Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (Leg 4)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, California Coast
Today’s Date: August 23, 2025
Weather Data from the Bridge:
Latitude: 44° 00.5’N
Longitude: 124° 28.0′ W
Wind speed: 15 kts.
Wave height: 2 ft.
Air temp.: 16° C (61° F)
Sky: Clear
Science and Technology Log:
When attempting something for the last time, it can be nice to end on a high note, or in other words, to go out with a bang. Our last CPS, coastal pelagic species, haul of this mission was a high note. Not only did we catch almost exclusively our target, but the speed and efficiency with which we processed the catch was the finest of this mission. While we were in the middle of processing, it struck me how we knew our roles and communication was no longer about how and what to do, but was clear and concise. It was a team communicating to get a job done.
I especially felt much more confident and helpful. I was able to sort the catch, collect and enter the data, collect the otoliths, and assist in the clean up. I am still not as fast as my far more experienced teammates on this excursion at collecting the otoliths, but I think they were surprised at how much quicker I was this time.
Mostly today we caught jack mackerel. We had so many that we needed to use the hopper and the conveyor belt to make the processing go more quickly. This was the first time that we needed to use it on this trip. It was fun to see how excited everyone was.
Using the conveyor belt.Holding a Jack Mackerel.
I also had the opportunity to deploy a second drifter buoy during this mission. The last one was deployed during the night, but this one was during the day. This one was marked with a special message, “GO PACK GO!”, as well as the names of my students and my children. I cannot wait to see where they go and how long they are at sea. According to the global drifter array, the closest one right now is from South Korea and has been in the water over 1400 days! I hope this one can match that. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating in the Adopt a Drifter program, you can find more information on how to participate by clicking the link.
The drifter is ready to be deployed.Drifter overboard!
The end of this mission is here and my work is finished. There is much work ahead still for many of the scientists on board with me using the data we collected while at sea. Analyzing the data plays a huge part in helping to make informed decisions about commercial fishing and keeping the pacific CPS populations healthy.
Personal Log:
In The Return of the King, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, “Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the sea comes the end of our fellowship.” Often it can be bittersweet when a chapter in your life comes to an end. This is a small part of my life but an experience that will stay with me for a lifetime. I am saddened to see it come to an end, and I am eager to get back home too. I learned a lot and I met great people. I think what I will miss the most is learning about so many new creatures and being in one place with so many experts in their fields. I will definitely not miss fighting sea sickness though.
This was a terrific program and I am honored that I had the opportunity to participate in the Teacher at Sea program. I started this project looking for a new adventure to bring back into my classroom and to try to inspire my students to go out and do new and exciting things for themselves. I feel that with the friendships I have made and the knowledge I have gained I am ready to enhance my lessons for my students for years to come.
Last morning at Sea.
On our way back home.
Back in Newport with some of the scientists.
Did You Know?
There are more than 33,000 different types of fish species. That is greater than all of the other vertebrate species (mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles) combined, and there are likely more fish still to be discovered.
Can you identify this species?
*Hint – I am holding one in the picture above. It’s a Jack Mackerel. Jack mackerels are the biggest of the CPS that we are looking for on the West Coast Pelagics Survey. You can identify them by their dark blue-green coloration on top and their silver below.
Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (Leg 4)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, California Coast
Today’s Date: August 13, 2025
Weather Data from the Bridge:
Latitude: 42° 06.3’N
Longitude: 124° 35.0′ W
Wind speed: 2.4 kts.
Wave height: 1-2 ft.
Air temp.: 12.3° C (54° F)
Sky: Fog
Science and Technology Log
While I was sleeping, the net that we helped set out was brought back in with a haul of hake. Exactly what the morning crew was looking for! It was almost entirely hake, which made the processing extremely straight forward. Some might be inclined to think that this is exactly what science is supposed to look like.
Fast forward to my shift again and shortly after we woke up, there was a haul that was ready to be brought in. We were all very excited for our first chance to process a catch. Well, this time when the net was brought up, it was awfully full. We were excited about the possibility of going through the catch and finding our target CPS, Coastal Pelagic Species. However, it was almost entirely full of krill, and did not have a single specimen of what we were looking for. Now, some might think that this means our haul was a failure and/or it was bad science.
Those people would be wrong. While the first two hauls of this leg of the survey are diametrically different, they are both good. Science requires good data. Data is good when it is reliably accurate. It doesn’t matter if it is larger numbers or zeros. So, in our case, while we didn’t get the information we were looking for, we now know that what we did had a result of zero for our targeted CPS . We also know that where we fished resulted in a catch of krill. This is knowledge that we can use next time to help us get what we are after.
About to empty the first catch.A lot of krill.
In the second catch we did get a few different species. We caught: North Pacific krill, moon jellyfish, and a handful of eulachon. The eulachon were all weighed and measured for length.
Personal Log
Today is my brother’s birthday. Happy birthday! I am feeling much better. I continue to take the sea sickness prevention medicine, but I think I have found my sea legs. I am starting to feel like I know my way around NOAA Ship Shimada more and more, or at least the places I am supposed to go. 🙂 I was happy to make it from my bunk, down past the wet lab and acoustics lab, through the hall, past the mess, down some steps, through a room I never need to stop at, and to the laundry on my very first try! Our ship even has two places to work out. I am not brave enough to try a treadmill when the boat is rocking, but I did take an opportunity to do some jump rope.
I am amazed by the engineers who think through everything that needs to be done to make a ship like ours work. It is a maze of rooms, cords, and more, but all of it is well thought out and has a purpose.
I was a little disappointed today. We had a little extra time in between work during my shift so I went out to check on the stars, but it was foggy out so I could only see a few feet away. But I am learning a lot and having a ton of fun. It will be interesting to see what it will be like when we are getting more and larger hauls in a single shift.
Also, it’s a big deal back in Milwaukee, but the Brewers have won 11 games in a row. One more tonight means free burgers in the city! When I spoke with my wife and kids, they were definitely hoping for a win tonight. Let’s go Brew Crew!
Measuring a fishEnjoying my work in the wet lab
Did You Know?
The eulachon is also known as the candle fish. It got the name from the fact that it is so oily that if you dry the fish out, you can light the tail on fire and it will burn like a candle. In the past, the eulachon was prized for its oil. The oil will even be solid at room temperature, similar to butter.
Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (Leg 4)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, California Coast
Today’s Date: August 12, 2025
Weather Data from the Bridge:
Latitude: 43° 06.2’N
Longitude: 124° 38.8′ W
Wind speed: 9.2 kts.
Wave height: 1-2 ft.
Air temp.: 13° C (55° F)
Sky: Overcast
Science and Technology Log
An often paraphrased quote by Robert Burns goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Well, maybe that phrase also applies to fish.
The original plans for this leg of the survey were to head out to sea on August 8th. However, a winch on NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada stopped working before we took off. The winch is important as it helps to bring in the net which we need to catch the fish. It was a two day repair.
Then on the 10th we were all aboard and ready to leave when the wind decided to kick up. It was coming in at such an angle and strength that we did not have enough power to push away from the dock safely. So, we stayed in port for another night. We made the most of it by walking to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It was amazing to be with the scientists as we walked through the exhibits. They have so much knowledge and experience working with the creatures on display.
Thankfully, the next day, the wind cooperated, and right around 14:50 on August 11th, we were able to set off. There were cheers and fist pumps as we began our journey.
In our mission we are taking a survey of the West Coast Pelagics, but specifically we are looking for five main fish: Pacific sardine, jack mackerel, northern anchovy, Pacific mackerel, and Pacific hake. I will be focusing on CPS, Coastal Pelagic Species, which are the sardines, anchovies, and both mackerels. Those will be caught during the night time shift that I will be working, midnight to noon. The reason we catch them at night is that during the day they are spread out and feeding, but at night they come back together for safety.
This is important work because with the data we collect we will know more about the population, size, and location of the populations and that provides guidance on what should be done for commercial fishing of those populations. One way we are able to be more efficient in catching the fish is by using certain tools to help us know where the fish are. We use acoustics technology to determine where, how many, and what kind of fish.
Today I helped get a TDR, Temperature Depth Recorder, ready to attach to the net. This sends information back to the ship about the depth of the net and the temperature of the water. The information when combined with what we know from the acoustics helps us catch what we are after.
Me holding a TDR that is ready to be attached to the net.
Personal Log
Once again following the theme of the day, adaptation has been key. I knew my schedule going into this adventure was going to require me to change my sleep schedule. Once the departure date was thrown back three days, there was also no way for me to keep the midnight to noon schedule. So, I am back today trying to adjust.
I am also trying to adapt to the motion of the sea. I brought sea sickness medicine and have been taking it regularly as prescribed, but I am still feeling the effects of the motion a little bit. One good trick has been getting outside and looking at the horizon. That has helped quite a bit. I also enjoy being in the wet lab. It is a bigger space and that is helping me fight back the queasy feeling.
The food onboard has been terrific. I am eating well. Our main steward’s name is Phil. He makes some amazing food. That is one thing I have not had to adjust to in any way.
I have the internet and am able to make Wi-Fi calls. Back home there was a flash flood. A lot of friends and family are dealing with the loss of their things. Thankfully, I have not heard any reports of people having been hurt. It is tough to be away from friends and family. Thankfully, everyone on board has been really nice. It makes a tough situation easier when you have friends to talk with. I am looking forward to not feeling sea sick soon and having amazing learning experiences in the days and weeks ahead.
Pulling in our first catch!
Did You Know?
Greenwich Mean Time is the local time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwhich, England where the Prime Meridian was established in 1884. It is used as a reference point for telling time all around the world. On the ship it can be difficult to keep track of time. The GMT is a way for all of us who come from different time zones and are on different schedules to keep track of what time things are happening.
Can you identify this species?
Northern Anchovy – The rounded “nose” and the muppet style face are easy identifiers.
Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (Leg 2)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, California Coast
Date: July 3, 2025
Weather Data from the Bridge
7 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time
Currently, the air temperature is 14.3°C (57.7°F). The wind speed is 8.2 knots.
Science and Technology Log
These are some of the people in my new neighborhood! There are many different jobs and career titles on board NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. It is an interesting learning experience investigating the human work that goes on at sea. The ship occupations are broken down into the following categories: science, engineering, ship management, NOAA Corps, survey technology, electronics, and stewarding. Today, I will be writing about the scientists.
Science
On the science side, many different scientists are doing fascinating work on board. Here I will review just a few. Many of the scientists have PhDs and work in the exact field they researched in their graduate studies. Sabrina, Zach, and Melissa are fish biologists. They work directly in the lab, counting, dissecting, and investigating the health, population, and biology of the fish.
Sabrina, Fish BiologistZach, BiologistMelissa, Fish Biologist and Project Coordinator
Most of their work on this voyage is focused on two different types of fish populations: hake, and coastal pelagic species (CPS) (which include Pacific sardine, Pacific mackerel, Jack Mackerel, Northern Anchovy, Market Squid, and Krill.)
In addition to the biologists, we have a research economist, a software engineer, and a satellite oceanographer on board. These three scientists have volunteered to be on the ship for both the adventure and to get a better understanding of how their work combines with other NOAA research.
Phoebe, Research EconomistCara, Satellite OceanographerMelina, Software Engineer
For example, Melina helped expand, adapt, and add functionality to a computer program called CLAMS: Catch Logger for Acoustic Midwater Surveys. The scientists work with this program in the wet lab to capture and record important data about the fish populations they are studying.
Homescreen for the CLAMS computer program
Personal Log
On the first day at sea, we practiced safety drills for fire/emergency and for the unusual occurrence of having to abandon ship. Being able to put on a survival suit is critical to an individual’s safety in the event of having to enter the water because it will protect them from hypothermia. In these photos, our crew is on deck and practicing drills to get into the survival suit. It is a bit like trying to put a chicken into a prom dress, but I managed to get it on with a little help and instructions from my crewmates.
Jojo works on getting her left arm into the survival suit
Next step is the hood…
Ta da!
Did You Know?
On board the NOAA ship Bell M. Shimada, there is a specialized acoustics lab that plays a vital role in scientific research. Currently, this lab is actively collecting meteorological, geophysical, and biological data from along the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Meteorological data includes information about weather conditions, such as wind patterns, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. Geophysical data refers to the physical characteristics of the seafloor, including its composition, structure, and topography. Meanwhile, biological data focuses on the living organisms found in this underwater environment—particularly the fish species being studied. Together, this data provides crucial information concerning the ocean’s dynamic systems that propel scientific work.
Biological data is especially essential for the scientists aboard the NOAA ship Bell M. Shimada. To collect this information, the ship uses sound waves that are sent down into the water to detect fish. When these sound waves encounter schools of fish, they bounce back and generate an image on a monitor. Chief Scientist Rebecca Thomas explains that this process is similar to the echolocation used by dolphins to navigate and locate food in the ocean.
Expanding on this, research fish scientist Steve De Blois describes how the resulting acoustic map helps identify different species. For example, hake appear as a green, wavy snake deep in the epipelagic, or sunlight zone; rockfish resemble haystacks near the seafloor; and coastal pelagic species (CPS) show up as a red ball closer to the surface.
Since the Shimada is focused on fish research, the scientists rely heavily on this acoustic technology to locate and study their target species with precision.
Weather at 1300 Pacific Standard Time on Friday 19 July 2019
We’re rockin’ and rollin’ out to sea. This transect carries us 138 miles off the coast, and the winds are steady at 35-40 knots. Waves keep slapping up over the deck outside our lab. I’m watching it through a window. As the boat rocks back and forth, the full frame of the window alternates between powder blue sky and foamy, purple blue sea. We’ve started tacking (zig-zag) through the water so we can minimize the effect of the roll. But with 12 foot waves, it’s only a minimal aide to our comfort. We’ve rolled a full 35° and pitched about 15° throughout the day. Though I haven’t been outside to compare it to other days, the temperature on the monitor reads 17° Celsius. With the strong breeze, I must assume it feels colder than that outside.
PERSONAL LOG
Let’s talk about seasickness. It rattles everyone from the novice to the career fisherman. It depends on sea state and state of mind. The rougher the weather, the more people seem to feel woozy and nauseated. There’s no pattern I can see between people who are new versus people who have been at this a while. It doesn’t seem to get any better with experience. Almost everyone I’ve talked to has taken some sort of motion sickness medication at some point over the last three weeks for some reason. I’d like to believe that the more healthy you are going into it – physically fit, decent diet – the more stoic your stomach will be, but I haven’t seen a connection in that respect either.
All I know, is that some people are sick and some are not. Differences? Medication is one. We’re all taking different types. Of those I’ve seen wearing a patch, they are not feeling well. I’ve been taking Bonine and I’ve felt great the whole trip. Bonine is a chewable tablet that you only need once each day. I took it for the first few days, stopped taking it, then started again when the weather forecast looked bleak. I’ve found that if it’s in my system before the waves get choppy, then I fair well through the storm.
Another difference is attitude. Of the people who are not feeling well, those who smile and take it in stride are able to spend more time out of their staterooms focused on the task at hand – whatever their role may be. Distraction is a bonus. It’s not like you have a virus that is running its course. If you can get yourself good and distracted, it eases the symptoms and provides some relief.
And also, sleep. There is a definite connection between quality of sleep and symptoms of sea sickness. I’ve seen a solid nap cure a couple people of their ails. Thankfully, due to a little bit of luck and a little bit of Bonine, the waves lull me to sleep each night so I wake feeling rested and I do not contend with nausea during the day. All in all, the best combination I could have hoped for.
And then there are the folks who need no meds at all and they feel fine. Lucky ducks.
THE
SCIENCE
Jack Mackerel Otolith Under a Microscope photo taken by Bryan Overcash, Fisheries Biologist
Fifteen hundred years ago, a thousand years before Magellen’s crew successfully sailed around the world, sailors used otoliths to divine whether rough or fair seas awaited them on their journey. During the era of John Smith and Peter Stuyvesant, some Europeans recognized the otolith as medicinal with the ability to cure colic, kidney stones, and persistent fevers. If you’re truly interested in the legends associated with the otolith, you should read the brief and probably only account of Fish Otoliths and Folklore ever published. Though primarily informative, it reads with a touch of humor and it’s easy to tell that Christopher Duffin enjoyed researching the topic. As did I!
The science of otoliths as they’re used in the modern era is even more incredible than the folklore. You can determine the age of a fish by reading the annuli on its otolith under a microscope just as a botanist might count the rings on a tree to determine its age. The bands themselves can tell scientists how fast a fish grew and whether it went through periods of slower growth or not. The unique chemistry in each ring can also be studied to learn just about anything you’d want to know from that year – water temperature, migration patterns, what the fish ate, and how healthy it was. Since the shape of an otolith is unique to its species, we can even study the stomach contents and feces of other animals like sea lions or predatory fish to build a picture of their diets. Scientists use this information to craft complex food webs.
Anthropologists find otoliths in ancient scrap food piles called middens that are still intact and can shine light on the diets of bygone cultures. On this trip we’re saving fish for scientists at the San Diego Natural History Museum so they can compare bones from the coastal pelagic species with bones that they’ve excavated from archaeological expeditions.
Jack Mackerel Otolith on my Keyboard
But what is an otolith? Some call it an earstone. The otolith is a small structure of calcium carbonate that accumulates throughout a lifetime. Where humans have an ear canal, fish have an otic capsule that houses, actually, three symmetrical otoliths on each side of its head. When people say otolith though, they’re typically referring to the sagitta which is the largest one (in most fish) and is usually situated just behind the stem of the brain. Those are the ones we’re collecting during the Coastal Pelagic Species Survey. It takes such a concerted effort to collect them each night that one of the interns, Hilliard Hicks, started calling it the Otolympics!
To get to it is not pretty. The otoliths are situated within the brain cavity, posterior and ventral to the brain itself. The easiest way to get to them in a Jack Mackerel without breaking the otoliths is to first make a vertical incision where the base of the fish’s head meets its body. Then, turning the fish onto its side, you make another cut across the top of the fish’s head from one eye to the other. You’re essentially cutting off and removing a rectangular section at the top of the head to reveal the brain cavity. Then, after removing the brain, you get easy access to the otic capsule where the otoliths sit. Using small forceps or tweezers, we pull them out, dry them off, and encapsulate each fish’s sagittae in a vial for further study back on land. Multiply that process by about 75-100 and add weight and length measurements, and you get a sense of what our routine is after each trawl. We usually have 3-5 people attending to the task and it takes us roughly 45 minutes.
Collecting an Otolith: The Initial Vertical Cut
Collecting an Otolith: Extracting the Otolith from the Brain Cavity
Collecting an Otolith: Transferring Otolith to a Capsule
Collecting an Otolith: Organizing the Capsules for the Lab
If you’d like, you can try determining the age of a fish without all the mess. This interactive Age Reading Demonstration website from NOAA is a great one for someone interested in the topic. It can also be used with students. New technology for aging otoliths seems to be on the horizon for scientists as well.
The main component of an otolith, calcium carbonate, is used today for lots of familiar medicines. While not derived from an otolith itself, it is still notable that calcium carbonate is a very common substance in pharmacology. We use it in antacids to neutralize the acid in our upset stomachs, to boost calcium thereby warding off osteoporosis, and to save us from enduring heartburn. It’s no wonder people used to pop otoliths in their mouth to cure what they identified as kidney stones. Maybe on some level, it really did help to assuage pain associated with their stomachs and digestion. In 2015, a team of scientists published a study in the Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research to share how they’ve been researching the use of otoliths with diabetes. There are far easier ways to collect stores of calcium carbonate, but the study shows that interest in otoliths stems not just to ichthyology, but also to climatology, anthropology, and pharmacology. It is an important little item.
Don’t have diabetes or an upset stomach? Not looking to see what the folks were eating in your neighborhood 500 years ago? Maybe you’d like to add an otolith to your wardrobe instead. In Alaska there are a couple of different places you could stop to purchase otoliths as jewelry. When used in earrings they look like tiny little feathers. A unique gift item for sure.
TEACHING CONNECTIONS
Stick with me for a minute while I get to my point. Earlier this week one of the scientists taught me about ctenophores (pronounced teen-a-fours with emphasis on the first syllable). They’re a type of zooplankton that look like translucent globes. If you’ve ever blown a bubble and watched it shimmer in the sunlight, that is exactly what they look like under a microscope. Except now visualize that bubble with eight longitudinal stripes lined with hundreds of little hairs. This orb is a living creature called a ctenophore.
Later, while I was reading on my own to research otoliths, I stumbled across the word ctenoids. A ctenoid scale on a fish has many little cilia (tiny hairs or spikes) all around its edge. “Cteno-“ can be traced back to Latin or Greek origins to mean “little comb” and I was able to use that understanding to help me visualize a ctenoid fish scale. So, here’s my point. If it weren’t for that short exchange with the scientist earlier this week about ctenophores, I would have breezed right past the word ctenoid while reading without ever having paused to visualize what the fish scale looked like. I would not have learned as much while I was researching on my own.
As teachers, we can’t possibly know all the things our students will come across in a day. By teaching them Latin and Greek word parts that align to our curriculum, they stand a better chance of connecting their lives outside the classroom to our class content.
Prefixes, suffixes, and root words are used in every discipline to help identify concepts and patterns. Don’t teach them in the abstract, instead teach them in word groupings so our students’ brains have something to latch onto. I particularly enjoy using root word tree images. Spending 15 minutes per week going over a root word tree with students, and providing them a digital link so they can look over it again at their leisure, is an excellent way to ignite a conversation in your discipline.
If I were a history teacher for example, I might choose to start a unit on modern democracy by passing out copies of the “dem: people” root word tree, telling each student to write a paragraph at the bottom of the page with whatever comes to mind while they’re looking at the tree. Then they could walk around the room sharing their writing with their classmates and highlighting patterns they find in the responses. They’ll hopefully never forget that a democracy is a government built of the people, by the people, and for the people (as the famous saying goes). At the very least, they’ll understand why the first three words of the preamble are “We the people…” and how a democracy is different from other forms of government like a monarchy, theocracy, and dictatorship.
