Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Date: July 27, 2023
Weather Data
Location: 55°54.11’N, 168°33.69W
Outside temperature: 11°C
Water temperature: 10.5°C
True Winds: 8nm, 211.9°
Skies: Overcast and Foggy
Visibility: 5nm
Sea Wave: 1 ft
Swell Wave: 2 ft
Science and Technology Log
The entire survey department has diverse backgrounds rooted in Science and each took different paths before coming to NOAA Ship Fairweather. Their studies in college include Geography, Quantitative Geoscience, Environmental Science, Economic Environmental Policy, Space Studies, Physical Oceanology, Applied Math, Computer Science and Marine Biology.
I wanted to highlight two people in the survey department who I worked with over the last 3 weeks.
Alex Dawson, Physical Scientist, Project Manager for the Pribilof Islands
Alex studied in one of the only hydrographic programs in the U.S. for undergraduates, at the College of Charleston. This is a unique program where students gain technical, practical and research knowledge and experience. Alex obtained bathymetric data and translated this into a research project. She presented this information at a professional conference, which put her ahead of many of her peers.
In her current job at NOAA headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, Alex is a Physical Scientist and a Project Manager. She plans projects for the entire U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and planned this Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands; she is aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather for their Pribilof Island Surveys . Each project takes about 2 to 6 months to plan depending on the complexity of the specific area being surveyed. Alex and her team do this by looking at the environment of the area, known features and existing charts. She develops environmental compliance best management practices so the survey does not impact the local ecosystem or marine life. Any features that are on existing charts such as obstructions, shipwrecks, rocks, or pipelines will be included in the project’s GIS files, and she determines if those features need to be investigated more thoroughly. This is all put together in a project package that is sent to the hydrographic ship– the footprint of the survey, any special features that need to be investigated, environmental compliance information, and any previous surveys in the last 20 years that may abut or overlap the planned survey area. Alex also does hurricane response work; if a hurricane hits a port, then the port will be closed until a federal hydrographic survey comes in to make sure it is safe for commerce. This is done as fast as possible, sometimes within 24 hours.
Which projects get fulfilled depends on the navigational risks of each area. Alex explains: “Coast Survey determines which areas to survey within U.S. ports, harbors, and approaches, as well as U.S. waters more broadly, by using the risk-based Hydrographic Health Model. The model assesses risks to surface navigation from charted bathymetry and features, including both the likelihood of a risk (e.g. traffic density, known hazards to navigation, reported ship groundings, etc.) and the consequence of a risk (e.g. proximity to search and rescue stations, proximity to public beaches, reefs, or marine sanctuaries, etc.). A resulting accuracy factor indicates the urgency (or lack thereof) for new hydrographic surveys.”
In Alex’s own words: “I love mapping in general, but I think it’s really cool to map in an area such as the Pribilofs… to uncover what hasn’t been uncovered before – mapping where no one has mapped before.”
Alex Dawson aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather en route to the Pribilof Islands
Sara Ober, Hydrographic Survey Technician
Sara got her B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A & M University. After college, she worked for 5 years in Alaska as a fisheries observer contracted through NOAA through the North Pacific Observer Program. She worked on smaller fishing boats to observe what they were catching and when. The calendar of the fishing seasons and quotas in Alaskan waters are mostly federally managed and she would observe the catch at the beginning, close and during the season and pass on that data to the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle.
Sara then became a survey technician with NOAA. At the time, hydrography was new to Sara, but she is currently in her second year and likes training newer survey technicians on how to precisely look at the data and check for accuracy. Every morning she makes sure everything is ready for the plan of the day in terms of surveying, ensures the processing from the night before is ready and addresses anything if needed. She likes helping others learn and members of the survey team often go to her for advice.
In the future, Sara is hoping to combine her marine biology and hydrography experiences together and do benthic habitat map work. The benthic zone is the ecological region found at the bottom of a body of water. Sara would like to use sonar data to see what the seafloor looks like and why fish live there, as well as predict where they migrate to.
In Sara’s own words:
“I really like hydrography, the technical part is fun and new to me. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I do. Being able to visually see something is very cool to me and having such an impact on things. We can see our direct impact when we submit our data and later on when nautical charts get updated. It’s like, this is what I did and here’s the final product.
I love being in Alaska. I like working on a ship, I think it’s fun.”
Sara Ober working in the Survey Department aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
Personal Log
We will be arriving at port tomorrow in Dutch Harbor and my time on NOAA Ship Fairweather is coming to a close. I want to thank the entire crew for showing and explaining to me the amazing work they do and making me feel at home. The crew is highly skilled, patient, respectful and willing to pretty much do anything to help the mission. Their commitment to Science, to NOAA and to each other is commendable.
I especially want to thank LT Taylor Krabiel and Commanding Officer CMD Meghan McGovern for their hospitality, guidance, continuous check-ins, and making the most of my time.
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Date: July 24, 2023
Weather Data
Location: 56°36.8259’N,169°32.2224’W
Outside temperature: 11°C
Water temperature: 10°C
True Winds: 16kn, 185.4°
Skies: Foggy with Drizzy Rain
Visibility: 5nmSea
Wave: 1-2 ft
Swell Wave: 1 ft
Science and Technology Log
We are currently at anchor off the north shore of Saint George Island and the survey launches are going out daily to survey a portion of the surrounding waters. I have been on the survey launches twice, each time surveying a different area.
Survey Launch July 22, 2023
The Pribilof Islands are the breeding grounds for more than two thirds of the world’s fur seal population and their numbers peak in July. Our surveying operations do their best not to disturb the Fur Seals. I was on a launch that was assigned the harbor. However, upon entering, we saw a colony of Fur Seals and had to turn back around. We then went onto survey another area in open water. Later that morning, the winds increased and all survey launches returned to the ship out of caution for the weather.
Entering the harbor at Saint George
Fur Seals in the Saint George harbor
Survey Launch July 23, 2023
We went out to survey an area closer to shore and were out all day – a good weather day. We surveyed using set lines; this is where survey lines are parallel and evenly spaced apart. During post survey data processing, these lines of coverage will be used to update soundings on the chart. Set lines are used in areas of shallow water where there is not much bathymetric data, such as the Pribilof Islands. This process allows the survey team to complete a larger survey area in less time.
Our surveying boundary close to shore is defined by the navigational area limit line (NALL), which is the distance from shore that vessels can reasonably navigate. The other boundaries are mapped out by the survey team ensuring coverage of the entire area. During surveying in addition to depth data, any information about features that can impact navigation need to be noted. This can include an outcrop of rocks, shipwrecks or a kelp forest. We did see a kelp forest close to the shoreline during this survey, and indicated that in our data. Kelp forests can increase or decrease in size depending on the year and water temperature, but generally stay in the same place.
The swath is the width of the survey lines. During surveying the swath gets larger as the depth increases. In this survey, as you move away from shore the depth becomes deeper, so the width of the swath increases as well. This is due to the fact that the MBES angle is fixed and the depth is related to the swath by the tangent function.
Screen showing the set line spacing and data taken near the shore.
Close to the shoreline of Saint George. The color change of the water indicates a kelp forest. Thousands of sea birds are on the cliffs.
How the width of the swath can be calculated.
TAS Elli Simonen on a survey launch close to shore of Saint George, one of the Pribilof Islands
At the Helm of the Survey Launches
Coxswains are responsible for steering and navigating the survey launches. They use a variety of instruments and sensors to maintain safety and guide the survey launches over the planned survey lines. The heading is the direction the bow of the ship is pointing, expressed as a degree measurement from 0° to 360°. We were mainly surveying lines that were running north-south and the heading measurement was 0° when we went north and 180° south.
Heading indicator showing the direction of the survey launch and allows for autopilot.
Magnetic Compass showing heading on the survey launches.
Screen for coxswains on survey launches showing depth, the water column and survey lines.
TAS Elli Simonen attempting to steer the Survey Launch with NOAA Corps member ENS Ashley Howell. It is much harder than it looks!
Personal Log
Day to Day
Most of my days have been spent on the ship or lately, on survey launches. If I’m on the ship, I usually spend most of the day in the survey room with the survey technicians. Breakfast is served from 7-8 am, lunch is from 11-12 pm and dinner is 5-6 pm. Sometimes a movie is shown in the lounge in the evenings, but the other day we streamed the Women’s World Cup to see the USA win their opening game!
Some of the common areas of the ship
The survey room where all the survey technicians have their work stations.
The galley with lunch available
The mess, where we all eat meals.
Washers, dryers and soap are provided for everyone’s use.
The Pribilof Islands are also home to millions of sea birds. Birdwatchers can see red-faced cormorants, red-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, thick-billed murres, and puffins. These species nest in the island’s cliffs and tundra. (https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewinglocations.pribilofislands)
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Date: July 19, 2023 Weather DataLocation: 57°11.82’N, 170°27.52’W
Outside temperature: 13°C
Water temperature: 11°C
True Winds: Direction 242.4°, 13.7 kn
Skies: Overcast and Foggy
Visibility: 2 nm
Sea Wave: 2 ft
Swell Wave: Direction 240°, 4 feet height
Science and Technology Log
We have arrived at the Pribilof Islands after being en route from Kodiak for 3 days. We are currently surveying.
Geology of the Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian islands stretch from North America into the Pacific and contain 40 active volcanoes. This string of islands is where the Pacific Plate sinks under the North American Plate causing some of the largest earthquakes of the last 100 years. NOAA Ship Fairweather often receives alerts about Volcanic Eruptions including information about ash in the water when sailing around the Aleutian Islands.
On July 15th at 10:48 pm, at a depth of 13 miles, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck just south of the Aleutian Peninsula, triggering a tsunami watch and then warning. NOAA Ship Fairweather was in the direct vicinity, but did not feel a noticeable shake. Luckily the tsunami watch and warning were canceled shortly after, and the earthquake did not cause significant wave heights. Investigation of observed water levels at the Sand Point, AK tide station showed some variability when compared to the tide predictions.
Observed water levels the night of the earthquake and tsunami warning.
Video showing the Bow of NOAA Ship Fairweather sailing just south of the Aleutian Peninsula
Engineering On Board
The engineering team on NOAA Ship Fairweather consists of 8 engineers. They are in charge of maintaining the engine, all power and water on board. They typically work in 4-8 hour shifts, 24-hours per day, to ensure everything is running smoothly. The ship’s two main engines power shafts that are connected to controllable pitch propellers. To move a boat forward, both the pitch of the propellers and Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) are adjusted. Pitch is the angle of the propeller blades and RPM is how many times the propellers rotate per minute.
The engine room also supplies clean potable water for the entire ship. Through the process of reverse osmosis, sea water is compressed in cylinders and salt is filtered out. The water then goes through multi-stage and UV filters to ensure safe sanitation.
Power is supplied by three generators and one emergency generator. These generators power all electric, navigational and satellite receiver systems.
One of the Engines
Reverse Osmosis Unit, used to make potable water from seawater
TAS Elli Simonen in the Engine Room
Surveying with NOAA Ship Fairweather
We have been surveying at the Pribilof Islands for the last 1-2 days. We are surveying using the ship and the team is on a 24 hour rotation. The survey area is divided up into polygons, or smaller areas, of which we completely cover one at a time. The ship drives back and forth in overlapping lines over the designated polygon. In addition to the MBES data, we gather both backscatter and water column data as well.
Backscatter is a visual representation of the surface of the seafloor. Backscatter provides information about the intensity of the returned echos, from which the “hardness” of the bottom as well as other characteristics can be used to differentiate between different types of seafloor composition. Darker colors represent harder surfaces such as rocks and hard coral and lighter colors represent softer surfaces such as sand and mud. This information is important for ships to know for anchoring purposes, as well as benthic habitat characteristics.
The water column data shows us what is under the ship throughout the water column– from the surface of the water to the seafloor. It detects bubbles, objects protruding from the seafloor, fish, or even a whale or a seal.
Water column Data
Backscatter showing a representation of the seafloor
TAS Elli Simonen with Survey Technician Finnegan Sougioultzoglou
Personal Log
Safety and Routine Checks
Before coming on board, I did not realize all the preemptive safety measures that need to be taken to ensure the health and safety of everyone on board. The staff and crew need to be self-sustaining on all accounts; another person, equipment or supplies cannot be added mid-sail. There are cooks onboard as well as medical staff. There are 3 drills and situations that the entire crew participates in, including myself – Fire, Mariner Overboard and Abandon Ship. You need to know the pattern of alarms for each, as well as where to go and what to do. For example, for Mariner Overboard I go to the fantail of the ship, with others, and point at the person in the water until a small boat can go out and rescue them. Each one of these drills is practiced periodically. Additionally there are two sets of rounds every hour, 24 hours a day – a deck round and engine rounds. Deck rounds check all public spaces for anything abnormal. Engine rounds check the engine room to see if everything is working properly. Every week, refrigerators are checked for correct temperatures and water is checked for potential bacteria.
New Terms/Phrases
I’ve learned several acronyms and initials since I have been on board NOAA Ship Fairweather. Sometimes I feel two consecutive sentences cannot be said without some type of abbreviation. These are some that have become part of my vocabulary:
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Date: July 16, 2023
Weather Data
Location: 55’21.02° N, 161’02.02° W
Outside temperature: 11°C
Water temperature: 10°C
True Winds: 337°, 6.5 kts
Skies: Overcast and Cloudy
Science and Technology Log
What is Surveying?
I was in port with the NOAA Ship Fairweather for a little under a week but right now we are en route to the Pribilof Islands. During the time at port, the survey team surveyed surrounding areas, calibrated equipment and practiced troubleshooting survey systems. The goal of surveying is to gather the bathymetry data of the seafloor, or the depths and shape of the seafloor.
Surveying equipment is located on NOAA Ship Fairweather as well as four smaller boats called survey launches, which each get deployed from the ship. Depending on the mission, sea conditions and the project plan, the ship or launches may both be used, or a combination of both.
Global Positioning System (GPS) records position. The Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) measures the motion of the ship. Multibeam Echosounder (MBES) is when sound is pinged from a vessel to the seafloor and the time lapse is used to determine the depth of the seafloor. MBES is a type of sonar that uses multiple beams to get a more complete picture of the seafloor with depths and characteristics. After the data is pinpointed to a specific location, variability associated with tides is also taken into account by transforming the data vertically to the mean lowest low tide. Bathymetry data taken on NOAA Ship Fairweather as well as its four survey launches appears as strips on a map, as the ship or boat moves.
Data is measured to the mean lowest low tide because that level of water is on average the lowest of any tide for a given area. Using the lowest depth in navigation is conservative, thus allowing vessels to navigate safely through mapped waters.
Survey Data shown as green strips.
Survey launches being stored on NOAA Ship Fairweather as well as one deployed in the harbor
TAS Elli Simonen aboard one of the survey launches.
Calibrating the Data
During our time in port we took out some of the survey launches to perform a patch test; that is, calibration procedures to ensure the data we collect is as accurate as possible. A correctly calibrated system will show the same mapping of the seafloor in repeated tests, without the influence of confounding variables – speed, direction and ship motion. In a patch test, time delay, pitch, roll and heading are calculated multiple times over different depths, obstructions and slopes on the seafloor and compared to known data. The obstruction we surveyed was a shipwreck.
Planning the Patch Test
Map of the planned surveys for the Patch Test.
Survey Data showing the Wreck
To correct for how the speed of sound changes in ocean water, during surveying every four hours Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) is measured. The CTD measures Salinity and Pressure of the Water Column, aspects that can change the speed of sound. The CTD is used to further calibrate data because different depths have different levels of salinity and temperature, and therefore distort how fast the sound travels. CTD data is used in post-processing to correct for any distortions.
CTD on the survey launches.
Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP), a type of CTD that can be used while the ship is in motion, being deployed on NOAA Ship Fairweather by members of the surveying team.
Where does the data go?
Once the survey technicians gather bathymetry data, they still need to edit it before passing it along to National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), who package it for public view and is the data repository for environmental data in the U.S. and the U.S. Office of Coast Survey who create navigational charts. Editing the data involves rejecting spurious noise that MBES picked up that is out of range or incorrect. This data then is transformed into charts and more standardized bathymetry data.
Survey Technician showing TAS Elli Simonen the process of cleaning survey data
Personal Log
Members of the survey team are all smart, respectful and patient and take the time to explain to me the science at play no matter how many questions I have. I spend the majority of my day with the survey team but also explore other areas of the ship. I have now been onboard for over a week and things are beginning to feel routine. The sun does not set here until about 10:30pm and rises around 6am. Meals are served at regular times and more importantly, at least to me, coffee is available 24/7.
This is TAS Elli’s room aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather at 9:45pm
Mission: Hydrographic Survey of the Pribilof Islands
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pribilof Islands, Alaska
Location (In Port): 57⁰43.8384’N, 152⁰30.8319’W
Date: July 12, 2023
Hi Everyone, my name is Elli and this week, I arrived in Kodiak, Alaska and right now I am aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather. This is my first time in Alaska as well as my first time being on a scientific research ship. I teach high school Mathematics, specifically Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and AP Calculus at Special Music School, a public school located in New York City. I also instruct two classes at the College and Graduate level as an adjunct lecturer at City College and Hunter College. My high school students are musically gifted and many go onto Music Conservatory Education. I am constantly in awe of their talent, grit and perseverance in pursuit of becoming better musicians. My students at the college and graduate levels are all learning how to be educators in the New York City school system. Their sense of purpose, commitment and openness to new ideas is inspiring.
Elli aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
I am a Math for America (MfA) Master Teacher and first heard of the NOAA Teacher at Sea Program (TAS) in 2019 through MfA – I researched the TAS program, and thought this is something I definitely want to do, and applied. I was accepted in the 2020 cohort, but because of COVID was rolled over to 2023 so here I am, three and a half years later embarking on a hydrographic survey of the Pribilof Islands.
I have been teaching math for 20 years and at various points have had experiences learning about the oceans and marine life. I started my career as a Peace Corps Volunteer and lived in Zanzibar, Tanzania for 2 years. In addition to teaching math, I was able to take students to study the coral reefs that surround the island through the Chumbe Environmental Education Program. They snorkeled, learned about coral and how to preserve and protect this environment. I also like to scuba dive and have completed over 90 dives at various places around the world– learning not only about shoreline habitat at each diving spot I visited, but how different facets of the ocean interact. In 2019, I was awarded a Fund for Teachers Grant where I traveled to Australia, scuba dived and learned first hand about the Great Barrier Reef. And now, I’m still on a journey to learn more about the world’s oceans and marine environments, this time with NOAA in the waters around Alaska.
Elli scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
So, what is a hydrographic survey you might ask? And where are the Pribilof Islands? The Pribilof Islands are four volcanic islands about 300 miles west of mainland Alaska in the south Bering Sea and about 250 miles north of the Aleutian Islands; the two largest islands are Saint Paul and Saint George. A Hydrographic survey uses sonar data to interpret the ocean floor and coastlines which then is used to produce Nautical charts. The Pribilof Islands Hydrographic Survey will map the ocean floor and surrounding coastline to provide updated accurate charts of this area. The Pribilof Islands have not been mapped since the 1950’s.
I will be onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather. The ship embarks in Kodiak, Alaska and disembarks in Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska. I am very much looking forward to spending time with the Science team on NOAA Ship Fairweather and learning about what everyone does on a NOAA ship. I plan on taking this information back with me to New York City and bringing this real-world research experience into my classroom.
NOAA Ship Fairweather
Did you know?
NOAA has three different types of Scientific research ships: Hydrographic surveys, Fisheries survey and Oceanographic research
Since 1990, the TAS program has sailed more than 850 teachers aboard their ships. Teachers have come from every state and 4 territories. (For any fellow teachers reading this, TAS has cohorts every year and applications are due in the Fall.)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Northwest (Off the coast of California)
Date: 9/7/2019
Weather Data from Marietta, GA:
Latitude: 33.963900 Longitude: -84.492260 Sky Conditions: Clear Present Weather: Hot Visibility: 9 miles Windspeed: Less than 1 knot Temperature: Record high 97 degrees Fahrenheit
It’s been weeks since I disembarked in Newport, Oregon and left Fairweather behind. I still feel like I’m a part of the crew since I was welcomed so seamlessly into any job I tried to learn while Teacher at Sea. However, the crew is still working away as I continue to share my experiences with my students in Marietta, Georgia.
As I have been working on lessons for my classroom, I keep finding fun facts and information about ship life that I didn’t share in my previous posts. So, here is my final post and some of my most frequent questions by students answered:
Question 1: Where did you sleep?
I slept in a berth, I had a comfortable bed, drawers, a locker, and a sink. There was a TV too, which I never watched since a) I like to read more than watch TV and b) the ship would rock me to sleep so fast I could never stay up too long at bedtime!
Bunk
Sink
Door
My room aboard Fairweather
Question 2: What was the weather like when you were at sea?
Sunny!
Cloudy and foggy
Clear at sunset
Windy days!
Windy nights!
Really foggy some nights!
Some days (and nights) so foggy that they had to use the fog horn for safety!
Question 3: What animals did you see?
I highlighted animals in all of my posts and linked sites to learn more, go check it out! There is one animal I didn’t include in my posts that I would like to share with you! The first is the California Sea Lionfound in the Newport harbor. You could hear them from across the harbor so I had to go check them out!
See the video below:
California Sea Lions
Question 4: What happens next with the hydrographic survey work?
This is one of my favorite questions from students! It shows how much you have learned about this very important scientific work and are thinking about what is next. The hydrographic survey maps are now in post processing, where the survey technicians, Sam, Bekah, Joe, and Michelle are working hard to make sure the data is correct. I shared in a previous hydrographic survey blog an example of Fairweather’s hydrographic survey maps, I also checked in with the USGS scientists James Conrad and Peter Dartnell to see what they were doing with their research and they shared some information that will help answer this question.
From Peter Dartnell, USGS research scientist: “Here are a few maps of the bathymetry data we just collected including the area off Coos Bay, off Eureka, and a close-up view of the mud volcano. The map off Eureka includes data we collected last year. I thought it would be best to show the entire Trinidad Canyon.”
From James Conrad USGS research geologist: “Here is an image of a ridge that we mapped on the cruise. The yellow dots are locations of methane bubble plumes that mark seafloor seeps. In the next few weeks, another NOAA ship, the Lasker, is planning to lower a Remotely Operated Vehicle to the seafloor here to see what kinds of critters live around these seeps. Methane seeps are known to have unique and unusual biologic communities associated with them. For scale, the ridge is about 8 miles long.”
Bathymetry map showing ridge
So, even though the research cruise is over, the research and follow up missions resulting from the research are ongoing and evolving every day.
Question 5: Would you go back if you could be a Teacher at Sea again?
YES! There is still so much to learn. I want to continue my own learning, but most importantly, lead my students to get excited about the important scientific research while keeping the mission of the NOAA close to their hearts: “To understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. Dedicated to the understanding and stewardship of the environment.“
Fair winds and following seas Fairweather, I will treasure this experience always.
Texas A & M- Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering
Technology
Wage Mariners-civil service federal employee (nonmilitary)
Do you have any plans for future education?
Currently investigating at master’s programs in Nuclear Engineering
Engineering aboard Fairweather
Generator
Boiler
Reverse Osmosis Machine
Reverse Osmosis Machine
Controller
Main engine
Air compressor
Fire main
Marine Sanitation Device
How did you find out about your current position at NOAA?
I met a NOAA recruiter at a job fair at Texas A & M, submitted resume and 3 weeks later I got the call! After that the lengthy background check and physical for Federal employees, I came to work at NOAA aboard Fairweather.
1) When you were a child, what was your dream career?
I wanted to be an astronaut when I was young. I looked into aeronautical engineering and attended a Federal Service academy – the United States Merchant Marine Academy. My Dad is an engineer and contractor, so I grew up on job sites and always had the mindset of math and science. I knew my career would be something in the STEM field
2) What was your
favorite subject in school?
My favorite class was
differential equations. Why I like
engineering so much is everything is one big puzzle, and differential equations
is like one big puzzle.
3) Why is what you do important to on the ship?
Engineers on ships are
essentially the lifeblood of the ship, we keep the ship moving. We are the electricians, plumbers, the
mechanics, and even the firefighters.
The ship can’t go anywhere without engineers!
4) What would you tell an elementary school student about your work that is important to you?
I enjoy solving the puzzles. When something goes wrong, I enjoy finding out why something is not working and then solving the problem. That is what is so rewarding — figuring out what is wrong and fixing it!
5) Where do you do most of your work?
In the engine room. That’s where I spend my 8-hour shifts. The engineering room is on A & B deck — the 2 bottom-most levels of the ship. That is where most of the mechanisms that run the ship are located.
6) What tool do you use in your work that you could not live without?
A crescent wrench! Mine is handy because it can measure and tell
you the exact size of the nut which makes things a lot easier!
7) If you could invent any tool to make your
work more efficient and cost were no object, what would it be and why?
I would invent a tool
that could reach bolts at odd angles.
Like a magnetic wrench that could adjust to the size bolt head you need
and could bend around the odd angles and apply torque when I need it.
8) What part of your job with NOAA did you least expect?
I never expected to be in Alaska!
9) How could teacher help students understand and appreciate NOAA engineering opportunities?
I think it would be
valuable to have better understanding of what we engineers do! It’s a
really cool job, with a really good salary, and very few people know there are
positions like this available.
10) What is your favorite part of your day when you are working and why?
Every day is a little
different, you are never doing the same thing over and over again. Something is always breaking and needs
immediate attention.
11) What was your favorite book growing up?
My favorite book
series when I was growing up was Junie B. Jones! I come from Florida and loved Jacques Cousteau.
He inspired me to become a scuba diver
at 17.
12) What do you think you would be doing if you were not working for NOAA?
I would be still be
working on a boat!
13) Do you have an outside hobby?
I love camping and hiking, I’ve hiked 40 miles
of the Appalachian Trail and
would like to hike the rest!
When you were a child, what was your dream career?
As a child, I always wanted to draw. I was drawing constantly and I wanted to somehow make my love for creating art into a career, whether that meant being a studio artist myself or helping to teach others to make art.
2. What was your favorite (and least favorite) subject in school?
Believe it or not, science! I grew to really enjoy my science classes starting in middle school and through high school, especially participating in the science fairs. My love for science was inversely related to my love for math. I started to dread all my mathematics courses as I went through high school, and really up into my earlier college years which often made my science courses difficult. During my junior year in college I took calculus taught by a great professor and things finally clicked!
3. At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to do the work you are doing now?
Sometime in between my junior and senior years in college, I realized I wanted to do what is I’m doing now. That’s when I was introduced to hydrography.
4. What do you enjoy the most (and the least) about your work?
I really enjoy working on the ocean and with small boats. It’s a really dynamic platform. The lifestyle that comes with living on a ship can be difficult. It’s a lot of traveling and spending time away from home.
5. Where do you do most of your work?
Most of my work is done on the ship in the Plot Room. It’s a big room on the ship where most of our processing systems live.
6. What tool do you use in your work that you could not live without?
A computer! Computers are used for data acquisition, processing, and delivery. Everything is done via some sort of processing/work station.
7. What part of your job with NOAA did you least expect to be doing?
I never thought I would be a NOAA Diver. I didn’t even know that NOAA had a dive program. Learning to be a working diver was an awesome experience and opportunity that I don’t think I would have ever had, or even would want to have outside of NOAA.
8. How could teachers help students understand and appreciate NOAA science?
Teachers could help students understand and appreciate NOAA science by sharing some of the awesome work we do that’s applicable to their classroom. NOAA is such a big administration with tons of cool science going on so by picking some interesting topics that are more relatable to their classroom audience might help engage their students.
9. What is your favorite part of your day when you are working and why?
When acquiring data, my favorite part of the day is the end, when the data is transferred and being processed. It’s not because the day’s over, but because I get to see all of the data we’ve collected throughout the day and remember the work that went into it. It’s also the beginning of the next stage of work for that dataset, the quality control stage.
10. What do you think you would be doing if you were not working for NOAA?
It’s hard to say, but I’m not sure I would be doing anything hydrography related. NOAA has been a great learning platform for me to become the hydrographer I am now. NOAA has really taught me to appreciate ocean science.
11. Do you have an outside hobby?
My outside hobby is painting. It can be hard to find space on the ship to paint, but traveling around Alaska and being on the water always inspires me to be more creative.
12. What is your favorite animal?
Picking one is pretty difficult, but I’m really into jellyfish right now. They seem like they have a low-stress lifestyle.
13. If you could go back in time and tell your 10 year old self something, what would it be?
“Relax, being 10 is way cooler than you think.”
14. Have you traveled anywhere interesting travels while studying Geology?
I traveled to Northern India as my field study in college. We were studying the water quality and management stemming from the Ganges River. Also, most of my geology labs in college were trips to the field which often meant the beach. Traveling and being outside is an added bonus while studying geology.
Interested in learning more about Hydrography and NOAA? Check out the resources below:
Iris Ekmanis is currently a Junior Officer with the NOAA Corps.
On this Teacher at Sea mission,
Officer Ekman is currently on bridge watch, and is a training and small craft
officer.
Current Position: Junior
Deck Officer on Bridge Watch, training officer, small boats officer
3-4 other duties in addition to
watch.
Years/Experience:
Years at NOAA: 2.5 months after a 4-month basic training
College and/or specialized training:
2017 Bachelors of Marine Science from
University of Hawaii
Junior Officer Ekmanis worked as a deckhand on tourism boats, dive boats, whale watching, and worked on a small live-aboard cruise ship.
When you were a child, what was your dream career?
I wanted to be a marine biologist – but then I fell in love with being out on the water and on boats. Surrounded by the science of hydrography, I really like driving small boats and like the navigation part of my job.
2. Do you have any plans to continue your education while working for NOAA?
We get the GI bill since we are uniformed service (after 3 years with NOAA) so I’m considering a master’s in marine biology.
3. What was your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject was outdoor education. I went to high school in New Zealand so there were outdoor education, whitewater kayaks, rock climbing, caving. My favorite academic subjects were biology & geography.
4. At what point in your life did you realize you wanted to do the work you are doing now?
I heard about NOAA in college, so I applied, I completed basic training and have been working for 2 ½ months.
5. What would you tell an elementary school student about your work that is most important?
We are out here charting the seafloor to ensure safe navigation for other mariners who are traveling through the Pacific. All kinds of cruise ships, fisherman, and cargo ships travel through the Pacific and must get there safely. Also, it is important that we are researching the fault lines to learn more about earthquakes and tsunamis.
We navigate the ship to ensure safety and collaborate with the hydrotechs (hydrographic technicians) to make sure the ship’s travels are resulting in good hydrographic surveys.
6. What is the most enjoyable or exciting part of your work?
I would say it is constantly learning new skills. Every day, I’m on the bridge learning about navigation, on the launchers learning about hydrography, and the “office view” changes every day. Every single day is different, and most times wake up in a new place. I’m learning something new every day!
7. Where do you do most of your work?
Mostly on the bridge 8 hours a day, rest of the time working on computers, or my training workbooks, plotting courses, planning our next route. A lot of charting.
8. What tool do you use every day that you couldn’t live without?
Definitely the software systems that allow us to navigate, radar, etc.
9. What tool would you bring aboard to make your job easier?
Multi beam sonar that could see in front of us instead of below us, since we are in uncharted waters that would alleviate the possibility of us running into something.
10. Is there any part of your NOAA job that you didn’t expect?
The job is hands on right away, and the job is fast paced and very diverse. You started doing the jobs right away. I’m looking forward to learning more about hydro.
11. How could teachers help student understand and appreciate NOAA science?
12. What is the favorite part of your day and why?
My favorite time was in Alaska, in the launches (small boats) and navigating a vessel though the Inside Channel. Navigating through SE Alaska was beautiful! I also enjoyed seeing humpback whales and occasionally orcas.
13. What was your favorite book when you were growing up?
My favorite book series was Harry Potter when I was growing up. My idols were Jacques Cousteau and Sylvia Earle .
14. What would you be doing if you weren’t working for NOAA?
If I didn’t work for NOAA I would definitely be doing something in the marine science field or in the maritime industry, I love boats! I would probably be working on a boat or doing something in the ocean.
15. Do you have an outside hobby?
My outside hobbies include: paddle boarding, surfing, scuba, free diving, outrigger canoes were my passion growing up, hiking, camping, anything outdoors.
16. What is your favorite animal?
Hawaiianspinner dolphin and whale sharks.
17. If you could go back in time and tell you 10-year-old self something, what would it be?
Keep pursuing your dreams, don’t take life too seriously, enjoy life and enjoy the ride.
Interested in a career as a NOAA Corps Officer like Junior Officer Ekamanis? Want to learn more? See the resource links below:
What
is Bathymetry and why is it important? Bathymetry is the foundation of the science of hydrography, which measures the
physical features of a water body.
We covered Hydrography
in the last blog post so we know it includes not only bathymetry, but
also the shape and features of the shoreline and more.
Bathymetry is defined as “the study of the “beds” or “floors” of water bodies, including the ocean, rivers, streams, and lakes.”
The term “bathymetry”
originally referred to the ocean’s depth relative to sea level, although it has
come to mean “submarine topography,” or the depths and shapes of underwater
terrain. In the same way that
topographic maps represent the three-dimensional features of land, bathymetric
maps illustrate the land that lies underwater. Variations in sea-floor relief may be depicted
by color and contour lines called depth contours or isobaths. (Click
here for source credit and more information from NOAA)
A bathymetric map looks like this (thanks Sam!):
Latest bathymetric maps! Can you see the newly discovered undersea canyon? (Southern coverage)
Latest bathymetric maps! Can you see the newly discovered mud volcano? (Northern Coverage)
Above are the first views of this part of the seafloor with a bathymetric map! (Color coded for depth – see the chart on the left)
Science and Technology Log:
Among the NOAA officers Navigating the ship, Hydrographic Technicians, and wage mariners aboard Fairweather, and the Teacher at Sea, there are also two guest USGS scientists: James Conrad, a research Geologist and Perter Dartnell, a physical scientist. USGS stands for United States Geographical Survey. The USGS was created by an act of Congress in 1879 and is the sole science agency for the Department of the Interior.
As a Teacher at Sea, I had time to talk with these USGS scientists and learn more about Bathymetry and why it is important not only to scientists, but also how this information can be used to keep us safe.
Discussion with James Conrad research Geologist who is utilizing the science of Bathymetry among others to map the Cascadia Region of the Pacific seafloor. The USGS scientists’ focus is mapping the Cascadia Subduction Zone where the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate is “diving” below the North American tectonic plate. Areas of particular interest to these scientists are finding new faults, faults that are known but we have little information about, mud volcanoes and subsequent “seeps,” and the overall goal is to understand the behavior of the mega thrusts in the Cascadia Region.
Image Credit: USGS scientists Peter Dartnell and James Conrad
About
the visiting scientists:
James Conrad has a bachelor’s degree from U.C. Berkley and a master’s degree from San Jose State and has been at the USGS for 38 years.
A conversation with Research Geologist James Conrad:
What
do you want students to know about Geology?
Geology is a field where
there is still so much to discover, especially if you are doing hazards research
work-like earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, coastal change, and climate change
issues
Were
you always interested in geology?
Not as a child, but I became a geology major because I had taken an introductory course – and was guided to geology by the university.
I
met you on a ship-where do most of your work?
Office is in Santa Cruz, but we go out in the field 1-4 times a year for a week up to 3 weeks.
Geology is a very young
science, the fact that continents move wasn’t proven until 1963. There is very little known about the earth,
and there is so much more to discover.
Peter Dartnell:
Peter Dartnell has Bachelor of Science in Oceanography from Humboldt State University and a Masters of Geography from San Francisco State and has been with the USGS for 28 years.
A conversation with Physical Scientist Peter Dartnell:
What
does a physical scientist study?
Physical Science is a
combination of the studies earth and computer sciences using computers &
technology to study earth.
Physical Science allows you
to do everything along the scientific “study train” from data collection, interpretation,
to publications.
What
are your publications used for?
Scientific publications from
the USGS (which is the science agency of the government) are used widely to
inform about potential geohazards and changes in the earth. We don’t make policy, but the information we
provide may be used drive policies, especially safety.
Anything
you want an aspiring physical scientist to know?
Even though you are studying
earth sciences in school, you’ll truly enjoy once you get out and start applying
what you’ve learned in the field with hands on science.
We’ve
met on a ship, where is it you do most of your work?
I spend 75% of my time in the
office and 25% in meetings or traveling to study
What
is your favorite part of being a Physical Scientist?
Seeing part of the ocean that nobody has ever seen for the first time. We are the first ones to see these recently mapped parts of the sea floor.
What
types of technology you use in physical science?
We use specialized software to acquire data and analyze the data we collect.
We also use Multibeam sonar software – bathymetry and acoustic backscatter
What
do you think are some misconceptions about physical science?
Because we are working off shore and water covers 71% of the earth, marine geology is in its infancy — we really need to have a complete map of the sea floor which is vitally important to understand the geology of the earth. When we don’t have all of these details, we are essentially operating blind. That’s why the work that NOAA is doing is so important and the research partnerships with USGS are so valuable.
Much of the geography of the
seafloor is driven by the oil industry which is required to release their acquired
data every 25 years. A lot of the deep
penetration data is all from oil surveys. Sea floor mapping is limited for pure research
purposes due to limited resources.
Interested in learning more from
the USGS?
Check out these resources for students and teachers:
More about bathymetry and the NOAA and USGS mission:
I was lucky enough to attend a “Science Talk” by these USGS scientists which was titled the Subduction Zone Coastal & Marine Geohazards Project. The USGS scientists are guests aboard Fairweather like me.
The focus of the USGS research is along the 700-mile CascadiaSubduction Zone:
Map of Study Area. Image Credit: USGS scientists Peter Dartnell and James Conrad
This area is where the Juan de Fuca plate dives below the North American Plate at an approximate rate of 1.6 inches per year.
Subduction Zone
Image Credit: USGS scientists Peter Dartnell and James Conrad
Why is this subduction zone so important and why is NOAA Ship Fairweather out surveying the ocean floor in this area? That’s because the world’s largest and most destructive earthquakes occur along subduction zones. If we know the potential hazards, we can prepare people and potentially save lives.
To properly prepare, we need the following details:
What We Need to Prepare for Future Earthquakes Image Credit: USGS scientists Peter Dartnell and James Conrad
This is why the bathymetric maps of the sea floor are important, they can help predict the area and amount of shaking that may occur during an earthquake and predict the tsunami danger zones. Then we can make decisions for building codes, infrastructure (like strength of bridges), and escape routes for Tsunamis. I took the pictures below when I arrived in Newport, little did I know how the research the Fairweather is conducting and the science of hydrography and bathymetric maps play a part in warnings like these! (See below)
Through the hydrographic surveying being conducted aboard Fairweather, the NOAA crew and USGS scientists are creating bathymetric maps which have reveled exciting new finds, such as: new seafloor faults, mapping known faults in greater detail, discovering mud volcanoes and submarine landslides, and using the water column data to discover the “seeps” which are most likely releasing methane gas. See below.
(Image Credits: USGS scientists Peter Dartnell and James Conrad)
Mapping Seafloor Faults
Mapping Seafloor Seeps
Submarine Landslides
When I first heard the term BATHYMETRY I had no idea how these detailed maps of the seafloor could hold so much critical information! It’s fascinating to watch this science happen right here and see the discoveries in real time.
Personal Log
This post begins the last week aboard Fairweather. I’m surprised about how quickly the ship has begun to feel “normal” to me. I know my way around backwards (aft) and forwards (bow) and enjoyed getting to know everyone better. Sean the IT specialist makes an amazing pot of French press coffee around 10:00 am and is kind enough to share with all. Bekah, Sam, Joe, and Michelle in Hydrography patiently answer dozens of questions and allow me to participate when possible. And the officers on the bridge answer all the questions and are very welcoming and generous with sharing information and their amazing views! Carrie and the kitchen crew make 3 amazing meals a day, and I’ve made some new workout buddies to try to stay healthy with all this wonderful food! The visiting scientists have been very nice about answering all my questions about bathymetry and geology. It’s great when you are writing and studying about geology to be able to turn around and ask a geologist a question!
I can’t believe how well I sleep on a ship! The ship is constantly rocking and for this teacher at sea, and for me, that means some seriously deep sleep. One thing I learned is to make sure all my belongings are secure before I go to bed. If you leave something unsecured, chances are they will be banging around in the middle of the night or get tossed off a shelf (not the best middle of the night surprise!). My room is very dark at night and I really don’t hear anything beyond the noise of the engines. You can barely hear the foghorn from my area towards the back of the ship which is lucky since those sleeping in the front of the ship could hear it all night! (Those friends look a little weary today.) I have to set an alarm, or I will just keep sleeping with the constant rocking motion that is so relaxing! Only 3 more nights of good ship sleep for me!
The fog horn sounds every 2 minutes when the conditions are, you know, foggy!
Following the excellent tutelage of the NOAA officers, hydrographers, and USGS scientists, it’s exciting to look at the screen in the hydrography lab and start a conversation about features of the sea floor that we are seeing (or seeing in detail) for the first time. On this mission, there have been new faults, mud volcanoes, and underwater canyons discovered. The science is so fascinating and so little is known about the research being conducted aboard Fairweather. I honestly had to “Google” the terms I am now so familiar with like Hydrographic survey, multi beam echo sounders, bathymetry, water column data, just to name a few.
That’s the thing about science that has been reinforced being a Teacher at Sea, no matter how much you think you know about the earth, you learn just how much we don’t know yet, and we’re just beginning to realize the vast amount that is left to discover.
Did You Know?
-The ocean covers 71% of the
earth’s surface, but we actually know more about the surface Mars than the Earth’s
ocean floor- (Credit-Peter Dartnell)
-The
Juan de Fuca Plate is part of the famous Ring of Fire, a zone responsible for volcanic
activity, mountainous regions, and earthquake activity.
Question of the Day:
Do
you know how many tectonic plates there are?
Did you know they are all constantly moving?
Challenge Yourself
Can
you name the Earth’s major tectonic plates?
Can you find on a map the Pacific and Juan de Fuca plates that we are surveying
right now?
