Tag: NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

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Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: Línea Hidrográfica de Newport, 18 de agosto de 2022

Read this post in English: Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: Newport Hydrographic Line, August 18, 2022


NOAA Teacher at Sea

Michael Gutiérrez Santiago

 NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

12 de agosto – 25 de agosto de 2022


Misión: Estudio de poblaciones de merluza del Pacífico

Área Geográfica de Crucero: Costa de Washington y Oregón

Fecha: 18 de agosto de 2022


Condiciones atmósfericas desde el puente :

Latitud: 4539.9725N
Longitud: 12422.9606W
Temperatura: 63°F 
Velocidad del viento: 13 mph
Barometero:  1017.2mb

Michael posa para una foto para mostrar su equipo: Grundens naranja (mono de goma) sobre una sudadera negra, un chaleco salvavidas naranja, un casco amarillo y anteojos de sol.
Preparado para recolectar muestras de plancton!

Registro de Ciencia y Tecnología

Línea Hidrográfica de Newport

La línea hidrográfica de newport es un estudio de investigación oceanográfica realizado por científicos del Centro de Ciencias Pesqueras del Noroeste de NOAA y de la Universidad Estatal de Oregón en las aguas costeras de Newport, Oregón .

Los investigadores han recopilado métricas oceanográficas físicas, químicas y biológicas a lo largo de Newport Line cada dos semanas durante más de 20 años. Este conjunto de datos de más de veinte años nos ayuda a comprender las conexiones entre los cambios en el clima oceánico y la estructura y función del ecosistema en la corriente de California1,2,3.

Los datos de Newport Line se destilan en  indicadores de ecosistemas oceánicos , que se utilizan para caracterizar el hábitat y la supervivencia de los salmónidos juveniles, y que también se han mostrado prometedores para otras poblaciones como el bacalao negro, el róbalo y la sardina4. Estos datos también brindan información crítica del ecosistema sobre problemas emergentes, como las olas de calor marinas3, la acidificación de los océanos, la hipoxia6 y la proliferación de algas nocivas7.

un mapa de la costa de Washington y Oregón. la tierra está sombreada en gris, mientras que el agua es blanca con algunas líneas azules que indican la topografía submarina. Aunque no hay líneas de cuadrícula, las etiquetas marcan las líneas de latitud desde 43 grados norte hasta 47 grados norte y las líneas de longitud desde 125 grados oeste hasta 123 grados oeste. A mitad de camino, entre 44 y 45 grados norte, una línea roja corta se extiende horizontalmente desde Newport hasta el meridiano 125. Está etiquetado como "Línea NH".
Newport line

Barómetro de la acidificación e hipoxia de los océanos en un clima cambiante

Los modelos climáticos globales sugieren que los cambios futuros en el afloramiento costero conducirán a una mayor incidencia de hipoxia y exacerbarán aún más los efectos de la acidificación de los océanos. La serie temporal de Newport Line proporciona una línea base de parámetros biogeoquímicos, como el estado de saturación de aragonito, un indicador de condiciones ácidas (Fig. 4). Los investigadores pueden comparar esta línea de base con posibles cambios futuros en la abundancia de organismos (p. ej., pterópodos, copépodos y krill) sensibles a la acidificación del océano y la hipoxia.

Equipo utilizado

  • a net, which includes long mesh tubing extending from a ring, hangs in the air from a point above the photo's frame. a crewmember, wearing hard hat and life jacket, grips the ring with his left hand and reaches toward a rope attached to the net with his right hand. three other crewmembers are visible around the net.
    Red vertical
  • a net, which includes long mesh tubing extending from a ring, hangs in the air from a point above the photo's frame. a crewmember, wearing hard hat and life jacket, facing away from the camera, reaches over the rail of the ship to lower the end of the suspended net into the water.
    Colocando la red vertical en el agua
  • an illustration of a research vessel with a vertical net deployed off its side. the net looks like a white cone, pointing downward, ending in a red cannister.
    red vertical desplegada verticalmente en el agua desde un buque de investigación

Una red vertical es una red de anillos con un ancho de malla pequeño y una forma de embudo largo. Al final, la red se cierra con un cilindro (copo) que recoge el plancton. Se despliega verticalmente en el agua desde un buque de investigación. Se utiliza principalmente para investigar la estratificación vertical/diagonal del plancton. Esto permite determinar la abundancia y distribución del mesozooplancton.

  • a cable lowers a bongo net onto the ship's deck. the bongo net, name for bongo drums, is actually a pair of nets: two rings side by side hold up the nets made of long mesh tubing that narrow until they end in attached cannisters. a crewmember, wearing a hard hat and a life vest, leans to look at something around the back of the net.
    Red de bongó
  • a crewmember, wearing a hard hat and life vest, hoses down the mesh tubing of one side of the bongo net. the top of the net hangs from a cable about 12 feet above the deck so the crewmember can rinse the tubing while standing.
    Lavado de la muestra por la red bongó
  • an illustration of a research vessel with a bongo net deployed off its stern. the net looks like a pair of white cones, pointing horizontally away from the ship, ending in red cannisters.
    Un barco de investigación tira horizontalmente de una red de bongo a través de la columna de agua.

Una red bongó consta de dos redes de plancton montadas una al lado de la otra. Estas redes de plancton son redes de anillos con un ancho de malla pequeño y una forma de embudo largo. Ambas redes están encerradas por un copo que se utiliza para recolectar plancton. Un barco de investigación tira horizontalmente de la red bongo a través de la columna de agua. Usando una red bongo, un científico puede trabajar con dos anchos de malla diferentes simultáneamente.

  • Michael, at left, holds up the net while Toby, right, uses a hose to spray down the mesh tubing at the end. Both Michael and Toby wear rubber pants, rubber boots, life jackets, and hard hats.
    Asistiendo a Toby con la red Isaacs-Kidd
  • three crewmembers, wearing hard hats and life vests, hold different portions of a large fishing net that is attached to cables extending out of frame. One steadies the net spreader, a horizontal metal bar. Another grasps the webbing. We can see a wide piece of metal toward the front that is bent like a wide "V". The belts of the crewmembers' vests are each clipped to brightly covered, stretchy tethers to prevent them from falling overboard.
    Red Isaacs-Kidd
  • a diagram of the shape and dimensions of the Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl. labels identify the net spreader (horizontal metal bar), depresser (v-shaped metal plate), and bridle (short cables extending from the edges of the net opening, coming to a point). the net opening is 4 feet 8 inches wide by 5 feet 9 inches tall. the main portion of the trawl net extends 20 feet 6 inches long; it attached to a finer mesh net that is 5 feet 8 inches long.
    Dimensiones de la red Isaacs-Kidd

La red de arrastre de media agua Isaacs-Kidd recolecta especímenes biológicos batipelágicos más grandes que los capturados por las redes de plancton estándar. La red de arrastre consiste en una red específicamente diseñada unida a una amplia paleta de buceo rígida en forma de V. La veleta mantiene abierta la boca de la red y ejerce una fuerza de presión, manteniendo la red de arrastre en profundidad durante períodos prolongados a velocidades de remolque de hasta 5 nudos. La abertura de entrada no está obstruida por el cable de remolque.

Muestras recolectadas

una vista de cerca de una mano sosteniendo un frasco transparente con una tapa blanca. Este frasco contiene la muestra recolectada por la red vertical. Dado que esta red se dirige al plancton, la muestra en su mayoría parece agua turbia y amarillenta.
Muestras de red vertical
una vista de primer plano del contenido de un recipiente blanco, tal vez un balde. Este contiene la muestra recolectada de la red bongo. Es una mezcla espesa de plancton, zooplancton, krill y al menos un pez pequeño.
Muestras de red bongó
  • Muestasas de Isaacs-Kidd
  • Kril recolectado de Isaacs-Kidd

Registro personal

¡ATAQUE DE TIBURÓN!

Así es, nuestro uCTD fue atacado por un tiburón.

una vista a través de un aparejo de metal de una polea con un cable que se extiende hasta la superficie del océano. ya no hay nada conectado al cable.
Q.D.P.

En un día brillante y soleado, el equipo científico decidió lanzar el CTD en curso, ¡pero las cosas no salieron según lo planeado! Al recuperar el uCTD de regreso al barco, vimos una gran aleta dorsal zigzagueando cerca del uCTD, hasta que notamos que el uCTD ya no estaba conectado a la línea, por lo que no tuvimos más remedio que cancelar el uCTD. Deberías haber visto todas nuestras caras; no podíamos creer lo que vimos. Creemos que podría haber sido un:

una imagen de un tiburón blanco nadando bajo el agua.
Tiburón Blanco
una imagen de un tiburón salmón nadando bajo el agua.
Tiburón Salmon
vista de una mano que sostiene un perfilador submarino de conductividad, temperatura y profundidad (uCTD). en el fondo hay una pintura en la puerta de un gabinete de un barco blanco navegando a través de las olas y criaturas marinas algo fantásticas nadando debajo.
uCTD
(lo que se comió el tiburón)

CTD significa conductividad (salinidad), temperatura y (Depth) profundidad y permite a los investigadores recopilar perfiles de temperatura y salinidad de la parte superior del océano a velocidades en curso, a profundidades de hasta 500 m. Los exploradores oceánicos a menudo usan mediciones CTD para detectar evidencia de volcanes, respiraderos hidrotermales y otras características de aguas profundas que causan cambios en las propiedades físicas y químicas del agua de mar.

Atardecer en el Océano Pacífico, visto desde la cubierta superior del barco NOAA Bell M. Shimada. El marco de la red de arrastre, los pescantes y otros equipos en la cola de popa son visibles en silueta.
Atardecer a bordo
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Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: Newport Hydrographic Line, August 18, 2022

Lea esta publicación en español: Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: Línea Hidrográfica de Newport, 18 de agosto de 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Michael Gutiérrez Santiago

 NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

August 12 – August 25, 2022


Mission: Pacific Hake Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Coasts of Washington and Oregon

Date: August 18, 2022


Weather conditions from the bridge:

Latitude: 4539.9725N
Longitude: 12422.9606W
Temperature: 63°F 
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Barometer:  1017.2mb

Michael poses for a photo to show off his gear: orange Grundens (rubber overalls) over a black sweatshirt, an orange life vest, a yellow hard hat, and sunglasses.
Ready for plankton sampling!

Science and Technology Log

Newport Hydrographic Line

One way scientists assess the health of our ocean’s ecosystems is to take samples of zooplankton and ichthyoplankton (fish eggs and larvae), both on the surface of the water and at depth. Observations of these plankton can inform us greatly about productivity at the bottom of the food chain, spawning location and stock size of adults, dispersal of larval fish and crabs to and away from nursery areas, and transport of ocean currents.

The Newport Hydrographic (Newport Line) is an oceanographic research survey conducted by NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Oregon State University scientists in the coastal waters off Newport, Oregon.

Researchers have collected physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic metrics along the Newport Line every two weeks for over 20 years. This twenty-plus year dataset helps us to understand the connections between changes in ocean-climate and ecosystem structure and function in the California Current.

Data from the Newport Line are distilled into ocean ecosystem indicators, used to characterize the habitat and survival of juvenile salmonids, and which have also shown promise for other stocks such as sablefish, rockfish, and sardine. These data also provide critical ecosystem information on emerging issues such as marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms.

a map of the coast of Washington and Oregon. the land is shaded gray, while the water includes a few blue lines indicating underwater topography. Though there are not grid lines, labels mark the latitude lines from 43 degrees North to 47 degrees North and the longitude lines from 125 degrees West to 123 degrees West. Midway, between 44 and 45 degrees North, a short red line extends horizontally out from Newport to the 125th meridian. It's labeled "NH Line"
Newport line

Barometer of ocean acidification and hypoxia in a changing climate

Global climate models suggest future changes in coastal upwelling will lead to increased incidence of hypoxia and further exacerbate the effects of ocean acidification. The Newport Line time-series provides a baseline of biogeochemical parameters, such as Aragonite saturation state—an indicator of acidic conditions. Researchers can compare this baseline against possible future changes in the abundance of organisms (e.g., pteropods, copepods and krill) sensitive to ocean acidification and hypoxia.

Equipment used

  • a net, which includes long mesh tubing extending from a ring, hangs in the air from a point above the photo's frame. a crewmember, wearing hard hat and life jacket, grips the ring with his left hand and reaches toward a rope attached to the net with his right hand. three other crewmembers are visible around the net.
    Vertical/half meter net
  • a net, which includes long mesh tubing extending from a ring, hangs in the air from a point above the photo's frame. a crewmember, wearing hard hat and life jacket, facing away from the camera, reaches over the rail of the ship to lower the end of the suspended net into the water.
    Getting the vertical net in the water
  • an illustration of a research vessel with a vertical net deployed off its side. the net looks like a white cone, pointing downward, ending in a red cannister.
    Vertical net deployed vertically in the water from a research vessel

A vertical net is a ring net with a small mesh width and a long funnel shape. At the end, the net is closed off with a cylinder (cod-end) that collects the plankton. It is deployed vertically in the water from a research vessel. It is mostly used to investigate the vertical/diagonal stratification of plankton. This allows the abundance and distribution of mesozooplankton to be determined.

  • a cable lowers a bongo net onto the ship's deck. the bongo net, name for bongo drums, is actually a pair of nets: two rings side by side hold up the nets made of long mesh tubing that narrow until they end in attached cannisters. a crewmember, wearing a hard hat and a life vest, leans to look at something around the back of the net.
    Bongo net
  • a crewmember, wearing a hard hat and life vest, hoses down the mesh tubing of one side of the bongo net. the top of the net hangs from a cable about 12 feet above the deck so the crewmember can rinse the tubing while standing.
    Washing the sample down the bongo net
  • an illustration of a research vessel with a bongo net deployed off its stern. the net looks like a pair of white cones, pointing horizontally away from the ship, ending in red cannisters.
    A bongo net is drawn horizontally through the water column by a research vessel

A bongo net consists of two plankton nets mounted next to each other. These plankton nets are ring nets with a small mesh width and a long funnel shape. Both nets are enclosed by a cod-end that is used for collecting plankton. The bongo net is pulled horizontally through the water column by a research vessel. Using a bongo net, a scientist can work with two different mesh widths simultaneously.

  • Michael, at left, holds up the net while Toby, right, uses a hose to spray down the mesh tubing at the end. Both Michael and Toby wear rubber pants, rubber boots, life jackets, and hard hats.
    Assisting Toby with Isaacs-Kidd net
  • three crewmembers, wearing hard hats and life vests, hold different portions of a large fishing net that is attached to cables extending out of frame. One steadies the net spreader, a horizontal metal bar. Another grasps the webbing. We can see a wide piece of metal toward the front that is bent like a wide "V". The belts of the crewmembers' vests are each clipped to brightly covered, stretchy tethers to prevent them from falling overboard.
    Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl
  • a diagram of the shape and dimensions of the Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl. labels identify the net spreader (horizontal metal bar), depresser (v-shaped metal plate), and bridle (short cables extending from the edges of the net opening, coming to a point). the net opening is 4 feet 8 inches wide by 5 feet 9 inches tall. the main portion of the trawl net extends 20 feet 6 inches long; it attached to a finer mesh net that is 5 feet 8 inches long.
    Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl dimension

Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl collects bathypelagic biological specimens larger than those taken by standard plankton nets. The trawl consists of the specifically designed net attached to a wide, V-shaped, rigid diving vane. The vane keeps the mouth of the net open and exerts a depressing force, maintaining the trawl at depth for extended periods at towing speeds up to 5 knots. The inlet opening is unobstructed by the towing cable.

What we got?

a close-up view of a hand holding a clear jar with a white lid. This jar contains the sample collected by the vertical net. Since this net targets plankton, the sample mostly looks like cloudy, yellowish water.
Samples from vertical net
a close-up view of the contents of a white container, perhaps a bucket. This contains the sample collected from the bongo net. It's a soupy mixture of plankton, zooplankton, krill, and at least one small fish.
Samples from bongo net
  • a close-up (possible magnified) view of a petri dish containing organisms sampled by the Isaacs-Kidd net. mostly crustaceans and larval fish. The petri dish rests on a bright blue background that creates a sharp contrast with the somewhat translucent creatures.
    Isaacs-Kidd sample
  • close-up view of a pile of many, many krill. they look like clear pink tubes with black dots for eyes.
    Krill from the Isaacs-Kidd

Personal Log

SHARK ATTACK!

That’s right, our underway CTD was attacked by a shark.

a view through a metal rigging of a pully with a cable extending down to the ocean's surface. there is no longer anything attached to the cable.
R.I.P.

On a bright and sunny day, the science team decided to launch the underway CTD, but things didn’t go as planned! Retrieving the uCTD back to the ship we saw a big dorsal fin zigzagging close to the uCTD, until we noticed that the uCTD was no longer attached to the line, therefore we had no choice that to cancel the uCTD. You should have seen all of our faces; we couldn’t believe what we saw. We think it could have been a:

a stock image of a white shark swimming underwater.
White shark
a stock image of a salmon shark swimming underwater.
Salmon shark
view of a hand holding an underwater conductivity, temperature, and depth (uCTD) profiler. in the background is a painting on a cabinet door of a white ship sailing through waves and somewhat fantastical deep sea creatures swimming below.
underway CTD
(what the shark ate)

CTD stands for conductivity (salinity), temperature, and depth and it enables researchers to collect temperature and salinity profiles of the upper ocean at underway speeds, to depths of up to 500 m. Ocean explorers often use CTD measurements to detect evidence of volcanoes, hydrothermal vents, and other deep-sea features that cause changes to the physical and chemical properties of seawater.

Sunset on the Pacific Ocean, as seen from an upper deck of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. The trawl net frame, davits, and other equipment on the fantail are visible in silhouette.
Sunset on board
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Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: ¡Bienvenidos a Bordo! 16 de agosto de 2022

Read this post in English: Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: Welcome Aboard! August 16, 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Michael Gutiérrez Santiago

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

agosto 12 – agosto 25, 2022

Misión: Estudio de poblaciones de merluza del Pacífico

Área Geográfica de Crucero: Costa de Washington y Oregón

Fecha: 16 de agosto de 2022

Condiciones meteorológicas desde el puente:

Latitud:  4539.9729N
Longitud:  12422.9606O
Temperatura: 67.64°F 
Velocidad del Viento: 12.62 mph
Barometro: 1017.2 mb

 

Michael se para frente al buque Bell M. Shimada de la NOAA en el puerto, alrededor del atardecer. El ángulo es lo suficientemente amplio para ver todo el barco.
NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

Registro de Ciencia y Tecnología

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada fue construido por VT Halter Marine, Inc. en Moss Point, Mississippi. El barco se puso en servicio el 25 de agosto de 2010 y actualmente tiene su puerto base en el Centro de Operaciones Marinas de la NOAA—Pacífico en Newport, Oregón. El barco estudia principalmente una amplia gama de vida marina y condiciones del océano a lo largo de la costa oeste de EE. UU., desde el estado de Washington hasta el sur de California.

El diseño del barco permite una operación y un movimiento más silenciosos a través del agua, lo que brinda a los científicos la capacidad de estudiar peces y mamíferos marinos sin alterar significativamente su comportamiento.

Bell M. Shimada realiza estudios acústicos y de arrastre. Para los estudios acústicos, el barco utiliza una ecosonda multihaz (MBES) que proyecta un haz de sonido en forma de abanico que rebota hacia el barco. El MBES del barco, uno de los tres únicos sistemas de este tipo en todo el mundo, adquiere datos tanto de la columna de agua como del fondo marino. Los científicos pueden detectar peces cuando el barco pasa sobre ellos, midiendo la señal reflejada por los peces para estimar su tamaño y número. El sistema también puede crear un mapa y caracterizar el fondo del mar.

  • un gráfico que representa, en la parte superior, un barco en marcha y, en la parte inferior, la topografía debajo de la superficie del océano. la ilustración muestra una franja de luz que emana del casco del barco y colorea una sección de la topografía submarina a medida que avanza el barco.
    MBES
  • tres científicos se sientan frente a sus computadoras portátiles alrededor de una mesa en un cuarto llena de computadoras y monitores adicionales.
    Equipo de Ciencia Trabajando en el Laboratorio Acústico
  • los científicos observan un gran monitor de computadora que muestra datos acústicos.
    fuente hidrotermal?

El barco lleva a cabo muestreos de arrastre con una red de reconocimiento de fondo estandarizada, de tres bridas y cuatro costuras, equipada con un barrido de roca saltadora: barridos con grandes discos de goma que permiten remolcar las redes sobre fondos marinos rocosos e irregulares. Las redes de arrastre muestrean la biomasa de peces en un área de estudio determinada. Esto ayuda a los científicos a saber qué especies se encuentran en los bancos de peces observados y recopilar otros datos biológicos.

una vista desde la cola de popa de dos grandes redes de arrastre naranja enrolladas en la cubierta
Sistema de Arrastre

El laboratorio húmedo del barco permite a los científicos clasificar, pesar, medir y examinar los peces. Los datos se introducen directamente en la red informática científica del barco. Las estaciones de observación de aves y mamíferos marinos de Bell M. Shimada están equipadas con sensores para ayudar a los investigadores a identificar y rastrear especies protegidas.

  • una vista del laboratorio húmedo, aún no en uso: encimeras de metal, mangueras, básculas, tablas de medición.
    Laboratorio Húmedo
  • foul weather gear (overalls, warm jackets, boots) and life vests hanging up in a closet space
    Equipo para usar en laboratorio húmedo

Bell M. Shimada fue nombrado por un equipo de estudiantes de Marina High School en Monterey, California, quienes ganaron un concurso regional de NOAA para nombrar el barco. El homónimo del barco sirvió en la Oficina de Pesca y la Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical. Era conocido por sus contribuciones al estudio de las poblaciones de túnidos del Pacífico tropical, que fueron importantes para el desarrollo de las pesquerías comerciales de la costa oeste después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El hijo de Bell M. Shimada, Allen, es científico pesquero en NOAA Fisheries.

Registro Personal

Esto ha sido una experiencia que jamás imaginé, el jueves 11 de agosto cuando entré al puerto y vi a lo lejos el barco, se me hizo un nudo en la garganta, es mucho más grande e imponente de lo que imaginaba. Me recibió al barco la científica a cargo de la expedición Beth Philips, sumamente jovial y agradable me dio un recorrido por el barco lo cual déjenme decirles esto es un laberinto. Por otra parte, la tripulación ha sido excelente, todos con un trato amable y respetuoso hacia mi persona. Espero poder soltarme un poco más con todos en el barco ya que estoy un poco cohibido por mi inglés.

Les quiero presentar al excelente equipo de científicos

  • foto de grupo frente a una barandilla en la cubierta del buque NOAA Bell M. Shimada, con la ciudad de Seattle visible en la distancia. es un día claro y tranquilo. Michael lleva su gorra y camiseta de Teacher at Sea.
    Equipo de Ciencia: John Paul, Ethan Beyer, Toby Auth, Steve de Blois, Michael Gutiérrez (yo) and Beth Phillips
  • Beth corta un pastel de cumpleaños decorado con glaseado rosa y blanco.
    ¡Celebrando el Cumpleaños de Beth!

En pocos días de haberlos conocido, me han enseñado muchísimo. Todos han tenido paciencia y me han explicado y contestado preguntas respecto al trabajo que realizan en alta mar. Sus conocimientos y experiencias me han llevado a crear gran admiración hacia ellos. ¡En los próximos blogs conocerán más de cada uno de ellos y los verás en acción!

Boricua en alta mar, no. Boricuas* en alta mar.

El LT Erick Estela posa para una foto en la cola de popa del buque NOAA Bell M. Shimada. Lleva su uniforme azul del NOAA Corps y sostiene una pequeña bandera puertorriqueña.
LT Erick Estela

Eso es correcto no soy el único puertorriqueño en el NOAA Bell M. Shimada, les presento al Teniente Erick Estella de Ciales, Puerto Rico. Erick es uno de los oficiales de NOAA Corps que sirven en mar, tierra y aire para apoyar la misión de administración y ciencias ambientales de la NOAA. Erick, lleva sirviendo en NOAA Corps nueve años y medio. En medio de los driles nos conocimos y fue muy emocionante saber que hay otro puertorriqueño a bordo. ¡Es un orgullo para Puerto Rico tener a Erick en tan importante roll dentro de la NOAA!

  • El LT Erick Estela se para al timón del barco NOAA Bell M. Shimada y mira directamente a la cámara.
    Teniente Erick Conduciendo el Barco
  • Una vista del puente desde atrás, mirando a través de los paneles de control y por las ventanas. El LT Erick Estela conduce la embarcación, con su mano derecha cerca del timón, inclinado para mirar o ajustar algo en un panel de control a su izquierda.
    ¡Bienvenidos al Puente!
  • una vista de los paneles de control del puente, sin nadie parado frente a ellos. timón, palancas, botones, monitores, teléfonos.
    Sistema de Control Central
  • vista de primer plano de un monitor que muestra una pantalla de navegación. la computadora muestra una carta náutica electrónica y las posiciones de los barcos cercanos
    Alrededor de la Flota Pesquera (barcos verdes)
  • pantalla de radar con puntos que marcan otros barcos dentro de un cierto radio del barco
    Imagenes del Radar
  • un monitor de computadora que muestra las vistas de cuatro cámaras en vivo alrededor del barco
    Imagen en Vivo Alrededor del Barco

Antes de irme, les quiero compartir unas fotos tomadas por Teacher at Sea Alumni Association Manager Britta Culbertson, que nos esperó en la Isla Whidbey para decirnos adiós desde la costa. Gracias por las hermosas fotos y por todo tu apoyo. Gracias también a Denise Harrington, alumna de TAS por tus mensajes de apoyo, ¡muy agradecido!

una vista del barco NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada desde la costa. podemos ver una playa rocosa en primer plano y colinas y luego montañas en el fondo.
NOAA Bell M. Shimada from Whidbey Island
una vista del barco NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada desde la costa. podemos ver una playa rocosa en primer plano y colinas y luego montañas en el fondo. un ave marina vuela en primer plano.
Nice view of the mountains and seabird
una vista del barco NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada desde la costa. Podemos ver colinas y luego montañas en el fondo.
NOAA Bell M. Shimada

Pendientes a mis próximos blogs donde les estaré hablando mas a fondo de nuestro estudio de poblaciones de merluza y los datos recibidos de la ecosonda. ¡Me voy a pescar, nos vemos en la próxima!

Michael, con una gorra de Teacher at Sea, muestra el atún blanco que atrapó. Lo sostiene por el hilo de pescar.
¡Atún Blanco!
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Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: Welcome Aboard! August 16, 2022

Lea esta publicación en español: Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: ¡Bienvenidos a Bordo! 16 de agosto de 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Michael Gutiérrez Santiago

Boarding NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

August 12 – August 25, 2022

Mission: Pacific Hake Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Coastal Washington

Date: August 16, 2022

Weather conditions from the bridge:

Latitude:  4539.9729N
Longitude:  12422.9606W
Temperature: 67.64°F 
Wind Speed: 12.62 mph
Barometer: 1017.2 mb

 

Michael stands in front of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada in port, around sunset. The angle is wide enough to see the entire vessel.
NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

Science and Technology Log

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada was built by VT Halter Marine, Inc. in Moss Point, Mississippi. The ship was commissioned on August 25, 2010 and is currently homeported at NOAA’s Marine Operations Center—Pacific in Newport, Oregon. The ship primarily studies a wide range of marine life and ocean conditions along the US West Coast, from Washington state to southern California.

The ship’s design allows for quieter operation and movement through the water, giving scientists the ability to study fish and marine mammals without significantly altering their behavior.

Bell M. Shimada conducts acoustic and trawl surveys. For acoustic studies, the ship uses a multibeam echo sounder (MBES) that projects a fan-shaped beam of sound that bounces back towards the ship. The ship’s MBES, one of only three such systems in the world, acquires data from both the water column and the seafloor. Scientists can detect fish when the boat passes over them, measuring the signal reflected by the fish to estimate their size and number. The system can also create a map and characterize the sea floor.

  • a graphic depicting a ship underway, on top, and then a cutaway illustration of the topography underneath the ocean's surface. the illustration depicts a swath of light emanating from the hull of the ship and coloring a section of the underwater topography.
    MBES
  • three scientists sit at laptops around a table in a room filled with additional computers and monitors.
    Science team working in the acoustic lab
  • scientists look up at a large computer monitor depicting acoustic readings.
    Hydrovents?

The ship conducts trawl sampling with a standardized, three-flange, four-seam bottom survey net equipped with a skipping rock sweep: sweeps with large rubber discs that allow the nets to be towed over rocky and uneven seabeds. Trawls sample fish biomass in a given study area. This helps scientists learn what species are in observed schools of fish and collect other biological data.

a view from the fantail of two large, orange trawl nets spooled up on deck
Trawl system

The ship’s wet lab allows scientists to sort, weigh, measure and examine fish. Data is entered directly into the ship’s scientific computer network. The Bell M. Shimada Bird and Marine Mammal Observation Stations are equipped with sensors to help researchers identify and track protected species.

  • a view of the wet lab, not yet in use: metal countertops, hoses, scales, measuring boards.
    Wet Lab
  • Gear to use in wet lab

Bell M. Shimada was named by a team of students from Marina High School in Monterey, California, who won a regional NOAA contest to name the ship. The ship’s namesake served in the Bureau of Fisheries and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. He was known for his contributions to the study of tropical Pacific tuna populations, which were important to the development of West Coast commercial fisheries after World War II. Bell M. Shimada’s son, Allen, is a fisheries scientist with NOAA Fisheries.

Personal Log

This has been an experience that I never imagined, on Thursday, August 11, when I entered the port and saw the ship in the distance, I felt a lump in my throat, it is much larger and more imposing than I imagined. The scientist in charge of the expedition, Beth Philips, welcomed me to the ship. She was extremely jovial and pleasant and gave me a tour of the ship, which let me tell you, this is a labyrinth. The crew has been excellent, all with a kind and respectful treatment towards me. On the other hand, I hope I can loosen up a bit more with everyone on the ship since I’m a bit in my head because of my English speaking.

I want to introduce you to the excellent team of scientists

  • group photo in front of a railing on the deck of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada, with the city of Seattle visible in the distance. it's a clear, calm day. Michael is wearing his Teacher at Sea hat and t-shirt.
    Science Team: John Paul, Ethan Beyer, Toby Auth, Steve de Blois, Michael Gutiérrez (me) and Beth Phillips
  • Beth cuts into a birthday cake decorated with pink and white frosting.
    Celebrating Beth’s Birthday!

In just a few days of meeting them, they have taught me a lot. They have all been patient and have explained and answered questions regarding the work they do on the high seas. Their knowledge and experiences have led me to create great admiration for them. In the next blogs you will learn more about each of them and you will see them in action!

Not Just One, But Two Puerto Ricans on the High Sea!

LT Erick Estela poses for a photo on the fantail of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. He is wearing his blue NOAA Corps uniform and holding a small Puerto Rican flag.
LT Erick Estela

That’s right I’m not the only Puerto Rican on NOAA Bell M. Shimada, this is LT Erick Estela from Ciales, Puerto Rico. Erick is one of the NOAA Corps officers serving at sea, on land and in the air to support NOAA’s environmental science and management mission. Erick have been serving with NOAA Corps nine and a half years. We met in the middle of a drill and it was very exciting to know that there’s another Puerto Rican on board. Puerto Rico is proud to have Erick in such an important role within NOAA!

  • LT Erick Estela stands at the helm of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada and looks right at the camera.
    LT Erick driving the ship
  • A view of the bridge from the back, looking across the control panels and out the windows. LT Erick Estela is driving the vessel, with his right hand near the helm, leaning over to look at or adjust something on a control panel to his left.
    Welcome to the Bridge
  • a view of the bridge's control panels, with no one standing at them. helm, levers, buttons, monitors, phones.
    Central Control System
  • close-up view of one monitor showing a navigation screen. the computer displays an electronic nautical chart and the positions of nearby vessels
    Around fishing fleet (green boats)
  • radar screen with dots marking other vessels within a certain radius of the ship
    Radar image
  • Live images around the ship

Before I go, I want to share some photos taken by Teacher at Sea Alumni Association Manager Britta Culbertson, who met us at Whidbey Island to wave goodbye from shore. Thank you for the beautiful photos and for all your support. Thanks also to TAS Alumni Denise Harrington for your messages of support, much appreciated!

a view of NOAA ShIp Bell M. Shimada from shore. we can see a rocky beach in the foreground and hills and then mountains in the background.
NOAA Bell M. Shimada from Whidbey Island
a view of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada from shore. we can see a rocky beach in the foreground and hills and then mountains in the background. a well-framed seabird flies in the foreground.
Nice view of the mountains and seabird
a view of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada from shore. we can see hills and then mountains in the background.
NOAA Bell M. Shimada

See you in my next blogs where I will be talking about our study of hake populations and the data received from the echo sounder. I’m gone fishing, see you next time!

Michael, wearing a Teacher at Sea hat, shows off the albacore tuna he caught. He holds it up by the fishing line.
Albacore Tuna!
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Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: ¡Una aventura en alta mar me espera!, 4 de agosto de 2022

Read this post in English: Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: An Adventure on the High Seas Awaits! August 4, 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Michael Gutiérrez Santiago

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

agosto 12 – agosto 25 de2022

Misión: Sondeo de Merluza del Pacífico

Área Geográfica de Expedición: Costa de Washington

Fecha: 4 de agosto de 2022

Introducción

Una foto de primer plano de Michael frente a una bandera puertorriqueña. Lleva un sombrero de paja, gafas de sol y una mochila.
¡Saludos desde Puerto Rico!

¡Saludos a todos desde Isabela, Puerto Rico! estoy muy contento de que te unas a esta travesía conmigo en alta mar. Mi nombre es Michael Gutiérrez Santiago y en una semana estaré a bordo de la embarcación NOAA Bell M. Shimada participando de una expedición junto a los científicos de la NOAA realizando un sondeo de merluza del pacífico. Viajaré a Washington, lo cual son 10 horas aproximadamente para comenzar esta travesía. Espero que te unas y seas parte de esta expedición conmigo.

Estoy muy contento y agradecido de formar parte de esta experiencia. Recuerdo la mañana del 2019 que conocí sobre el programa de Teacher at Sea, estaba asombrado que educadores podían tener la oportunidad de estar en una expedición en alta mar con científicos y tripulantes de la NOAA. Sin dudar solicité y fui aceptado en el 2020. Como todos saben, el COVID-19 puso una pausa en el mundo, pero luego de dos años aquí estamos, ¡listos para abordar!

El vivir en Puerto Rico me ha hecho enamorarme de las playas, los bosques, cuevas, ríos junto a su flora y fauna. Es por esto que decidí realizar un Bachillerato en Ciencias Ambientales, para poder conocer más sobre lo que nos rodea y como poder conservarlo. Esta pasión al medio ambiente me ha llevado a compartir mis conocimientos a personas que me rodean y me di cuenta de que no hay mejor manera de conservar nuestros recursos ambientales que a través de la educación. Así que decidí certificarme como maestro de ciencias a nivel secundario.

Michael posa para una foto (haciendo un signo de paz con su mano izquierda, que también sostiene una multiherramienta) frente a una bandera puertorriqueña en un sendero en el bosque.
Bosque Cambalache , Arecibo P.R.
vista de una cascada en un río en un día soleado
Rio La Planta, Arecibo P.R.
Michael posa para una foto frente a una cueva, levanta el brazo izquierdo y se ríe
Cueva Quintin Rivera, Bosque Guajataca, Isabela P.R.
vista cercana de una mano que sostiene una estrella de mar bajo el agua
Estrella de mar en Puerto Mosquito, Vieques P.R.

El Comienzo de Grandes Cosas

A comienzos del 2017 me uní al EcoExploratorio: Museos de Ciencias de Puerto Rico, donde logré llevar la educación científica y la conservación ambiental a todo la Isla. Fue aquí mi escuela, donde aprendí a como ser un educador, tuve la oportunidad de llevar charlas educativas a diversas partes de la Isla, realizar talleres, webinars y ser parte de otras exhibiciones. El EcoExploratorio recibe una visita anual de 300,000 personas, teniendo la oportunidad de conozcan sobre que nos rodea y como conservarlo. Por otra parte, el EcoExploratorio se enfoca en la preparación de eventos atmosféricos como huracanes y eventos naturales como terremotos.

Michael, en el EcoExploratorio, se agacha junto a un niño que acaba de reventar un globo lleno de estrellas. Michael señala algo fuera de marco.
Que bien se siente educar a la nueva generación
Michael trabaja con un grupo de estudiantes en una actividad
Educando sobre la Vida en el Mar
Michael comparte una radiosonda con un grupo de estudiantes reunidos a su alrededor para escuchar
Explicando la importancia de la radiosonda

Actualmente soy profesor de Ciencias Ambientales a 12mo grado en la Escuela Abelardo Martínez Otero en Arecibo Puerto Rico. Logramos este año realizar diversas actividades, laboratorios y experimentos gracias a la excelente calidad de estudiantes que tuve. A pesar de que las limitaciones por el COVID-19, esos estudiantes dieron el máximo, teniendo así una excelente clase de Ciencias Ambientales.

este es un collage de cuatro fotos panorámicas de diferentes clases de estudiantes parados afuera, todos sosteniendo o tratando de sostener un globo negro largo
Laboratorio: Energía Solar

Ciencia en Alta Mar

Mi tiempo en el mar será en el océano pacífico, a bordo de la embarcación NOAA Bell M. Shimada en la segunda etapa del sondeo de merluza del pacífico, donde estaré trabajando y aprendiendo de Beth Phillips Chief Scientist y bióloga de NOAA Fisheries Service y el equipo de científicos. Algunos de mis objetivos en esta expedición es compartir lo aprendido en esta expedición con ustedes a través de los blogs, proporcionar datos vitales para ayudar a gestionar la población costera migratoria de merluza del Pacifico, llevar a cabo una calibración entre embarcaciones con el barco de la Guardia Costera canadiense Sir John Franklin en coordinación con los científicos del DFO para garantizar que los datos sean comparables para el 2023 y puedan combinarse para la evaluación de la población, recoger muestras de agua y plancton en la Línea Hidrográfica de Newport, muestreo de eufáusidos, la recopilación de datos oceanográficos y la recopilación de datos acústicos de banda ancha.

Para mí es un honor y un privilegio poder ser parte del programa Teacher at Sea. El poder ser parte de esta expedición es un sueño hecho realidad. Pondré todos mis esfuerzos para hacer orgulloso a Puerto Rico, a mi familia, maestros, estudiantes y al programa de Teacher at Sea. Me encantaría que fueran parte de esta expedición, mis blogs serán en inglés y español para poder llegar a todos ustedes. En confianza me encantaría que me hagan llegar sus preguntas o me dejen saber que ha sido lo más que le ha llamado la atención.

¡Que comience la aventura!

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Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: An Adventure on the High Seas Awaits! August 4, 2022

Lea esta publicación en español: Michael Gutiérrez Santiago: ¡Una aventura en alta mar me espera!, 4 de agosto de 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Michael Gutiérrez Santiago

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

August 12 – August 25, 2022

Mission: Pacific Hake Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Coastal Washington

Date: August 4, 2022

Introduction

A close-up photo of Michael in front of a Puerto Rican flag. He's wearing a straw hat, sunglasses, and a backpack.
Greetings from Puerto Rico!

Greetings to all from Isabela, Puerto Rico! I am so glad you are joining me on this journey on the high seas. My name is Michael Gutiérrez Santiago and, in a week, I will be aboard the NOAA Bell M. Shimada in an expedition with NOAA scientists on the Pacific Hake Survey. I will travel to Washington, which is approximately 10 hours to begin this journey. I hope you will join and be a part of this expedition with me.

I am very happy and grateful to be part of this experience. I remember in 2019 that I learned about the Teacher at Sea program, I was amazed that educators could have the opportunity to be on an expedition on the high seas with NOAA scientists and crew members. Without hesitation I applied and was accepted in 2020. As you all know COVID-19 put the world on pause, but after two years here we are, ready to board!

Living in Puerto Rico made me fall in love with the beaches, forests, caves, rivers along with its flora and fauna. That is why I decided to do a Bachelor Degree on Environmental Sciences, to learn more about what surrounds us and how to conserve it. This passion for the environment has led me to share my knowledge with people around me and I realized that there is no better way to conserve our environmental resources than through education. Therefore, I decided to get certified as a high school science teacher.

Michael poses for a photo (flashing a peace sign with his left hand, which is also holding a multitool) in front of a Puerto Rican flag on a trail in the forest.
Cambalche Forest, Arecibo P.R.
view of a waterfall on a river on a sunny day
Rio Grande of Arecibo
Michael poses for a photo in front of a cave, throwing up his left arm and laughing
Quintin Rivera Cave in Guajataca Forest, Isabela P.R.
close-up view of a hand holding a sea star underwater
Starfish in Mosquito Pier, Vieques P.R.

My early beginnings

At the beginning of 2017 I joined the EcoExploratorio: Science Museums of Puerto Rico, where I was an informal educator teaching science and and environmental conservation to the entire Island. It was here that I learned how to be an educator, I had the opportunity host workshops, webinars and be part of other exhibitions. The EcoExploratorio receives an annual visit of 300,000 people, having the opportunity to educate about what surrounds us and how to conserve it. On the other hand, the EcoExploratorio focuses on preparing for atmospheric events such as hurricanes and natural events such as earthquakes.

Michael, at the EcoExploratorio, crouches next to a child who may have just popped a balloon filled with stars. Michael points to something out of frame.
I enjoy teaching the new generation
Michael works with a group of students on an activity
What we can find on the beach?
Michael shares a radiosonde with a group of students gathered around him to listen
Explaining the importance of a radiosonde

I am currently a 12th grade Environmental Science teacher at the Abelardo Martínez Otero School in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. This year we managed to carry out various activities, laboratories, and experiments thanks to the excellent quality of students I had. Despite the limitations we had due to COVID-19, these students gave their best, thus having an excellent Environmental Science class.

this is a collage of four panoramic photos of different classes of students standing outside, all holding up or trying to hold up a long black balloon
Solar energy laboratory with solar balloon

Science on the high seas

My time at sea will be in the Pacific Ocean, aboard the NOAA Bell M. Shimada in the second leg of the Pacific Hake Survey where I will be working and learning from chief scientist Beth Phillips, biologist at NOAA Fisheries, and rest of the research team. Some of my goals on this expedition are to share what I am going to learn on this expedition with you via blogs, provide vital data to help manage the migratory coastal population of Pacific hake, conduct an Inter-Vessel Calibration with Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir John Franklin in coordination with DFO scientists to ensure data is comparable in 2023 and can be combined for population assessment, collect water and plankton samples at the Newport Hydrographic Line, euphausiid sampling , collecting oceanographic data, and collecting broadband acoustic data.

For me it is an honor and a privilege to be part of the Teacher at Sea program. Being able to be part of this expedition is a dream come true. I will put all my efforts to make Puerto Rico, my family, teachers, students, and the Teacher at Sea program proud. I would love for you to be part of this expedition; my blogs will be in English and Spanish to reach all of you. It would be great to send your questions or let me know what has caught your attention the most.

Let the adventure begin!

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Justin Garritt: I Came, We Fished, I Learned. . . 2 Amazing Weeks Aboard Shimada: September 14, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Justin Garritt
NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada
September 1-14, 2018

Mission: End of Hake Research

Geographical area of cruise: Seattle, Washington to Newport, Oregon

Date: September 11-14, 2018: Day 11-14

Location: Off the coast of Newport, Oregon. End of research cruise.

IMG_E1260[1]

Throughout my life there have been moments when I recognize I am in the presence of something truly unique and special. Moments when I realize just how beautiful our planet can be. Moments I know will be engraved in my brain as life passes by. Hiking Zion National Park, night boat riding down the beautiful Saint Lawrence Seaway in the heart of the Thousands Islands, the view on top of Whiteface Ski Mountain, climbing the mountain islands in Greece, landing a helicopter on an Alaskan glacier, gigantic waves crashing in on an empty Puerto Rican beach with nothing but the moon in sight, taking a train ride up the gigantic Alps, and color of the fall leaves over the Castleton University skyline in Vermont are just a few of those moments I have been so privileged to have experienced in my short life. Monday evening, I got to add another new nature wonderland experience aboard the NOAA Bell M Shimada.

It was 5:15pm and I was eating a terrific dinner when one of the scientists came in the galley to tell us fishing was on hold because of the abundance of marine wildlife that was surrounding our ship. I immediately ran upstairs to check it out. When I stepped in the bridge (command room of the ship) the first thing I noticed was the beautiful blue skies with a touch of clouds and the sun that set the stage for the spectacle. My ears rang with the crashing waves against the boat and seagulls squawking in the background. As I looked over the side of the boat there were two pairs of dolphins synchronized swimming all around the ship. After a few minutes, three California sea lions came floating by on their backs waving at the passing ship. Another minute later, the dolphins came back for their encore followed by a spray of a Humpback whale spouting directly behind it. As the whale came closer it swam gracefully in an up and down pattern until it bent its massive dinosaur-like body down followed by its tail flipping over as it took a deep dive below the surface. As soon as the whale took the dive another pair of sea lions came floating by smiling as they took in the heat of the sun. Before I could look again, a Pelagic Cormorant landed directly in front of me on the ship. Right after I took a picture of that I looked up and saw at least fifteen spouts surrounding the ship like a spectator would see at the Bellagio Hotel light show in Las Vegas. For the next hour whale after whale surfaced, spouted, and even breached behind the beautiful blue sky backdrop. No matter where I looked I was seeing whales grace our presence. No camera could capture the magic of that hour as I ran from side to side on the viewing tower above the bridge to soak in as much of this experience as possible. I was in awe at the majesty of the sea creatures. As the ship made its way through the evening and to sunset, the whales slowly trickled off beyond sight as the sun came down in the background. Hope that future generations can experience this beauty for centuries to come.

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The reality is the ever growing world’s population consumes large amounts of fish.  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations states that in 2016, the global seafood trade was worth $140 billion. In the US it is estimated that 1.5 million people are employed by the fishing industry. That is a lot of communities and families that rely on the resources in our water systems. Throughout the week I learned that so much of the work of NOAA is not limiting the growth and catch of our fishermen/fisherwomen, but it is to ensure there is a fish population to catch and future generations can experience what I was able to experience these past two weeks. Part of NOAA’s mission is to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. Having the most high tech equipment constantly being researched to seek improvements mixed with “ground truthing (catching and surveying)” to analyze different species is crucial for the future of the world’s fisheries.

Two weeks ago I wrote about the main goals for this research cruise. The first was to gather data to study the impact of the US 32mm net liners and the CANADIAN 7mm net liners. The second was to compare the old acoustic equipment called the EK60 with the new equipment called the EK80. Throughout the last two legs of the trip, scientists have gathered data and will be working on analyzing it over the coming months to make better conclusions on these goals. The vision is for someday to reduce the number of surveying trawls needed to determine the population of fish, and instead, use this highly advanced acoustics equipment instead. If those ships are filled with as curious, hardworking, and focused people as the people I met on this ship, I am confident we will be able to obtain this goal in the future.

Here are some pictures from the final 3 days of fishing and exploring the ship:

IMG_1367
Reading the acoustics for hake

Hake are present. . . it’s go time!
Hake are present. . . it’s go time!

Another pile of krill (the hake eat these)
Jellyfish
Holding a Big Squid
Sturgeon poacher
Myctophids
Rockfish being caught in the net onscreen
A large catch of hake
A Big Squid
Scientists analyzing the Big Squid
Super Chu
Myctophid x-ray
Myctophid x-ray
Spiny dogfish shark
A Big Squid
A Big Squid
A Big Squid
Spiny dogfish shark

 

Bringing my experience back to the classroom:

Throughout the past two weeks I constantly thought about how I can bring my experience back to my students in Baltimore. My students receive half the amount of hours of science instructional time than math and reading. After much reflection I decided to use the same core standards we are obligated to teach but begin rewriting most of the 6th grade statistics unit. At the start of the unit I will begin with the purpose of NOAA, pictures of my trip, and exciting stories from my adventure. From there I will have investment in the subject from my students which will allow me to dive in to applying data collected at sea to find: mean, mode, range, variability, mean absolute deviation (MAD), and interquartile range (IQR). We will also be able to use real live data to create histograms, frequency tables, box and whisker plots, and dot plots.  I believe it will be exciting for them to have the opportunity to apply required statistical concepts to learning how NOAA (along with others) survey our fish population so species will survive for generations to come. It will also make our school’s 6th grade teacher, Mr. Davis, very happy!

My view while lesson planning
My view while lesson planning

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An example of my change in classroom instructional materials to teach Box Plots with data from the research cruise.

At any given moment, there are thousands of NOAA employees studying our environment across the globe. I had the honor of sailing with incredibly intelligent and hardworking people who are dedicated to the mission. From them, I learned so many valuable things that I will carry with me as I disembark on Friday.

Chief Scientist, Rebecca Thomas was an excellent manager/role model. She taught me that leading through kindness, support, trusting others, and giving people rest will produce better and more accurate results than pushing people past their limitation.

 

Chief Scientist Rebecca Thomas

Scientist Steve de Bluis encouraged me to maintain a hobby outside of work that you love. Steve loves to fly planes and dive and talked about these trips all the time. You can tell how much joy it has brought him and how excited he is to continue to dive well into his retirement in a few years. He was also a BEAST in the wet lab!

IMG_1382

Roommate and Future Scientist Charlie Donahue taught me the importance of accuracy over speed. He constantly pushed me to be sure the data we were collecting was as accurate as possible. He never let speed and efficiency take away from quality. For those of you who know me, this is certainly an important push for me!

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Scientist John Pohl taught me about supporting newcomers. He was the first guy I met aboard and always spent time breaking down complicated science topics for me.

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Scientist John Pohl analyzes the depth of the net vs. the acoustic picture on his screen
Scientist Melanie Johnson taught me about working through chaos with calmness. She has been on both commercial and scientific ships and constantly kept calm during any situation that arose.

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Scientist Dezhang Chu (Super Chu) taught me about focus. No matter what was going on “Super Chu” always kept a clear view of his own goals and purpose aboard and stayed focused on the prize. Chu was also super hard working and was in the acoustics lab at 6:30am when I went to the gym and still in on his computer analyzing data from the day when I returned from yoga at 10pm. I think he could even give KIPP Ujima Resident-Principal Reese a run for it in terms of work ethic!

Super Chu and I
Super Chu

Volunteer Scientist Heather Rippman  taught me about service and life-long learning. Heather commits herself to volunteering for important science missions across the country. After leaving an executive position with Nike, she now travels and volunteers to learn all she can about marine science and give back to the marine science community. She shared so much knowledge with me and was the first person to teach me how to dissect hake.

Master Chef Arnold Dones reminded me about the power of food bringing people together. At exactly 7am, 11am, and 5pm, roughly 40 people from all over the country with all types of jobs aboard came together to feast. Arnold made that happen because of the pride he takes in his craft.

Chef Arnold

Chief Engineer Sabrina Taraboletti spent 3 hours with me on our last day to show me the massive engine room. She explained what every piece of equipment does below deck. I learned the science behind creating freshwater from sea water. I learned the regulations behind sewer and contaminants. The best part was climbing to the bottom of the ship and watching the shaft that makes the propeller turn move. Her team of engineers barely see daylight and work long hours to make sure the ship moves safely and all the amenities and scientific research equipment works flawlessly. She keeps the morale of her team high, keeps an impressively organized work space that is approximately the size of over a dozen typical garages, and is one of the most knowledgeable professionals I ever crossed paths with.

Sabrina teaching me about controlling the generators for the engines
The 2nd of 4 generators
Heather and I in the engine room

How to apply for the Teacher At Sea Program:

Ms. Ellmauer is a 25 year veteran science teacher from my hometown of Liberty, NY. She was also my high school ski coach. She has been following my blog and reached out about information on how to apply. I am humbled to see so many teachers and school officials reading my blog from across the country so I thought I would pass on the website with information about the program and how to apply for this once in a lifetime experience. Please reach out to me at JAGarritt@gmail.com if you have any questions.

https://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/#/home/

Tomorrow we pull in to Newport, Oregon, and the research cruise will come to an end. Thank you to the nearly one-thousand readers who have been following my journey. I am grateful for your support.

Good bye for now, until I hopefully sail again a part of the NOAA Teacher At Sea Alumni Program,

Justin

 

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Justin Garritt: Paired Trawling, X-raying, and The Galley Master: September 11, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Justin Garritt

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

September 1-14, 2018

Mission: Hake Research

Geographical area of cruise: Seattle, Washington to Newport, Oregon

Date: September 9-11, 2018: Day 7-9

Location: West of the Columbia River and Astoria, Oregon

 

Where Are We? After fishing off of the Straits of Juan de Fuca on Friday and Saturday, we headed south.  We ended up west of the Columbia River off the coast of Astoria, Oregon and continued to fish for a few days.

Heather and I with a large hake
A canary rock fish
Hello Sunday morning!
A chilly morning aboard the Shimada outside the Oregon coast
Beautiful cloudy evening
Cruise ship
Lots of krill

 

The fishing and sampling continues: A typical day consists of the scientists waking up before sunrise to begin scouting for fish. We use the information from the acoustic transducer to find fish.

Chief Scientist Rebecca Thomas
Chief Scientist Rebecca Thomas spots signs of fish on the sonar

sonar from the acoustic transducer
The sonar from the acoustic transducer showing signs of fish

Paired Trawling: Last week I wrote about our goals of the cruise. One of them was to perform paired trawls to determine net size impact to evaluate the differences between the US 32mm net liners and the Canadian 7mm net liners. A paired trawl is when we fish approximately the same location and depth two times using two different size liners. Data is collected on the size, characteristics, and species of fish being caught to eliminate the possibility that there is bias in the data between the two liners. Below are pictures of the nets being sent in and brought back based on information from the sonars. This typically happened 2-4 times per day (1-2 paired trawls).

The net out
The net getting pulled back in
The catch
The catch being dumped in the hopper
The catch being dumped in the hopper
The catch in the hopper

 

Sorting the Fish Aboard:

The fish coming down from the hopper
The fish coming down from the hopper
The fish coming down the conveyor belt
Rebecca sorting the fish by species
A yellow rock fish is sorted
The hake continues down the belt
Dr. Dezhang Chu inspects the different species
A rockfish covered with krill
Jellyfish covered in krill
A small squid
Sorting the rockfish
One of numerous hake baskets
Lampreys
Rockfish
Charlie and Heather sorting the catch

rockfish photo shoot
A rockfish photo shoot 🙂

How We Collect Data:

When fish come aboard we follow this flow chart to determine what analysis needs to be done on the catch.

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Our instructional chart for how we analyze the hake and other species

Hake is the majority of the fish we catch. It is also the main species we are researching this cruise.

A random sample of 250 are set aside and the rest are sent back in to the ocean. Of the approximately 250 random hake, 30 are dissected for enhanced sampling (length, weight, sex, maturity, and other projects).

220 are set aside for sex/length analysis. All other species of fish must be logged into the computer and some are kept for special research projects. See pictures below:

Male vs. female hake distinction:

A Pacific hake
Determining the sex of the hake
A male hake
A female hake

Determining the length of the hake:

Determining the length of rockfish
Determining the length of each hake
Determining the length of hake

Enhanced sampling (length, weight, sex, maturity, and other projects):

Dr. Melanie Johnson dissects a hake
Scientist Steve de Blois measuring hake
Scientist Steve de Blois plus in data from his station

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Dissecting the hake to enhance sample

Special Projects: There are also a number of special projects going on aboard:

Fish X-ray: Scientist Dezhang Chu x-rays samples of fish occasionally. The x-ray is used to determine the volume of the swim bladders in certain species of fish (see picture below). The volume of different species’ swim bladders affects the observed acoustics. I spoke to him about the purpose of this study. He said that the present acoustic transducers are great to capture whether fish are present below the ship’s surface but are still not able to classify the type of species being observed. He is working on a team that is trying to use x-ray’s from multiple species to solve that problem. When asked how long he thought it may take for there to be an acoustic system advanced enough to better predict the species onscreen, he said, “People have and will continue to spend their entire careers on improving the system.” If we have more scientists like Dr. Chu on this project, I predict it will be much sooner than he leads on.

X-ray of a rock fish
Dr. Dezhang Chu teaching me about the x-ray project
Dr. Dezhang Chu x-raying a rockfish
Dr. Dezhang Chu x-raying another rockfish

"Super Chu"
“Super Chu” and I with his new apron I made him for x-raying

Filming the Catch: Melanie Johnson leads the science team’s visual analysis. During each trawl a camera is placed securely on the net. The purpose of the net is to analyze approximately which depth and time certain fish enter the net.

Cameras being detached from the net for analysis
Scientist Melanie Johnson collects data from the camera that was in the fishing net

fish entering the net
Camera footage of fish entering the net

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Getting to know the crew: As promised in other blog posts, here is another interview from the incredible crew aboard  NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada who continue to make my journey such a rich experience:

Mr. Arnold Dones, Head Chef

Arnold Dones is our head chef or what I like to call him, “Master Chef.” Since the minute I’ve been aboard I quickly noticed the incredible work ethic and talent of our chef. To be clear, every meal has incredible! When I spoke to my mom a few days into the cruise my exact words were, “The food aboard is better than a buffet on a cruise ship. I expected to come aboard for two weeks and lose a few pounds. Well that’s not going to happen!”

Chef Arnold
Chef Arnold and his incredible food artwork

Arnold was born in the Philippines and his family migrated here when he was twenty. When he first got here he knew very little English and worked hard to learn the language and the American culture. He worked a few odd and end jobs until he joined the United States military as a chef. During his first years in the military, he showed so much promise as a chef that he enrolled in “A School” which allowed him to learn how to be a master chef in the military. He spent more than a decade working on military vessels. His last ship placement was aboard the USS Ronald Reagan where he and his team prepared meals for 6,000 soldiers per meal. Two months ago he joined the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada family as head chef.  Arnold has two children and a wife who live back in San Diego.

After a tour of the galley with Arnold, I learned how much work it takes to pull 42 meals in 14 days for over 40 crew members without a supermarket nearby. A few weeks out, Arnold has to create his menu for the next cruise leg (typically two weeks). He then has to order the food required to make the meals and do so by staying under a strict budget. When the ship ends a leg and pulls in to port, a large truck pulls up and unloads all his ordered food in large boxes. He then organizes it in the order he plans to prepare it in his large freezer, refrigerator, and store rooms. The trick is to be sure his menu is organized so nothing spoils before it is used.  Arnold’s day begins at 05:00  (5am) and goes until 19:00 (7pm) with a short break after lunch. The only days off he has is a day or two once every two weeks when the boat is in port.

Master Chef Arnold showing me his organized refrigerator
The mess hall
The menu is posted for every meal
An amazing buffet is served three times a day at 7am, 11am, and 5pm.
Salad is available 24 hours a day
Arnold’s art work
Lunch one day
Dinner one night

Here is a sample menu for the day:

Breakfast (7-8am)- Eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes, french toast, hash browns, scrambled eggs, oat meal, cut fresh fruit, and breakfast danish.

Lunch (11-12pm)- Bacon wrapped rockfish, chicken wings, Chinese noodles, brussel sprouts, bread, a large salad bar, homemade salads, avocado, bean salad, homemade cookies, and ice cream.

Dinner (5-6pm)-  Stuffed pork chops with spinach and cheese, fine braised chicken thigh, baked salmon, Spanish rice, oven potatoes, peas, dinner rolls, a large salad bar, homemade salads, homemade apple pie, and ice cream.

Snack (24/7)- Soup, crackers, ice cream, and salad/fruit bar

King crab legs!
Crab legs and t-bones at sea 🙂

We dock in Newport, Oregon on Friday, September 14, 2018. My final post will be on Friday. Thank you for continuing to follow along in this journey. I am grateful for your support and for the amazing people I have met aboard.

Justin

 

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Justin Garritt: Precision in Science is Key. Calibrating Day and Ship Tour, September 5, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Justin Garritt
NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada
September 5, 2018

Topic Today: Calibrating the Equipment and ship tour

Geographical area of cruise: Seattle, Washington to Newport, Oregon

Today’s Location and Weather: Beautiful sunny skies calibrating in Elliot Bay, Seattle, Washington

Date: September 5, 2018

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Today’s blog will focus on calibration and a tour of the beautiful ship.

Calibration is the act of evaluating and adjusting the precision and accuracy of measurement equipment. It is intended to eliminate or reduce bias in an instrument’s readings. It compares the standard measurement with the measurement being made by the equipment. The accuracy of all measurements degrade over time by normal wear and tear. The purpose of calibration is to check the accuracy of the instrument and with this information, adjustments can be made if it is out of calibration. The bottom line is that calibration improves the accuracy of the measurement device which improves quality.

We calibrate many things in life. For an example, many teachers at my school have smart boimagesards or promethean boards. These boards are interactive white boards that allow teachers to teach using more interactive tools. As a math teacher, I have had a promethean board in my classroom which acts like a large touch screen computer that I take notes on, teach lectures on, give student feedback on, and play math games on.

calibrating
A teacher calibrating their smart board in a classroom

They have improved the learning experience for students in my class and across the globe. In order for the screen to work most accurately, we must perform routine calibrations on the board. If we don’t, there is often errors and where we touch the screen is not what actually shows up on the board. When these errors begin to occur, we must calibrate the board or else we won’t be as accurate when writing on the board.

cal2

Police officers and military personnel must also use calibration in their work. Officers must routinely calibrate their weapons for accuracy. When at a safe and secure range, officers will “site-in” their weapons to determine if their scope is accurate. They will then make modifications to their weapons based on the calibration tests. This is another form of calibrating that improves the quality and accuracy of the equipment.

On board the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada, calibration typically happens at the start and end of most legs. Sometimes the Chief Scientist will also make the decision to calibrate mid-leg. For the past two days we have been spending 12 to 15 hours per day calibrating the equipment to ensure the most accurate research can be completed and we can meet the goals of the leg.

All of the scientists aboard
Me using a down rigger during calibration

Calibrating the equipment is an interesting process that involves the teamwork of all the scientists on board. The process begins with three scientists setting up down riggers on the outside of the boat. Two are set up on starboard side (right side of the ship) and one is set up on port side (left side of the ship). This creates a triangle which will allow the calibration sphere or what I like to call,  “the magic sphere”  to move in whatever direction needed. This same triangle shaped design is used to move cameras that fly above players in the Superbowl.

This same triangle shaped design is used to move cameras that fly above players in the Superbowl.
Another image of camera that flies above Superbowl

 

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The picture above shows how three lines suspended from down riggers that are attached to the sphere.

The pictures (with captions) show the process step by step.

Scientist Steve de Blois setting up one of the down riggers
Scientist Dezhang Chu prepares the “magic sphere” before dropping it in the water for calibration
Scientist Dezhang Chu drops the “magic sphere” in the water
Dropping the sphere in the water for calibration
Chief Scientist Rebecca Thomas checking in with her team
The three-line triangle shape is used to maneuver the “magic sphere” below the boat during calibration
Scientist Dezhang Chu leads the calibration from the acoustics lab
Scientist Dezhang Chu communicates with the team at the down riggers on where to move the “magic sphere” for calibration
This screen monitors where the sphere is under the ship. The goal during calibration is to move the sphere is all four quadrants of the screen.

We calibrated for two full days. It was surprising how long the process took. After  explanations from the many scientists on board I learned that the process is so long because we are assessing numerous acoustic transducers under the ship.  Then, for each transducer, we are calibrating the old acoustic system and the new acoustic system.

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All smiles at the end of calibration as we head out to continue our mission at sea:-)  In this photo: NOAA TAS Justin Garritt, Scientist Volunteer Heather Rippman, and Future Scientist Charlie Donahue (and roommate)

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A Tour of the ship

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NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada is an incredible vessel that sails for months at a time. It has a crew of over 40 people (who I will be discussing in future blogs). The ship is a science lab with most state of the art equipment and also home for the crew on board that make the boat run 24 hours a day for 365 days a year. Here is a quick behind the scenes look at this remarkable vessel.

The Deck: When you embark the ship, the first thing you see is a huge deck with massive pieces of equipment. Each item has a different purpose based on what scientific study is taking place throughout the leg of the journey.

Two of the nets we will be using to catch hake and other organisms. Each net has different size liners which we will be testing.
A view of the back deck and all the equipment
Another view of the back deck
A view looking up from the deck at the top vessel

The Bridge: This is where the captain and his crew spend most of their day. The bridge has all of the most up-to-date technology to ensure we are all safe while on board. Operations occur 24 hours a day, so the ship never sleeps. Officers on the bridge must know what is happening on the ship, what the weather and traffic is like around the ship. The bridge has highly advanced radar to spot obstacles and other vessels. It also is the center of communication for all units on board the ship.

The officers of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada.
The bridge of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

The Galley and Mess Hall: I expected to come on board and lose weight. Then I met Arnold. He is our incredible galley master who makes some of the best meals I have had on a ship. Yes, this better than food on a buffet line on a cruise. Arnold works his magic in a small kitchen and has to plan, order, and organize food two weeks out. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all served at the same time everyday. The food is prepared and everyone eats in the mess hall. Beverages, cereal, salad, and most importantly, ice cream are available 24 hours a day, so there is no need to ever be hungry. Every meal has a large menu posted on the television monitor and you can eat whatever you want. Every meal so far has been amazing.

Master Chef Arnold showing me his organized refrigerator
In the food storage closet
The mess hall
The mess hall
An amazing buffet is served three times a day at 7am, 11am, and 5pm.
The menu is posted for every meal
Salad is available 24 hours a day
Ice cream and snacks available 24 hours a day
Drinks are always available

Staterooms: Sleeping quarters are called staterooms and most commonly sleep two people. Each stateroom has its own television and a bathroom, which is called a head. As The bunks have these neat curtains that keep out the light just in case you and your roommate are working different shifts.

My stateroom which I share with Charlie, a volunteer college student
Names on our door

Laundry Room: There are three washer machines and three dryers that crew can use to clean their clothes during off-duty hours

The laundry room
The laundry room

The Entertainment Room:  The living room of the ship. This room has a large screen TV,  comfy recliners, and hundreds of movies, including new releases.

The gym