Delaware II)

It is the deck crew that helps make this possible. Acting Chief Boatswain and Head Fisherman, Todd Wilson heads up a 5-man crew, who not only take care of all ship maintenance, with the exception of the engine, but serve as night-time lookouts, and operators of the fisheries equipment. We rely on them to get the little gray boat in and out of the water, which takes a lot of coordination, and they are always there to help you if you need it.