Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Ocean, Slope Sea
Date: July 8, 2025
Weather Data:
12:06 PM Eastern Time
Currently, the temperature is 28.9°C (84°F). The wind speed is 10 knots.
Career Log
Uplift Education, Mighty Primary scholars: Howdy from the sea! Mr. Nguyen here. I hope you’re enjoying your summer (and reading lots of books). Yesterday, I moved onto NOAA Ship Pisces. It was a long day at the port meeting everyone and learning the rules.
I arrived early morning at the port in Norfolk, Virginia
Right away, everyone made sure I felt comfortable, safe, and prepared for the sail.
On the ship are the following crews, or teams: NOAA Corps, deck department, engineering, survey, stewards, electronics, and scientists – which I’m a part of. Excitingly, there was a Change of Command ceremony, a special event when one commanding officer (CO) gives the ship to a new one. So, in honor of this celebration, I’ll be dedicating this post to the ceremony and to the career stages of NOAA Corps officers!
NOAA stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They study and protect the ocean, weather, and animals.
Uplift Education, Mighty Primary scholars, what kind of animals do you think NOAA study in the ocean and in the sky? Let’s think, act them out, and draw! If you’d like, ask your parents to post your work in the comments!
A NOAA Corps officer is like a scientist and a ship captain. They wear uniforms and lead missions (special tasks) on ships. We respectfully address an officer by his/her rank or ship position. Yesterday, I got to see a Change of Command ceremony. That’s when one commanding officer (CO) finishes his/her job, and a new commanding officer (CO) takes over the ship. It’s kind of like picking and celebrating a new class leader. It shows respect, teamwork, and leadership.
NOAA Corps Officers and crew members set up the Change of Command ceremony.
NOAA Corps outside NOAA Ship Pisces.
The ceremony took place outside Pisces. All officers wore white uniforms with badges and stripes that showed their rank (like how high their job is) and accomplishments (the amazing things they’ve done). Families, friends, and crew members said goodbye to the former CO and later cheered for the new CO. There were speeches and salutes to celebrate! After the event, there was time for lots of photos and personal congratulations.
The former CO and new CO saluting each other.
The ceremony went great! The rain stopped and the weather was nice when everything started.
Seeing this ceremony was a great way to understand NOAA Corps officers and the importance of their work.
It takes a lot of practice and leadership skills to become a NOAA Corps officer! Here’s how it works:
If accepted, go to Basic Training Academy as an Ensign.
Complete Basic Officer Training Class
Serve as a Junior Officer aboard a NOAA Ship
Show leadership, earn sea time, and complete more training.
Be promoted to Lieutenant Officer and you may be selected as an XO.
Get more leadership training and experience and you may be selected as a Commanding Officer (CO).
Can you list and write the steps someone takes to become a NOAA ship leader?
Document source: Sinh Nguyen
The NOAA Corps supports all crews on ship in many important ways. For the science crew, they make it possible for scientists to do their work safely and successfully on sea. Learning more about NOAA Corps makes us appreciate their incredible leadership and accomplishments!
In the classroom, how can you start developing your leadership skills? Just like NOAA Corps officers, we can show leadership skills in many ways. Every day is a chance to grow into a leader. Which learner profiles can we demonstrate to help others, take responsibility for our actions, and work together as a team? Go ahead and point to a trait that you can commit to for the new school year.
These are International Baccalaureate (IB) attributes that help us become great leaders at Uplift Education, Mighty Primary. NOAA Corps officers show these traits when they lead their crew and support science missions on the ship. How can we practice these traits every day to grow as leaders? Photo credit: IB/PYP Website
Personal Log
There was so much to learn about crew members and rules, but everyone was so helpful. I felt like many of you have before, like a new student on the first day of school. A challenge was figuring out the layout, or set-up, of Pisces. At first, it felt like a maze as I was trying to figure out where to go and which rooms are in which deck. However, after asking for help, I was able to understand the layout better.
The hallways can be tight, but it taught me to be respectful and safe moving through a shared space.
I really felt welcomed by my Chief Scientist, Dave Richardson, and by his science crew. The Chief Scientist is responsible for leading science research during this mission. In my next post, I’ll share more about the scientific work we’re doing at sea!
Some of us explored Norfolk, Virginia, as we walked to a restaurant for dinner. Downtown Norfolk is about a 15-minute walk from the dock, with a lot of beautiful ocean views and history.
Hanging out in Norfolk
Norfolk StreetsBattleship Wisconsin
At the restaurant, we played and placed 3rd in a game of trivia.
On deck on NOAA Ship Pisces
There were lots of opportunities to get to know the scientists, who are very supportive and friendly, just like all the crew members I’ve met so far!
We continued preparation. I’m excited to share more about this for the next post!
Did You Know?
On NOAA ships, there are different names used for what we’re usually used to. For example:
Bedroom = stateroom
Bathroom = head
Floor = deck
Kitchen = galley
Dining Room = mess deck
Front of the house: Bow (front of the ship)
Back of the house: Stern (back of the ship)
This is a photo of my stateroom (bedroom) on the ship. I share it with three other crew members. We all work at different times, so we have to be quiet and respectful so everyone can rest.
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 24, 2025 Data from the Bridge: N38°17’0″, W70°54’0″. 19kn winds. It says it’s 38°F, but I’m pretty sure it has said that for every single post so I suspect the temperature probe isn’t working.
Did you know that the NOAA Corp is a uniformed service? There are 8 total uniformed services, and NOAA is the smallest (about 337 personnel) – even smaller than the Space Force! I also legit had no idea the Space Force was a real thing. Huh. The more you know.
The NOAA Corps supports missions in understanding our oceans and atmosphere and its impact on humans such as fisheries, hurricanes, flood prediction, and resource management. The Corps is essentially the officers that drive the boat, manage the people, and support the science missions. To join you need to have a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field. If you’re interested in more research-based roles, the NOAA Corps may not be a good fit, but other NOAA offices are. If accepted, then you go through military medical screening, then officer training at the NOAA Corps Training Center at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and then lots of courses and trainings. From there you can pick one of two paths: maritime or aviation. Most Corps members go the maritime route; if you choose to go with aviation you’ll go through additional training. We’ll go through the different positions on the maritime side of things since that’s who I’ve been working with!
Excerpt: Into the Oceans and the Air (NOAA Corps Official Service Song) Into storms we love to fly. Buckle in, we’ll reach the eye. We survey the mountain tops, predicting floods and saving crops. From the peaks to the coasts, we do soar. We are the NOAA Corps!
Balancing Sea and Shore Assignments
In earlier posts, you learned how many of the crew positions have 60 days on ship and 30 days on shore schedules. The NOAA Corps officers do something similar, but just longer: they spend two years at sea and three years on land. Sometimes the shore assignment still includes some sea time, but for much shorter stints. This five-year cycle coincides nicely with the positions on board. After completing training, your first boat assignment will be as a Junior Officer where you learn the ropes of your boat and learn from the other officers on board. The next sea duty will be as an Operations Officer, then Executive Officer (XO), and finally as a Commanding Officer (CO). Going through all these positions would get you to 20 years, when you are eligible for a pension.
Commanding Officer (CO)
The head honcho on the Pisces is Commanding Officer Colin Kliewer (pronounced like ‘cleaver’). He makes the ultimate decision as to what the ship’s activities or plans are for any given day as well as overall operations. All operations on Pisces are ultimately his responsibility. His day-to-day is a combination of administrative and operational tasks. He works alongside the Executive Officer (XO) on administrative work and with the Chief Engineer on boat systems. He will also work with the Operations Officers and Chief Scientist to come up with the daily operational plan with regards to weather and other conditions.
Commander Kliewer in the wet lab.
Like many of the scientists on board, Commander Kliewer got his undergraduate degree in Marine Biology. He always saw himself in public service; he applied to NOAA because he was able to serve and explore the country and the world. He started his journey in the NOAA Corps over 18 years ago, and he’s about to finish his CO position with the Pisces before heading to his next shore duty. Although he will be eligible for his pension in 2 years, he plans on staying in the Corps because there is a lot more he wants to experience and do. Commander Kliewer shares that the most crucial soft skill needed for the Corps is communication. He is a self-identified introvert (this surprises no one on board), but he recognizes how crucial good communication is to help improve operations and being aware of what’s is going on.
As I was working on this blog post, a small group of North Atlantic Right Whales hung out by the ship. These animals are critically endangered, with only about 360 or so left in the world. This is roughly around how many NOAA Corps members there are. Therefore, if we expand the NOAA Corps, then we will also have more right whales, because corps-elation = causation! I’ll see myself out.
Executive Officer
If Commander Kliewer is the president of the Pisces, then Executive Officer Steve Moulton is the vice president. If the CO goes down, Steve’s #1 job is to take over his role. He will make sure he gets us home safe and sound. But a typical day is usually not the worst case scenario, so otherwise he is helping the CO administratively. He is the go-to guy for all personnel administration and logistics. As you’ve learned, people are switching between shore and ship duty often and he works with shore support to make sure that the Pisces has the appropriate personnel every cruise. Shoreside recruitment will also identify potential hires for open positions on the ship and the XO will conduct virtual interviews to make sure they are the right fit for the Pisces. Steve shares that being trustworthy and good-natured are crucial characteristics for this career. If you can work well with others, everything else can be taught (and NOAA provides lots of training!). His goal is to bring on someone who is willing to learn and works well with others.
Getting the right people is paramount. When you have the wrong type of person on a ship with 30-35 people per leg, things can get really difficult, really fast. Steve
Steve getting his administrative duties on. I specifically wanted a picture of his desk, because he has engineered it to give him almost double the space.
Steve used to serve in the Coast Guard, primarily in the reserves and worked in industrial hygiene and OSHA compliance on job sites. When the Deepwater Horizon disaster happened, he worked a temporary, full-time position with the Coast Guard. There, he met quite a few people from NOAA and a Chief coast guard encouraged him to join the NOAA Corps. It was a great fit for him because he enjoyed science and education more than law enforcement and war. Steve will pass his XO reigns at the end of July and will start his 3ish years on shore duty in the DC area at headquarters. Since I’m local to the area I asked him about his commute. He will be taking the train, twice a day, for nearly 4 hours. Maybe he is trying to simulate being underway??
Operations Officers (Ops)
Nick and Ryan are the two operations officers on board. Their main job is to be the liaison between the ship and the science party. Ops know the capabilities of the ship and communicate with the science party to work within those parameters. This can include logistics in mobilization and demobilization, daily planning, and working with all departments to make sure equipment is ready for the project. They are also responsible for berthing, watch bills, fueling, course planning, and general reporting.
The best picture of Ryan that’s ever been taken (his words, kinda).
Before NOAA, Ryan served in the Air Force as a medic for 6 years. After his tour, he used his GI bill to get a degree in meteorology with the plan to go to Officer Training School. He was accepted, but it would be another 3-4 years before he could start due to a bottleneck of people joining. He really liked the job security, pay, camaraderie, training style, and rigid framework, but he didn’t want to wait years before starting OTS. He decided to join NOAA to maintain the structure he wanted but on a timeline that was more reasonable. Ryan shares that having high emotional intelligence to assess situations and interactions with others is important for the service. While there are ranks and hierarchy, it’s more important to understand and appreciate the experience people have and to build good relationships with everyone, no matter their position. Nick adds that having initiative is also important. You can’t just wait to be given a task; you need to recognize what needs to be done and be proactive in your response.
Nick started in the NOAA Corps in 2017, but he had a lot of interesting adventures before then. In college he focused on biomechanics and locomotion research, played professional soccer in Germany (check out his college stats), and taught 7, 8, and 11th grades. Then one day he was hiking in the woods and met a guy who was trying to make friends because he moved a lot because he was a NOAA Corps Officer. They got to talking and the rest is history. I asked what inspired a change in career, and his response:
I like being on boats. Nick
Emerson (left) and Nick (right) on the bridge. Credit: Commander Kliewer
Junior Officer
Fresh(ish) from training are Junior Officers Emerson and Christy. As Junior Officers, their primary responsibility is to navigate the ship and conduct underway watches on the bridge. Their collateral duties (as an aside – I’d never heard of the term ‘collateral duties’ and had no idea what it meant. Like, you have to offer up something you own for work?? But during the interview I never asked even though Emerson said it like 5 times because I didn’t want to interrupt, so I just sat there nodding. I’ve since googled it; it’s essentially duties that aren’t your primary duties. Why they aren’t called secondary duties…) include serving as damage control officers. They ensure that the ship complies with emergency policies that are in place and are responsible for planning drills, debriefing afterwards, and addressing any concerns to make improvements.
The things we get to do are pretty cool. Emerson
Emerson also serves as the Medical Person in Charge to handle and treat common injuries on board and follow protocols for more serious injuries and communicating with shore. As he got closer to finishing his undergraduate degree in environmental service, he was considering joining a uniformed service. Emerson learned about the NOAA Corps through his good friend Google. It really appealed to him because he could serve and also apply his science background on missions. He thinks that being curious, and having the mentality for continuous learning, will make you successful in the NOAA Corps. Having a want to learn new things and develop new skillsets will get you far.
Christy on deck.
Some of the collateral duties that Christy does are serving as a navigation officer, environmental compliance officer (ECO), dive officer, and the manager of FUN. Because why do one thing when you can do many things? Her most important role (in my opinion) is leading the Morale, Wellness, and Recreation committee – we all live and work together for long periods of time, so keeping morale up is mission critical. Christy has both a bachelor’s and master’s in marine biology, but research wasn’t really scratching that itch. She studied abroad and did outdoor recreation programs but same thing – none of these really felt like the right fit. But there was a common thread – being on boats. And she liked boats. And boats liked her. A couple twists and turns later, and Christy joined the NOAA Corps. Christy is the epitome of adaptability – assignments and duties are constantly in flux, and you really need to be able to adjust so that you can function. You also have to be able to adapt to life at sea and maneuver how you approach friendships and relationships.
Does the NOAA Corps sound like something you want to pursue? Get started here!
Bonus!
So the picture below was the original picture of Steve. Notice how the light is glaring from the window? I don’t really do photo editing, so I don’t really know how to fix it. I know that Photoshop has some AI tools, so I tried that. I highlighted over the window and the glare and prompted “Remove Glare”.
And the results were definitely not what I was expecting…
At least he has some ideas of what looks good as far as hairstyles and glasses go!
Mission: Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean; U.S. West Coast
Date: June 14th, 2024
Weather Datafrom the Bridge
Date: Friday, June 14, 2024 Latitude: 33°34.07 N Longitude: 119°03.108 W Sea Wave Height: 4ft Wind Speed: 5.57 knots Air Temperature: 62°F Sky: Clear
Science Log
View from the deck just before daybreak.
What ocean organisms are you finding?
Each night, the Lasker NOAA Corps Officers, crew, and science team work together to conduct a series of trawls, deploying nets behind the boat to collect samples for the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS).
After the catch from the trawl comes onto the Lasker, scientists identify and measure each of the organisms on board. One of my main tasks during my time as a Teacher at Sea is to help the science team sort and identify the trawl catch each night. A sample of the organisms caught during each trawl, and all of the juvenile rockfish, are collected, labeled and saved for further analysis back at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab when the science team returns to shore.
Some of the most common organisms caught include pyrosomes, salps (including the large Thetys), krill, and fried egg jellyfish. We also catch a lot of fish, including juvenile anchovy, juvenile hake, many different varieties of myctophid fish, and of course rockfish. To me, some of the most exciting and special organisms caught include the juvenile octopus, all types of squid and king-of-the salmon fish. I am learning so much each day!
Photos: Trawl catch being sorted in the wet lab, trawl catch just after it came in on the ship.
Photos: Ocean organisms from the trawl being sorted in the wet lab, octopus saved from the catch.
Each night, and throughout the night, a member of the science team goes on “Mammal Watch” during trawling operations to protect marine mammals. Fifteen minutes before a trawl, a member of the science team goes up to the bridge mammal watch station, and looks for protected marine mammal species like dolphins, sea lions and whales. If a marine mammal is spotted, then the trawl cannot happen until there are no marine mammals within one nautical mile of the ship. When the trawl begins, another scientist begins mammal watch on the deck from the time the net is launched into the water, until it returns to the ship. Again, if a marine mammal is spotted during this time, the trawl will be canceled and the net will be reeled in immediately.
There are also devices attached to the net called “dolphin deterrent devices.” These devices, often called “dolphin pingers” by the science team, activate as soon as they hit water, and emit sounds to deter dolphins and other marine mammals. This helps to keep marine mammals away from the net to prevent them from getting unintentionally tangled, and do not cause harm to marine animals.
Retired marine mammal deterrent device with hand-drawn rockfish art (by Jackie – one of the ship’s deck crew)!
Personal Log
What is the NOAA Corps?
The NOAA Corps is one of the nation’s eight uniformed services, and the only one to consist only of officers. All NOAA Corps Officers attend the Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and train alongside Coast Guard officer candidates. NOAA Corps Officers support all aspects of the NOAA mission and may be assigned to serve on either ships or aircraft. The Lasker currently has 6 officers aboard, under the leadership of Commander Claire Surrey-Marsden.
Photos: CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden on the flying bridge, Daily safety meeting in the bridge
I got a chance to interview CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden. Originally from the Bronx in New York City, CDR Surrey-Marsden has always been interested in the ocean and has a background studying marine biology from Florida Tech. After college, she interned and then worked for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where she worked with manatee conservation. She then applied and was accepted into the NOAA Corps, and went on to officer training at the Global Marine and Transportation School (GMATS) at Kings Point Academy.
NOAA Corps officers alternate between land and sea assignments in different locations. Her second sea assignment was actually on the delivery team of the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, then NOAA’s newest fisheries ship. CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden had land assignments in the Marine Mammal Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, and in Washington D.C. working with NOAA Rear Admiral Cary. She now returns to the Lasker on her fourth sea assignment as the Commanding Officer, coming full circle from delivering the same ship early in her career.
When asked what advice she would have for a student interested in a marine science career, CDR Surrey-Marsden advises to volunteer for any opportunity/activity, and to do a good job wherever you go.
Book Recommendations
One of the people I work closely with on the ship is scientist Ily Iglesias. Before arriving on the Lasker, Ily just defended for her P.h.D in ocean sciences at University of California Santa Cruz.
Ily is also a mom to a 3 year old daughter, and they love to read books together. Ily gave me several recommendations of her and her daughter’s favorite science-themed books to read together. Ily has been on survey trips several times, and each time before she leaves she enjoys reading the children’s book Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley. A story about baby penguin with a mama scientist that goes out to sea on a ship, and both a very relevant and helpful book for Ily and her family. Other ocean related favorites include Who’s Afraid of the Light? by Anna McGregor, and Where the Weird Things Are by Zoleka Filander. I’m excited to read these to my preschool students back in Alaska!
How’s the food?
One of the most asked questions of my family and friends from home is asking about what my meals are like at sea. I am happy to report that the food is great! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared each day by chefs Arnold and Jude, and available to everyone aboard the Lasker at specific times each day. Working the night shift, I typically begin my day with dinner at 1700, and end it with breakfast at 0700. At night while the science team is working, there is always a full salad bar available, as well as sandwich supplies, snacks and leftovers from the day before. Everyone available on the sip eats together in the “mess” – it’s a great time to relax and get to know everyone.
Beef and vegetablesLobster and baked potato
Photos: Some favorite dinners so far from the cruise.
Weather Data from the Bridge at 14:00
Wind: 7 knots
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Weather: Hazy
Depth in fathoms: 577
Depth in feet: 3,462
Temperature: 27.0˚ Celsius
Science and Technology Log
Teamwork
The Bridge communicates with the HARP team to determine the drop location.
The Bridge officers teach me how to communicate with the HARP team to determine the drop location.
At the helm with the help of the Bridge officers.
2014 Kona IEA Cruise Map. Locate H1 and H2 to determine where our HARPs are retrieved and deployed.
Throughout the past week, it has become obvious that all operations aboard the Sette require team work. Scientific projects and deployments require the assistance of the Bridge, engineers, and heavy equipment operators. This was clear during our recent deployment of our HARP or High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package (see my earlier posts to learn why we use the HARP). Marine Mammal Operations lead, Ali Bayless, leads our morning HARP retrieval and deployment operations. We first prepare to retrieve a HARP that has completed its duty on the floor of the ocean. At least a dozen scientists and crew members attempt to locate it using binoculars. It is spotted soon after it is triggered by our team. Crew members head to the port side of the ship once the HARP at station H2 surfaces. H2 is very close to the Kona Coast. A fresh HARP is deployed from the stern of the ship later in the morning. Both the retrieval and deployment of the HARPs take immaculate positioning skills at the Bridge. Hence, the Bridge and the HARP crew communicate non-stop through radios. The coordinates of the drop are recorded so the new HARP can be retrieved in a year.
Contacting the HARP to bring it to the surface.
Retrieving the HARP on the port side of the ship.
Preparing to deploy the HARP for station H2 on the stern of the ship.
A Conversation with Commanding Officer (CO) Koes
A selfie with CO Koes
Morale is high and teamwork is strong aboard the Sette. These characteristics are often attributed to excellent leadership. CO Koes’ presence is positive and supportive. CO Koes has served with NOAA for the past thirteen years. She came aboard the Sette January 4, 2013. She is now back in her home state of Hawaii after serving with NOAA in California and Oregon. She is a graduate of Kalani High School in Hawaii and earned a BA in chemical engineering at Arizona State University.
As CO of the Sette, Koes believes it is important to create trust amongst crew members and to delegate rather than to dictate. She provides support and guidance to her crew twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. She is the CO of all ship operations such as navigation, science operations, deck activities, trawling, and engineering. She is highly visible on board and is genuinely interested in the well-being of her crew and ship. She does not hesitate to start a conversation or pep talk in the mess or on the deck. When asked what she enjoys most about her job, she states that she “likes to see the lights go on in the eyes of junior officers when they learn something new.” Koes goes on to state that her goal as CO is to have fun and make a difference in the lives of her officers and crew.
Personal Log
Ship Life
Bunkmate and scientist, Beth Lumsden, and I during an abandon ship drill on the Texas deck.
I have found that one can acclimate to life aboard a ship quite quickly if willing to laugh at oneself. The first couple of days on board the Sette were fun, but shaky. We had some rough weather on our way to the Kona Coast from Oahu. I truly felt like I was being rocked to sleep at night. Showering, walking, and standing during the rocking were a challenge and surely gave me stronger legs. Regardless of the weather, we must be sure to completely close all doors. We even lock the bathroom stall doors from the outside so they don’t fly open. The conditions quickly improved once we hit the Kona Coast, but conditions change frequently depending on our location. When up in the flying bridge for Marine Mammal Observation, we can easily observe the change in the wave and wind patterns. It is difficult to spot our dolphins and whales once the water is choppy. It is these changes in the weather and the sea that help me understand the complexity of our oceans.
Meal time on board is tasty and social. Everyone knows when lunchtime is approaching and you are sure to see smiles in the mess. All meals are served buffet style so we are able to choose exactly what we want to eat. We can go back to the buffet line numerous times, but most folks pile their plates pretty high during their first trip through the line. After our meals, we empty our scraps into the slop bucket and then rinse our dishes off in the sink. This gives us the chance to compliment our stewards on the great food. If we would like, we can eat our meals in the TV room, which is next door to the mess. It has a TV, couches, a few computers, a soda machine, and a freezer filled with ice-cream.
Chain of command is important when performing our science operations, when net fishing, when in the engineering room, and even when entering the Bridge. Essentially, if someone tells me to put on a hard hat, I do it with no questions asked. Everyone on board must wear closed toed shoes unless they are in their living quarters. Ear plugs are required on the engineering floor. Safety is key on the decks, in our rooms, in the halls, and especially during operations. I have never felt so safe and well fed!
Dr. Tran is always smiling.
“Doc” Tran
Did you know that we have a doctor on board who is on call 24/7? The Sette is fortunate to have “Doc” Tran on board. He is a commander with the United States Public Health Service. Doc Tran has served on the Sette for four years. He is our doctor, our cheerleader, our store manager, and our coach! When not on duty, he can be seen riding an exercise bike on the deck or making healthy smoothies for anyone willing to partake. He also operates the ship store, which sells shirts, treats, hats, and toiletries at very reasonable prices. He truly enjoys his service on the Sette. He loves to travel, enjoys working with diverse groups of people, and appreciates our oceans. He is a perfect match for the Sette and is well respected by the crew.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Yaara Crane Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson June 22 — July 3, 2013
The people in charge of the TJ. From left to right: XO, Chief Steward, Chief Engineer, CO, and Chief Boatswain (front).
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical area of cruise: Mid-Atlantic Date: Monday, July 1, 2013
Latitude: 38.81°N Longitude: 75.05°W
Weather Data from Bridge: Wind Speed: 21.77knots
Surface Water Temperature: 22.16°C
Air Temperature: 22.80°C
Relative Humidity: 98.00%
Barometric Pressure: 1012.61mb
Scientific Careers Log
During my time aboard the Thomas Jefferson, I have heard dozens of personal stories from individuals that come from all walks of life. I spent the past few days sitting down with a variety of these people to interview them about how they ended up a critical part of this ship. The following is just a short summary of my long conversations with each of these people. I found so much to write about, that today’s log will be about scientific careers, and tomorrow’s will focus on the non-scientific careers.
Of course, I had to begin my interviews with the man in charge: Commander Lawrence Krepp. CDR Krepp has been a NOAA Corps officer for over 20 years, and CO of the TJ since April of 2011. He particularly enjoys working on hydrographic ships, because they are the only ones in the fleet in which the CO is also the Chief Scientist. His background includes a degree in marine biology and work with the National Undersea Research Center. In addition to saving him from a meeting each day, the major perk to being Chief Scientist is that he is able to work much more closely with the FOO to accomplish the objectives of the science party while maintaining supervision of all of the ship’s operations. CDR Krepp is able to spend his mornings walking around the ship and checking in on the bridge, then the rest of his day is spent immersed in reviewing survey work and other administrative duties.
The CO puts a nautical trivia question in the night orders for his officers. He then checks their answers the next day.
On a more personal level, the CO mentioned that he wished he had more time to really work with the officers on their skills. CDR Krepp mentioned that he minored in education when he was in college, so it seems a little bit of the teacher still remains. Turnover on ships is very high because officers alternate every 2-3 years between sea and land assignments, therefore he will try to improve knowledge around the ship through spontaneous questioning on various scenarios that could occur. However, he always keeps an eye on the ship’s navigation systems to make sure the ship is safe and secure. If there was one aspect of his ship that the CO could change, it would be to improve the environmental treatment of the various waste streams on the TJ. An independent energy audit of the Thomas Jefferson was conducted in 2010, and CDR Krepp hopes to make improvements to the ship during his tenure as CO. Finally, the CO will do various things around the ship to help boost morale. The people that work on the ship give up a lot of personal freedoms, especially time with family, so the CO participates in some of the team-building around the ship. For example, he consented to have his hair cut by the winner of a ship-wide raffle. Proceeds from the raffle go directly back to planning events that can happen when at a port of call, such as going to a baseball game. Thanks for the interview, Captain!
Next in line was Lieutenant Commander Christiaan van Westendorp, otherwise known as the XO. The XO actually earned the rank of Lieutenant during his six years as a Navy Officer, a portion of which was spent on a nuclear-powered Navy submarine. Navy command structures do not generally transfer directly over to the NOAA Corps, so the XO had to spend nearly an additional year as an Ensign before being given his Lieutenant rank with NOAA. He spent two years as a FOO, and then was hired as XO of the NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler before coming to the TJ in November of 2012. LCDR van Westendorp will be on the TJ until the end of 2014, be given a land assignment for a few years, and then will most likely go to his final sea assignment as the CO and/or Chief Scientist of a NOAA ship. The XO is quick to point out that his career path is atypical of most NOAA officers, and he has been fortunate to be able to spend almost his entire NOAA career based out of Norfolk.
The XO is the main administrator, safety officer, and human resources officer on the ship, among other duties. These tasks involve a lot of paperwork, but also a lot of personal skills to work with any conflicts that might arise on the ship. His favorite part of his job is walking around the ship to keep in touch with everyone, and finding new challenges to tackle every day. LCDR van Westendorp echoes the opinion of many of the people I interviewed who just can’t get enough of the dynamism of life aboard a ship. Another aspect of the dynamism of the job is the exciting locales in which he has served. Since joining NOAA in September of 2005, the XO has had the opportunity to work in exotic locations such as Belize, Barbados, Suriname, Tahiti, and Hawaii. Thanks for the interview, XO!
I just bought a T-shirt from the ship store. Ensign Steve is in charge of keeping the store stocked and organized.
Working my way down the NOAA Corps Officers brought me to the second-newest officer on board, Ensign Steve Moulton. Ensign Moulton spent nine years in the Coast Guard, and has had to start over working his way up in the NOAA ranks. Right now, he feels that he is in a very heavy learning period of his career. Although he majored in an environmental field in college, he still had to attend hydrography school to learn the complex software and details of the ship’s work. Additionally, he is learning his way around a lot of collateral duties such as being the morale officer, the navigation officer, and running the ship store. Together with 8 hours of watch and processing hydrographic data, he is kept incredibly busy.
The major lesson that Ensign Moulton has internalized is to learn from your mistakes. Conditions on a ship, particularly while on the helm, change very quickly. He feels supported to spend time improving his skills, and has learned that any corrections from senior officers should only come once! Even so, Ensign Moulton enjoys the camaraderie of the ship, and being fortunate enough to spend his career on the water. He grew up in Rhode Island, and feels very connected to life at sea. Thanks for the interview, Ensign!
James and I are looking at side scan data. He is pointing at a contact that may be a wreck.
My final scientist interview actually spends very little of his time at sea. James Miller, Physical Scientist, spends about 6-10 weeks on various East Coast NOAA ships throughout the year. He has worked for NOAA for three years, and is based out of NOAA’s Norfolk office. James joins the TJ and the Hassler for short periods to augment their scientific work and support the survey department. James normally spends his time on shore conducting quality assurance on the surveys that come directly from NOAA’s fleet of hydro ships and hydrographic contractors. He will compile these surveys into preliminary charts that will eventually be sent off to cartographers. James has picked up the knowledge for this career through his degree in Geology, an internship with NOAA arranged through Earth Resources Technology, and on-the-job training.
Although most of James’s job occurs behind a desk, he has had the opportunity to participate in a few more exciting NOAA ventures. For example, during the Deepwater Horizon crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, James was tapped to augment on the Gordon Gunter. He has also been asked to augment on assignments to reopen major ports after large storms and hurricanes. These opportunities generally come following emergencies, so James may be asked to report to a ship with only 24 hours’ notice. Finally, as others have said, James’ favorite part of working for NOAA is the dynamism of the field. James feels that he is in a steady learning process as the field of hydrography continues to improve in technological capabilities and scientific methods. Thanks for the interview, James!
Personal Log
It is getting to that time where we will be headed to Norfolk soon. I have been growing steadily accustomed to life at sea, and am excited to share everything that I have learned. I think the major lesson I have taken from this experience is one of creativity. If you don’t look past what you have learned, you may never know what other opportunities exist. As a teacher, I also agree with the idea of dynamism being a huge motivation in a career. Every morning that I wake up, I have new lessons to teach and challenges to address. I hope to keep that perspective and sense of adventure when I return to my classroom in the fall.
Did You Know?
The nautical charts created by NOAA are available in digital format for free public use. Hydrographic data is collected by NOAA ships, as well as with the cooperation of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
