Tag: Gray’s Reef

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Deborah Campbell: May 18, 2012

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Deborah Campbell
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster
May 14 – May 24, 2012

Mission:  Collecting Zebra Arc Shells and Multibeam Mapping
Geographical Area:  Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Date: Friday May 18th, 2012

Weather Data from the Bridge:  Skies are overcast.  Temperature 75 degrees

Science and Technology Log

Teacher At Sea Deborah Campbell aboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster

Today I want to talk about two research projects that are going on aboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. The first project is the Arca zebra collection.

Zebra Arc Shell collected by scientist J.D. on a dive mission.

Scientist, J.D. has completed eleven dives to collect ten samples of the Arca zebra, which are also known as “turkey wing” shells.  By collecting the arc shells, scientists can examine the soft tissue inside the shell to determine the ecological conditions at Gray’s Reef.  Human activities such as using pesticides can make their way to the reef.  If you have read “The Lorax”, by Dr. Suess, you know that human activities could cause habitat destruction.  By monitoring Gray’s Reef, scientists can assess how healthy the reef is.  Two thirds of the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary are used by recreational boaters, however no anchors can be used.  Anchors could damage habitats on the reef.  One third of the reef is used solely for scientific research.

Scientist J.D., Zebra Arc Shell Mission

The second research project is Multibeam Mapping of the ocean floor using the N.O.A.A. ship NANCY FOSTER multibeam sonar system.  Three people on board the ship monitor the computers for the mapping in the dry lab.  The dry lab and wet lab are next to each other.  No food or drinks are allowed in dry lab, because of the equipment.  Samantha Martin is the Senior Survey Technician and is in charge.  Kacey Johnson just graduated from the College of Charleston with a Bachelor’s degree in Geology.  Walter Potts is a Survey Technician.  All three rotate in shifts to monitor the mapping.

Samantha Martin (left) and Kacey Johnson

During the Multibeam Mapping, the  NANCY FOSTER is moving.  The multibeam sonar system is sending out “pings” into the water.  The pings travel through the water until they reach a surface that reflects sound, such as the sea floor.  Then the sound travels back to the receiver.  The receiver can calculate the depth measurement for each “ping”.

The Multibeam Mapping can be compare to dolphins “echolocation”.  Dolphins send out sound wave that sound like a click, which hits an object and then bounces back.  Dolphins’ sound waves gauge the distance of the object, and also the shape.

Dolphin swimming alongside the Foster.

Personal Log

Friday’s dives were suspended early due to rough ocean conditions.  The crew told us stories about times the sea got rough.  There are railings on beds.  There is also an extra board you can slide on the side of your mattress to insure that you stay in the bed.  One crew member told me that they went airborne.  It has been raining on and off.  We may not be able to go on small boats on Saturday, unless seas calm down.

Quote: “Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not”.  (The Lorax, by Dr. Suess)

Ocean Riddles:What do fish and maps have in common? They have scales…

Why are fish so smart? Because like Locke School students, they are in a school…

What has a beginning, middle, or end and touches every continent? The Ocean

What do you get when you graduate from scuba diving school? A Deep-loma

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Deborah Campbell: May 15th, 2012

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Deborah Campbell
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster
May 14 – May 24, 2012

Mission: Retrieve Acoustic Receivers
Georgraphical area of cruise: Atlantic Ocean, off coast of South Carolina
Date: May 15th, 2012

Weather Data from the Bridge: 75 degrees and sunny

Science and Technology Log

Crane lifting fish cage

The scientists and divers arrived on the ship yesterday afternoon.  They brought an incredible amount of equipment with them.  The crane on board the ship loaded dive tanks, cages, and crates of equipment on the deck.  Sarah Fangman, chief scientist held a meeting yesterday to introduce members of the science party.  Each person introduced themselves, and told everyone what their part in this mission would be.  There are eight members of the science party including myself, Teacher At Sea.  I introduced myself as a seventh grade teacher from Locke Elementary School who left one hundred thirty-two seventh graders behind to experience this adventure.  I told our science party that I prepared my students by showing them pictures of the ship, Teacher At Sea website, and the Gray’s Reef website.  My students will be reading my blogs.  School will still be in session when I return, so I will be able to share my photos and stories with them.

This morning the science team met with the operations officer of the ship, Lt. Joshua

Chief scientist, Sarah Fangman holding acoustic receiver.

Slater.  Lt. Slater went over all the safety aspects of our upcoming mission which will take place this afternoon.  We will be deploying boats off the ship to take the divers to Gray’s Reef.  “Nemo” will be piloting a small craft with two divers and myself.  “Nemo” will drive the boat to an exact GPS (Global Positioning System) location.  The acoustical  receivers all have exact locations, so divers can find them more easily.  The divers will be retrieving the acoustic receivers to bring them on board the small craft.  We bring the acoustic receivers on board the ship to download the data they have been collecting for the past five months.

Personal Log

On Sunday, May 13th, I flew from Chicago to South Carolina.  I was picked up by a crew member of the ship.  The ship is located on a base, so I had to get a special I.D. tag to allow me to get on base.  The Nancy Foster was docked near a Coast Guard vessel, and a gigantic Naval ship.

View of NOAA Ship Nancy Foster in Charleston, SC port.
Teacher At Sea Deborah Campbell by NF3

As I boarded, I entered heavy doors, and descended a metal stairway.  I was lead to my room which consists of two bunk beds which are very narrow.  There are a few cabinets for my belongings.  I will be sharing this room with three other women scientists.  Next, I opened the door to the “head” which has two bathrooms and three showers.  There are bars in toilets and showers so you can hang on which the ship is moving.  The kitchen is right across from my room.  There are coffee, juice, water, and ice machines.  The cabinets are stocked with cereal, snacks, peanut butter, and bread.  There is an ice cream freezer.  You can help yourself to snack items.  Two cooks run the kitchen.  The menus are posted for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Yesterday, I had delicious turkey soup with rice and a salad.  For dinner I had teriyaki Cornish hen, asparagus, and rice.  There was pecan pie for dessert.  Trust me, the food is great!!!  F0od scraps are kept separate from other garbage, because it is used as fish food.  I am sure there will be lots of fish coming by the ship to sample.

The crew members live on board the ship.  There are flat screen T.V.’s, a workout room, a lounge area, and a “steel beach” on the top deck.  Yesterday evening I took my blanket to sleep on a chair on the “steel beach”.  The sky was filled with stars, and I fell asleep.  A while later, one of the crew woke me up.  Lighting was spotted in the distance.  I am not a fan of lightning so I went to my room.  The ship is like a giant waterbed rocking and rolling gently.  My small bed has a bar to keep me from falling off.  I am really trying to get my “sea legs”, but in the mean time I continue to hang on so I don’t fall over.