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.
Geographic Area of Cruise: Northwest Atlantic Ocean
Date: August 11, 2025
Weather Data from Bridge: Latitude: 3956.51 N Longitude: 07043.5 W Relative Wind speed: 17 Wind Direction: 336 Air Temperature: 23.6 Sea Surface Temperature: 24.965 Barometric Pressure: 1022.81 Speed Over Ground: 9.8 Water Conductivity: 5.326 Water Salinity: 35.03125
Miles and Dorothy launch the drifter!
First, Janice from NC is asking about the drifters! In my first blog I mentioned the Global Drifter Program. Since 1979 countries have been placing and monitoring drifters around the world to better understand and make better predictions . Amanda, Miles and I launched the last of our drifters yesterday.
Sam Ouertani, CIMAS (UMiami/NOAA) Research Associate, provided the following answers to Janice’s questions: How long are the drifters collecting information? > Drifters typically collect data until the drifter runs aground, the batteries die, or the sensors die. Most drifters are able to collect data for 450 days, however they typically lose their drogue within a year. Without a drogue, data from drifters cannot be used to accurately estimate the surface current velocities, but drifters are still able to measure sea surface temperature and other parameters if equipped with additional sensors.
Are there cameras on the drifters? > Unfortunately, Global Drifter Program drifters don’t have cameras but several programs in NOAA have started to add cameras. The National Data Buoy Center has added cameras to almost 100 buoys. I believe the Arctic Buoy Program has started adding cameras to observe sea ice conditions, but footage is not yet available.
Do they collect data about depth of the ocean? >Drifters only collect data at the surface of the ocean; therefore they don’t measure any parameters below the surface, and they do not measure sea floor depth. Another NOAA program, Argo, collects temperature, salinity, and pressure below the ocean surface, but Argo floats do not reach the bottom of the ocean.
Where’s the deepest part? >The deepest part of the ocean is the Challenger Deep, 35,876 feet deep or over 6.7 miles deep, located in the Mariana Trench. Humans measured this depth by lowering a rope from a submersible vehicle.
Thank you Sam for such thorough answers, and thank you Janice for asking! You can find more information about the drifters we launched here.
Second, an answer to the math problem from the last BLOG: On the First Christmas Bird Count, 18,500 individual birds were logged by the 27 participants. On average, 685 birds were seen by each person. That’s a lot of birds! (The numbers 25, 89, and 1990 were not used to solve the problem.) How do you think that number compares to today’s counts?
Engineers Drew, Glen, and Eric on NOAA Ship Pisces
Science at Sea: If steel is heavier than water, how does the 1840-metric ton Pisces stay afloat? Her density, that’s how! The total volume of water she displaces (including steel, people, parts, and air) must have less mass than that same volume of saltwater. Saltwater’s density is 1.025 g/mL, that’s more dense than freshwater, making it easier for you to float in the ocean. You might remember the Titanic sank when it hit an iceberg, ripping the hull and allowing water to enter and add more mass to the ship.
I recently was given a tour of Pisces hull space by the fabulous Engineering Department. They literally make everything run.
Safety is paramount
With ear plugs safely protecting my eardrums, we traveled down into the engine space. Safety is paramount. Fire stations can reach any point on the ship with 2 different hoses. There are 2 or 4 of everything – fire hoses, engines, generators, AC units, proportion motors, you name it – because EVERYTHING needs a backup. There are traditional CO2 fire extinguishers, but I’ve never been to a school that had a CO2 flooding system like the engine room has. Carbon-dioxide (CO2) breaks the oxygen side of the fire triangle by displacing oxygen in the combustion reaction, effectively stopping the reaction. If you were taught to “stop, drop, and roll,” you learned another way to smother the fire. The CO2 flooding system is so powerful that it cannot be used without doing a full body count of the people onboard to make sure no one is in the engine room.
Engineer EricEngineer TravisDorothy tours the engine roomOily water separator
Engineers Eric (left) and Travis (right) show Dorothy how water, electricity, and power are provided
Our first stop was the water maker unit. The water needed for cooking, bathing, and drinking can be distilled from ocean water or processed through reverse osmosis. Both options are available on Pisces. Past the expansion tanks and power distribution units Engineer Eric pointed out the refrigeration system for our Chemistry lab above. We freeze chlorophyll samples taken in one of our CTD projects in an ultra low freezer maintained at -75oC. I was looking at the equipment that was making the freezer work. Air compressors, generators, and motors make the 600-volt electricity on board, step it down to 480 volts for the major machinery, and down even farther to 110 volts for the outlet in my stateroom to charge my cellphone.
Dorothy takes notes during her tour of the engine room
We continued inspecting the machinery that runs Pisces and enables our teams to fulfil our mission. Another piece of equipment that resembles an instrument from our chemistry lab is the centrifuge. It is used to purify the diesel fuel. These pull out the heavier impurities and store water, the lightest part of the mixture, underneath. You might have seen centrifuges at work in the dairy industry. Understanding the science of the engine room helps the science outside the engine room work even better!
Schematic (bottom left) of the 2 generators and 2 propulsion motors (down walkway on right). Water maker unit (top left) and refrigeration system (middle left) .
More information on Pisces: The ship is 206 feet long, is capable of trawling up to 6,000 feet, and can lift 8,000 pounds. She also has a “quiet hull” which helps reduce underwater sound. Maybe that’s why the whales and dolphins get so close?!
Feel the power!
You do the Math: If each of the engine’s cylinders displacement is 51 liters, and it has 12 cylinders, what is the total displacement of the engine? Compare this with a car engine which holds 2-3 liters. Check in the next blog post for the answer.
To increase the speed of the ship requires an increase in power, but this is not a directly proportional relationship. Doubling the speed requires the power to be cubed. Engineer Eric described the importance of understanding fuel use on ships, math is money! Large container ships easily spend $300,000 a day on fuel. Saving 1% translates to $30,000 savings.
Styrofoam science experiment…. submerged 500 meters…. inverse relationship between pressure and volume predicts the air pockets in the styrofoam will decrease when the pressure is increased. What do you think will happen?
Interesting Things: I am surprised by the ways I have been prepared for life on a boat by classroom life in a public school. At West Johnston High School, in Benson, NC, we have fire drills at least once a month. On a boat, we have safety drills at least once a week. The horn blows a series of long and/or short blasts to let us know if there is a fire, a “MAN OVERBOARD”, or if we need to “ABANDON SHIP!”
Everyone must get into their Gumby suit in less than a minute during an emergency fire drill. The FRB (Fast Reserve Boat) practices the man overboard rescue!
The Science team on NOAA Ship Pisces EcoMon Summer 2025
Career Spotlight: Meet NOAA Ship Pisces’ new CO! Commander Sinquefield.
Commander Sinquefield, NOAA Ship Pisces
Did you know there was a Change of Command last month? Our new CO brings a wealth of knowledge and a desire to be a good leader. He showed me around the bridge this week and shared some of his background (BTW, the view on the bridge is amazing!). CDR Sinquefield’s command philosophy is to respect yourself, respect your shipmates, and respect your ship. Likewise, take care of yourself, take care of your shipmates, and take care of your ship. He believes in personal communication and fresh air.
The things he likes about being CO? He likes seeing things you just can’t see on shore, the continuity of historical traditions (like the language, for instance the word “starboard,” has had meaning for 1000 years), training, the opportunity to put into action leadership skills that he was taught and learned through leaders he admired, and regulations. OK, regulations might be pushing it, but he did say he had great respect for the loss of life that has prompted many of the regulations in the shipping industry today.
Growing up in Mississippi, he joined the Coast Guard to complete the trifecta of working in cotton fields, chicken plants, and river tugboats. CDR Sinquefield worked on three different ships while in the Coast Guard, hauled more 80-lb batteries up Alaskan mountains to replenish navigation lights than he’d care to remember, and became familiar with NOAA projects that informed fisheries reports on the west coast. He left the Coast Guard as ship assignments became highly competitive as the service was taking older ships offline at a greater rate then they were being replaced. He left the USCG and he joined NOAA as a civilian, later joining NOAA’s uniformed service, the NOAA Corps.
CO teaches the teacher about maps available for navigation. ENS Howsman (top right) stands watch on the bridge. The center of the circular device (bottom right) spins so fast during cold weather it keeps the area ice free.
CDR Sinquefield was able to earn his commercial shipping license, but doesn’t plan on driving a Mississippi tug boat anytime soon. He stands firm with NOAA’s of 10,000 people, 7 line offices, 15 research and survey ships, and 10 specialized environmental data collecting aircraft. The extraordinary mammals – we’re talking seals and blue whales here – affirm his career choice every. single. day.
Personal Log
Life on is very different from life on land. We work 12-hour shifts. Everyone gets to walk to work – I take 53 steps (10 of them are down 1 staircase) from my cabin door to the door of the dry lab. I take 19 steps to the mess hall for lunch and dinner. There are 67 steps (up 3 staircases) from my door to the Flying Bridge where I see gulls, Mola mola, a full view of the sun in the day, and a sky load of stars at night. I am there now, working on this Blog post when I am not distracted by nature.
Dorothy “working” on this BLOG on the Flying Bridge
One thing that is the same on a boat is the need to wash clothes (probably more frequently since everything had to fit in a carry-on bag and I needed that fleece sleeping bag just in case!). Here is a picture of the laundry room. The ship has 3 washers, 3 dryers, and all the detergent you need.
Dorothy checks out the washer and dryer on board. Detergent is provided. The most important rule when using is to clean out the dryer lint trap before AND after using. Extra Credit if you can tell me why!
Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Coast of Florida
Date: August 5, 2025 11:25 PM
Weather Data from the Bridge
Latitude: 34° 40.1455′ N Longitude:075° 45.5686′ W Wind speed: 8 kts Wave height: 1 m Air temp.: 29.4 C Sky: Clear
Science and Technology Log
Yesterday we reached our northernmost station, off the coast of Cape Hatteras. These shark lovers were hoping to catch a great white there, and we had two lines that were bitten through, so there may have been one that escaped (his name was Winston, in case you were wondering).
Large tiger shark that bent the hook and swam away before we could cradle and measure her. The top hook was straightened by the tiger shark on the left! Bottom hook for comparison.
During that station we caught two Atlantic sharpnose sharks, a large tiger shark (estimated to by 2.25 meters, or more than 7 feet long), a baby tiger shark (0.87 meters, or a little less than 3 feet), and a male great hammerhead shark that was 2.71 meters (almost 9 feet!) long.
Great hammerhead shark waiting to be hoisted alongside the ship for tagging and measuring.
I was so excited that I was able to tag and fin-clip the great hammerhead! From not really having much background experience with or knowledge of sharks beyond dogfish, I have had a tremendous exposure to these apex predators!
Photos: decorations on Drifter #3, launched by Josh and Sean south of Cape Hatteras on Tuesday night.
Near the next station, we were able to launch the third drifter close to the Gulf Stream. I can’t wait to share the information about these drifters with my students! The Adopt a Drifter program has lesson plans that you can check out here: Adopt a Drifter Teacher Resources.
Our goal in launching these drifters was to put them into the Gulf Stream to see how they behave. Perhaps they will all stay in the Gulf Stream, or perhaps they will veer out because of eddies. We shall see!
Interview with Gretchen Kruizenga
Gretchen Kruizenga, senior survey technician on NOAA Ship Oregon II, explaining to new staff the purpose and procedure for launching the CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Density) apparatus.
Gretchen, the ship’s senior survey technician, always has a smile on her face. She has been so helpful and supportive to me as a newbie on this project, and I appreciate her level-headed guidance and patient encouragement as I learn all the new things. Gretchen’s high energy level and enthusiasm is appreciated. She works with the science crew to bait hooks, then she hustles to collect water quality data from the CTD (short for conductivity, temperature, and depth). Gretchen grew up in Walworth, WI (graduating from Big Foot High School!), then earned a degree in Biological Sciences (minoring in Environmental Science) from Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Her avid affection for sharks is contagious. She has had an amazing breadth of experiences so far, which led her to this job in January 2023.
Why is your work important?
“My job is vital for keeping the scientific operations running. For example, when a sensor breaks, I can replace it to keep them collecting water quality information for the survey.”
What are your responsibilities? This position is new to me.
“I am in charge of maintaining and operating scientific sensors and oceanographic sampling equipment. My job on this vessel is different than on other NOAA vessels because since this ship is small, I also stand a science watch.”
What do you enjoy most about your work?
“I love being able to work on my two biggest career passions: water quality data collection and scientific data collection. I consider myself to be the luckiest person on the ship.”
What tool do you use in your work that you could not live without?
“I’d have to say multimeter. It allows me to figure out if cables are broken or if sensors are getting enough power without having to bring the whole apparatus into the lab.”
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
“My dad took me to see the ocean for the first time at South Padre Island, TX, when I was 9 years old. I knew then that I wanted the ocean in my life in any capacity it could be. I originally wanted to work for National Geographic to write blogs about places around the world. I got an internship in South Africa with Oceans Research, where I fell in love with sharks. When I’m not on Oregon II, I work with American Shark Conservancy out of Jupiter, FL, to collect water quality data and shark information on recreational shark ecotourism diving boats. I gave a presentation at the American Elasmobranch Society in 2023 about that citizen science work. We collect data that would otherwise be missed.
“I found this job when I googled “NOAA shark research” and found out about this [bottom longline] survey. I’ve always wanted to work with Trey [Driggers] on this shark survey. Being able to contribute to the stock assessment data that I’ve been looking at for years is crazy.”
What is the toughest part of your job?
“The toughest part of my job is keeping a healthy work-life balance. The needs of the ship means being away a lot, which impacts maintaining social relationships.”
What part of your job with NOAA did you least expect to be doing?
“I do more electrical work than expected. I have to read a lot of manuals because there aren’t a lot of people who can answer those questions for me.”
How do you help wider audiences to understand and appreciate NOAA science?
“Coming from an outreach background, I love to share everything I learn with others. I share links and stories on Instagram to get the message out there to anyone who will listen. I do wish we had more outreach opportunities.”
Do you have any outside hobbies?
“I like to make epoxy waves (www.etsy.com/shop/GretchenEpoxSeas), kickbox, and scuba. I like to see my friends. I like to push myself out of my comfort zone. I love to travel (favorite place is Iceland).”
What do you think you would be doing if you were not working for NOAA?
“This is my dream job, but if I can’t work here anymore, I would try to do anything that combines my technical expertise with sharks.“
Personal Log
This time is flying by, and yet every day seems to blend into the next. We have a television on in the science lab while we are moving between stations, and yesterday a Meg (Megalodon) marathon was on… I I loved the quote from the movie, but the portrayal of a long-thought-extinct shark coming back to kill all the people was a little more than I wanted to think about (spoiler alert: especially when one megalodon launched itself out of the water and onto the research vessel in the movie…)
Although I am not going to officially interview her, I want to give a shoutout to Tera Winters, the other watch member who is affiliated with the University of Miami’s Cooperative Institute for Marine And Atmospheric Studies. Tera has been a veterinarian in Tallahassee and Panama City, FL, but has added marine science to her skill set. Tera takes pride in working efficiently, particularly when she is back in the lab processing otoliths (ear stones) from bony fishes to estimate growth rates and ages of individual fish. This information is a critical part of the stock assessment information, because managers need to know how long it takes (in addition to size) for fish of a certain species to reach sexual maturity. Tera has been responsible for FT-NIRS scanning, imaging, weighing, and ageing thousands of otoliths from red snapper. Without this information, the catch limits of red snapper may be miscalculated. I have been privileged to work with such amazing professionals.
Did You Know?
Sharks were around 200 million years before the dinosaurs, and they have persisted for 450 million years. Don’t you think it would be a tragic event if humans caused the extinction of any of the over 500 species of sharks that have been identified?
Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Coast of Florida
Date: July 30, 2025
Weather Data from the Bridge
Latitude: 28° 35.1’ N
Longitude: 080° 14.9’ W
Wind speed: 9 knots
Wave height: 0-1 ft.
Air temp.: 31.3° C (88° F)
Sky: Few clouds
Science and Technology Log
Before I begin, my friend asked if we have a streaming presence. Although we do not, NOAA supports a website that tells where NOAA Ship Oregon II (and the rest of the fleet) is located at this link: https://coastwatch.noaa.gov/cwn/apps/noaa-shipwatch.html. This week we are completing many stations off the Florida coast and have made it as far north as Cape Canaveral.
On Tuesday we launched our first drifter, from NOAA’s Adopt-a-Drifter (ADP) program. The deployment went off without a hitch. Soon we will be able to view its movements using the following link: https://adp.noaa.gov/trackadrifter/falmouth-high-school/. Oceanographers from NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami, Florida, set up this dashboard to eventually see all three drifters in the ocean.
Images: (1) Drifter #1 in wet lab; (2) Cheryl and drifter #1 prior to deployment; (3) Cheryl and Josh (chief bosun) deploying Drifter #1; (4) Cheryl and Josh preparing to launch; (5) Drifter #1 in the Gulf Stream!
Tuesday night at 2030 (military time for 8:30 PM), we began preparing the first longline of the trip! This process looked daunting the first time we did it, but I’m sure we will settle into a groove soon.
A longline is a series of baited hooks stretched out for a long distance (ours stretches for a mile!). The line is weighted down at the beginning, middle, and end and marked by flanking high flyers, or buoys with long poles and a flashing beacon on top of a reflective panel so the ship’s captain can return to retrieve the gear.
We set out 100 gangions clipped to the mile-long longline. The ship steams forward, and the bridge calls out every 1/10 of a mile (10, 20, etc.) to help the bosun pace the number of gangions along the mile-long line. A gangion is a fishing unit consisting of a metal number to keep track of the hook, a clip, a length of monofilament with a circle hook at the end, and a piece of bait (we used mackerel cut into thirds). A circle hook is used because the curve of the hook reduces the chances that a fish or sea turtle will swallow the hook (an event that often mortally wounds the fish because it is very difficult to remove, or it can hold a sea turtle underwater and may drown them ). The bait has to be double-hooked (pierce it twice with the hook) to secure it.
Once the 100th gangion is attached to the monofilament, the bosun secures a weight, the second high-flyer, and a separate floating buoy to mark the end of the longline. Then the timer begins: the longline soaks, or stays in the water, for an hour from the time the second high flyer hits the water to the time we retrieve the first high-flyer. Here is an infographic made by Stephen Kade, former Teacher at Sea from 2018:
Infographic of longline survey aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II, created by Stephen Kade, NOAA TAS 2018.
We did not land any fish at our first station, but we have a long way to go! The night watch caught two sharks: one silky shark and one dusky shark. I can’t wait to see some on our watch!
I am enjoying being on the ship and meeting new people. I will be interviewing some of them for this blog, so you can see for yourself the diversity of careers needed to support a survey cruise.
Interview with LT Luke Petzy
LT Luke Petzy of NOAA Corps on NOAA Ship Oregon II.
LT Luke Petzy was one of the first members of NOAA Corps (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps) we met, as he led the “Welcome Aboard” meeting for all new volunteers and crew. From the outset, it was clear that safety is a top priority on this vessel.
The meeting covered essential safety procedures and introduced us to the impressive array of equipment installed to ensure our well-being at sea. Located at the top of the ship is an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon), which is triggered to call for help via satellite if the ship is in distress. In addition, SARTs (Search and Rescue Transponders) emit radar signals to aid in locating the ship during an emergency.
Each person aboard is assigned to a specific life raft and issued an EEBD (emergency escape breathing device) for use in smoke-filled or low-oxygen situations. Hard hats and work vests are mandatory when working on deck. It is reassuring to know that we are in capable and well-practiced hands, as they perform drills at the start of each leg of the survey. Here’s a closer look at LT Petzy’s background and how he came to serve in the NOAA Corps.
How did you become a part of the NOAA Corps?
I grew up in Methuen, MA, and graduated with a degree in Natural Resource Studies and Fisheries Conservation from UMass Amherst. I took a SCUBA course that culminated in a trip to Key Largo, FL, which really hooked my interest in fish and the ocean. After college, I moved to St. John, US Virgin Islands to work at an eco-resort, where I met my wife, Corie. We moved back to MA when I got a job as a fisheries observer out of Woods Hole to go out on different types of fishing boats. It was the coolest job, but also the most dangerous. The job had a very unpredictable schedule and no way to call home for a couple of weeks while I was at sea observing. It was a really great experience but also a tough lifestyle.
In 2015 I moved back to St. John with my wife. I got my captain’s license and taught scuba. In 2019 I got a job in Newburyport, MA, as a tow boat captain.
Later that year, I applied and was accepted to NOAA Corps training. This job has given me the ability to drive boats and be a part of scientific operations and have adventures. I am a NOAA diver and have to dive a certain amount per year to maintain proficiency.
Why is your work important?
My job is to navigate the ship. I also work with the science crew to plan trips to complete the surveys. I like working for an agency that promotes science, scientific integrity, and an environmentally focused mindset. My job supports these efforts. I am responsible for the safety of the crew and safety of the ship, and I take pride in that.
What do you like most about your job?
I like seeing the ocean in a way that many others don’t, in all its moods and forms. I get to see marine mammals and marine life during the surveys. It is a rewarding feeling after we complete a successful mission.
What is the most important piece of technology that you use in your job?
The radar and electronic chart display system are so important to know where we are, and to avoid other vessels. I have to add the depth sounder, too, to avoid shallow water.
What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t working at NOAA?
I would put my captain’s license to use on ecotourism boats or work with schools to bring students out on the water.
Do you have any hobbies?
Scuba, woodworking, and playing guitar. I have my ukulele on this trip to practice.
Personal Log
Life aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II is comfortable and exciting. The scientific crew work twelve-hour shifts, so a lot of time is spent with four other people on my watch. Each person brings different strengths to the group and takes on a variety of roles and responsibilities when we are fishing. I will share more about that in my next blog.
Animals seen:
Flying fish (they don’t actually fly, but the ship’s movement definitely motivates them to scoot along or glide)
Brown booby (a seabird)
Barracuda! The fishermen troll behind the ship when their work is done, and this day they caught a barracuda. They did not keep it because the barracuda sometimes contains ciguatoxin, a toxin that causes ciguatera fish poisoning. We don’t want anyone to be poisoned on this trip!
L to R: Chief bosun Josh Cooper and skilled fisherman Sean Gronquist reel in the barracuda from the stern of the ship. Josh Cooper shows his barracuda catch to an excited group.
Did You Know?
Many sharks have only a few babies (called pups) at a time. Tiger sharks, however, can have up to a hundred! Their pups are often preyed upon by adult tiger sharks, including their mother!
Hello! My name is Dorothy Holley and I have been teaching Science in North Carolina for my whole career. While North Carolina does touch the Atlantic Ocean, I live in the capital city of Raleigh, about two and a half hours from the beach. And that’s just it…. my family, my students, my community….. we all think about going to the beach. But what is beyond the sand and the surf? The OCEAN!! Over 70% of the world is water!! That is a LOT of science lab space!!
For the next two weeks, I am going to be a NOAA Teacher at Sea. NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is one of the seven uniformed services of our government, whose roots stretch back to 1807 when President Thomas Jefferson established the Survey of the Coast to create nautical charts for safe navigation. Today NOAA is responsible for weather forecasting, severe weather prediction, climate monitoring and research, ocean and coastal management, deep-sea exploration, as well as data collection and dissemination. In other words, NOAA helps us live better by supporting the economy, protecting life and property, and promoting environmental stewardship.
Map of North Carolina. Raleigh is in the center. (Credit: World Atlas)
A couple of years ago, I worked in Washington, DC, to grow as an education leader. I wanted to understand how science education was being supported and how I could better prepare my students for life after high school. One of my first “field trips” was to NOAA offices in Maryland where I saw science being used to improve our quality of life.
NOAA headquarters
The picture below shows a Tide Predicting Machine that was designed by the U.S Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1895. Construction began in 1896 and was completed in 1910. The machine was used continually until 1965, when it was replaced by a computer.
Tide Predicting Machine, used until 1965
I also got to tour a NOAA “Hurricane Hunter.” These planes fly right into the eye of Hurricanes to gather important and real-time data.
Dorothy Holley in front of a Hurricane Hunter
Hurricane Hunter airplanes are modified for the mission!
The stickers on the bottom of the plane are like the stickers our football players put on their helmets each season to recognize special achievements on the field.
Real time data was collected from all of the Hurricanes listed here on the belly of the airplaneClose-up view of the stickers commemorating the storms this Hurricane Hunter surveyed
Last December, some of the other teachers at West Johnston High School and I participated in a teacher workshop on RESILIENCY. We visited a ghost forest and the second oldest federal marine laboratory in the nation. This NOAA facility in Beaufort, NC conducts scientific research to help us understand and preserve coastal environments, manage sustainable fisheries, and maintain coastal resilience.
Teachers at West Johnston High School in a ghost forest on the NC coast.
As a Teacher at Sea, I will sail on NOAA Ship Pisces to better understand and relate the jobs of the scientists and the science being used. The Teacher at Sea program was established in 1990 and has been in existence for 35 years. Teachers from all 50 states as well as four territories have logged over 20,000 days at sea, sharing thousands of blog posts, conducting more than 100,000 hours of ocean-based research, and relating countless stories of science application. To become a Teacher at Sea, I had to fill out a lengthy application (which included asking people to write letters of reference on my behalf), attend virtual training sessions, read and fill out quite a bit of paperwork, and speak with a seasoned team of NOAA specialists who are invested in helping teachers make connections for their students. Charts, maps, and calendars have been consulted, checked, and analyzed!
NOAA’s 200th Celebration Time Capsule and Geodetic Mark
One special opportunity for me as a Teacher at Sea will be to deploy a DRIFTER and for us to monitor and analyze the drifter data. The Global Drifter Program began in 1979 with over 1,000 drifters already deployed. We can make predictions about marine debris, animal larvae paths, and oil spills, and then track our drifter after it is deployed. This data will ultimately help us make more accurate weather forecasts and track storms and hurricanes.
I will share my NOAA Teacher at Sea journey here for you to read and to see. You are welcome to ask questions here on the blog and I will ask the team for help in answering them.
