NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kiersten Newtoff
Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces
January 6 – January 29, 2025
Mission: Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS)
Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Coast
Date: January 21, 2025
Data from the Bridge: N35°0’0″, W74°54’0″, off the coast of Hatteras, NC. 38°F outside, with 14kt winds.
If the kitchen is the soul of the ship then the deck crew is the heart. Without the deck crew, we could not run the science missions because they run all of the equipment (cranes, winches, etc.) and provide deck support 24/7. I appreciate the deck crew letting me interview them.
Chief Boatswain
I have never been so confused with reading a word like I have with the word “boatswain”. Since I have 0 nautical knowledge, I have been pronouncing it like “boat-swane”. But it’s not. It’s pronounced “bo-sun”. And people will spell it that way too. I have heard of “bosun” from Below Deck, but had no idea that “boatswain” was the ‘official’ way of spelling it. It’s like donut instead of doughnut. I don’t like it.
There, that’s better. James is the big boss of the deck. He trains and teaches the deck crew, operates all the equipment on board, and oversees the small boats. His favorite is operating the fish trawls, but unfortunately, it’s been quite a few years since a science team has done that on the Pisces. James has been with the Pisces for 17 years! He is the only crew member that has been on the boat since it was commissioned, which means James has earned the “Plankowner” title. He plans on retiring in 3 years, at the 20 year mark, which he very much deserves. He previously did 20 years in the Navy and one year of teaching. He chose to join NOAA because they aren’t at sea as much as the Navy, so it means he can spend more time at home (a common theme we have been seeing with the crew!).
Lead/Skilled Fisherman
Here’s another position where I just don’t get the name. I hear “fisherman,” and I think of a person on the deck fishing. And if they are the lead fisherman, that means they catch more things because they are more skilled. More skilled than the “skilled fisherman”. Apparently, none of this is true. The ‘fisherman’ title comes from the type of vessel; the NOAA Pisces is a fisheries vessel with lots of gear needed for catching fish. Those with “Fisherman” titles are responsible for the usage, upkeep, and repair of the fishing gear. Rodney is a Skilled Fisherman but is filling in on this trip as the Lead Fisherman, since the Lead is on leave (more on how scheduling works later on). Rodney oversees the day-to-day operations, operates the cranes, serves as the rescue boat coxswain (like boatswain, this word is not pronounced anything like how it’s spelled), does security rounds, bridge watches, and assists in science operations. Many of these duties overlap with the bosun, but Rodney is on the night shift. He started about 1.5 years ago as a General Vessel Assistant and has been working his way up, hopefully to bosun some day! His hometown community was full of fishermen and merchant mariners, which influenced his path. He had some bumps here and there, but when he started at NOAA, he truly found a career he was passionate about. He enjoys giving back to his community by guest speaking at the Bluewater Maritime School, where he trained at.
I love this boat. I love the camaraderie. I love the people.
Rodney
Able Seaman
(AB; sometimes also referred as Able-bodied Seaman)
The Able Seaman role wears many hats: they do lookout, drive helm, sanitation, keep the ship spotless, mooring lines, anchor the ship, preservation of the ship, help with the science party, work oceanographic equipment, and drive small boats. If you need to do anything on the boat, they are probably right alongside you. There are three Able Seamen on the Pisces: Tanya, Tasha, and Santanna. Tanya and Tasha are part of the aug pool (more on that soon), and Santanna is attached to the Pisces. Tanya used to work in property and casualty insurances but wanted to try something new. She took advantage of the Workforce Investment Act to get training to become an AB. Tasha worked in healthcare for 19 years but also had a twinkle for the ocean as her dad and husband served in the Navy. As her kids got older, it was easier for her to be away at sea. Santanna is a friend of the seas, having worked in the Military Sealift Command resupplying Navy ships. He enjoys the sea life but wanted to be home more and NOAA enables him to do so. He just started, this is his second cruise, but he has been enjoying it so far!
General Vessel Assistant (GVA)
When you first get started on deck, you likely will come in as a General Vessel Assistant. Your roles are more limited such as just working with sanitation, repair, and cleaning. But NOAA offers lots of training and credentials to learn skills to become an Able Seaman and more. At the moment, the Pisces doesn’t have any GVAs in the deck crew, but that can definitely change over time!
The Deck Crew, a limerick
All aboard the NOAA Pisces
James has sailed with her over many seas
Santanna and Rodney are permanent crew
While Tanya and Tasha fill in for a few
Working together makes tasks a breeze
How Does Scheduling Work?
Many positions on board are 60 days on and 30 days off. “On” refers to being on the boat, and “off” referring to shore work. This helps to prevent fatigue of living on a vessel and gives time for family. Leave can be used when on shore, or personnel can do training or other tasks. Although someone may have 30 days off of the Pisces, the ship is still operating as usual. This is where the augmented (or aug) pool comes in. Crew members can choose to be in the aug pool versus permanently assigned to a ship. In the aug pool, you share your availability for the year and vessels will reach out to the pool to fill positions for when a crew member is “off”. This isn’t just reserved for deck positions, the aug pool is for every position on the ship that isn’t filled by a NOAA Corps member (more on them in a future post). The aug pool is still a fully benefited position and can be great for someone who wants more flexibility, but with that it means you need to be adaptable. You’ll be working on different boats with different people constantly, which for some is a welcomed challenge! It’s important to reflect on your work style to choose what would be best for you.
How Can I Work on Deck?
Requirements
- Get your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC)
- Get a passport, or ensure yours is current
- Get your Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Tips
- Try to learn about as many jobs as possible and soak up all the knowledge you can.
- The earlier you start the better; you’ll start at the bottom and have to work your way up.
- Get as much sea time in as possible.
- Go to maritime school (partial list here).
- Work hard no matter your position. Word gets around about your work ethic to other ships.
