Tag: NOAA Ship Oregon II

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Amelia Black, There’s No Place Like Home, July 18, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amelia Black 

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 6-17, 2026

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico
Date: July 18, 2026

Science and Technology Log

Are you curious about the final number of marine taxa (types) that we caught on Leg 3 of the SEAMAP Groundfish Survey? 

We caught more than even the scientists onboard predicted we would! However, before I tell you the final count, I want to explain a little bit about the process of sorting and identifying the different types of marine life counted during the survey.   

Not everything that came up in the net was counted as part of the survey. Trash, empty shells, sea grass, and organisms small enough to pass through the holes in the net were not included.  We first sorted everything into similar groups and then separated those groups further when needed.  For marine life that looked very similar or was difficult to identify, the scientists would double-check each other’s work to make sure everything was sorted correctly.  Remember, this survey was not just about fish but  included all kinds of marine life living on the ocean floor.  

Looking at these pictures, can you tell the difference between some of these organisms?

four flat fish displayed in a column down a white plastic measuring board. each flatfish is positioned with its mouth to the left of the photo, so that the two eyes, which are on the same (top-facing) side, are visible. the fish toward the top is noticeably larger than the three laid out beneath it.
Four different types of flatfish, most commonly known as Flounder, all caught in the same haul
two closed scallop shells photographed on a metal sorting table. the one on the left is larger, and appears lighter in color, mottled yellow and orange. we can see a few small barnacles attached to its shell. the one on the right is smaller, darker, and cleaner.
Two different types of scallops

Sometimes it was easy to tell the difference and other times it was very difficult. The scientists had to not only know the differences but also the scientific (Latin) names for hundreds of different marine taxa. Occasionally, we would catch something that was not common during the groundfish survey. When this happened the scientists would consult identification guides or databases to help identify what we had caught. 

Over the past two weeks, I have learned so much and encountered many new names and words.  Not only have I learned the common names of the marine life we encountered, but I have also learned their scientific names.  I’m not sure how many of those names will stay in my long-term memory since I may never encounter some of these organisms again. I do know I have learned more than I ever expected. 

I was able to identify a lionfish on someone’s shirt! Before this trip, I never would have recognized it.

a man stands in the wetlab, surrounded by metal work tables. on the table in front of him are several white plastic sorting baskets. His gloved right hand grasps the jaw of a lionfish and holds it toward the camera for a photo. we can see the dramatic spotted fins and striped body of the fish, its feathery pectoral fins, and its tall dorsal spines.
Scientist Dereke with a lionfish.  

Lionfish are an invasive species from the Indo-Pacific region. They are related to  scorpionfish and also have venomous spines. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish-facts.html 

So.. what was the final count? 

The total count of different marine taxa (types) that we counted was… 

350!

That’s 350 different marine taxa that we identified during Leg 3 of the survey. Then, every individual within those taxa had to be counted, with many also being measured and weighed.  It was incredible to see the diversity of life living on the ocean floor. 

Watch this slideshow to see video to see some of the amazing marine life we encountered. 

Marine Life of the Groundfish Survey

Did you see any marine life that looked familiar?  I did! I was surprised to learn that there are catfish in the sea! They are a different type than the catfish we have in the rivers back home in Kansas, but they look very similar. 

Personal Log

Before leaving for this trip, I wanted to get a picture of the sunset every night.  Unfortunately, that didn’t happen! At first, I did not realize the sun set around 8:00 p.m. in the Gulf instead of closer to 9:00 p.m. like back home in Kansas. By the time I figured that out, I had already missed a few beautiful sunsets.  Thankfully, I was still able to capture several beautiful sunsets before the end of the trip. 

a collage of 6 photos. the largest photo, at top left, is a selfie of Amelia taken in front of a railing at sunset. she wears her Teacher at Sea hat. this photo is surrounded by five smaller square images to its right and bottom sides. Each shows a different sunset, capturing a range of colors. One sunset is viewed through a porthole.

They say that if you are lucky, you might see a ‘green flash’ just as the sun disappears below the horizon because green is the last color visible before the sun is gone. I watched every chance I got, but I was not lucky enough to see one. 

As I head back to Kansas, I just want to say thank you to everyone who made this experience possible.  Thank you to the NOAA Teacher at Sea team, the crew of Oregon II, the science team, and everyone who followed along on my adventure. 

It is still hard to believe that this was my life for the past two weeks. The entire Oregon II crew was incredibly welcoming and made the ship feel like a home away from home.  

a collage of two photos, stacked. the top photo shows 5 people in hard hats, life vests, and gloves standing near the railing of NOAA Ship Oregon II. Four of the people are facing the camera to smile for the photo; the fifth is facing away, grasping a rope with both hands. One woman holds an empty sorting basket off to her side. In the bottom photo, 6 people stand in different locations around the wet lab, and smile for the photo. Four are positioned around a table to be sort and measure fish.
Part of the science team aboard NOAA ship Oregon II 

To the science team, thank you for making room for a Teacher at Sea and for answering my thousand-and-one questions. You are an incredible group of people, and the research you do to help monitor the health of the Gulf is so important.  A special thank you to Scientist Dereke for being willing to pick up the ‘spicy’ fish so I could take pictures, and to Mo, the college student, for learning alongside me and teaching me about marine biology.  

Amelia takes a selfie in front of NOAA Ship Oregon II from the dock in Pascagoula. It is low tide, so the ship sits low compared to the dock and the hull is mostly out of sight. Amelia wears a maroon shirt that reads "There's No Place Like Home"

Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, “there is no place like home.”  While I am happy to be back in Kansas and preparing for my next adventure at a new school, I know I will miss the people I met aboard Oregon II.  It truly became a home away from home.

Artist Highlight

Meet artist Sean Gronquist, a member of the NOAA crew. Sean uses the Japanese art of fish printing called Gyotaku. Gyo means fish and taku means rubbing. This traditional art form began as a way for fishermen to record their catches before photography and is still practiced today. https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/get-involved/educational-uses-gyotaku-or-fish-printing 

a man uses both hands to hold an unfurled piece of paper or perhaps a canvas displaying a black and white print of a dolphinfish. he has a serious expression. in front of him on a table, more artwork is rolled up on a wooden dowel.
Sean Gronquist displays a fish print of a dolphinfish

Activity Corner

Choose an ocean animal that interests you and do a little research. Where does it live? What adaptations help it survive? What role does it play in its ecosystem? 

Here is a website you can use to help you learn more about your ocean animal: https://oceanconservancy.org

You can also learn more about Gyotaku https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_mG-Ka4mv8&t=1s or even create your own fish print https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tI92lYwL8U  For younger children, I recommend using finger paints instead of traditional ink.

Book Recommendations 

The science team shared some of their favorite ocean-themed books for readers of all ages.  Whether you are just beginning to learn about marine life or you are looking for your next great read, I hope you find one that inspires you to learn more about our oceans. 

Lower Elementary

  • The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen 
  • The Cod’s Tale by Mark Kurlansky

Upper Elementary and Up

  • The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery 
  • Why Fish Fart: Gross but True Things You’ll Wish You Didn’t Know by Francesca Gould

Middle School and up

  • Octopus: The Ocean’s Intelligent Invertebrate by Jennifer A. Mather
  • The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

Nonfiction High School and up

  • What a Fish Knows by Jonathan Balcombe 
  • Emperors of the Deep by William McKeever 
  • Longitude by Dava Sobel
  • So Excellent a Fishe by Archie Carr
  • A Shadow and a Song by Mark Jerome Walters

Fiction High School and up

  • Andy Weir: The Martian or Project Hail Mary
  • Merfolk by Jeremy Bates 

Nonfiction Adult 

  • Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky
  • The Reef: A Passionate History by Iain McCalman  
  • The Brilliant Abyss by Helen Scales
  • Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith 
  • Rachel Carson’ ‘s The Sea Around Us or Silent Spring 

Adult Fiction Books

  • The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 
  • The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler 
  • Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Did You Know?

Oregon II will welcome another NOAA Teacher at Sea at the end of July for Longline Survey. It will be a different science team, but I hear they will be catching lots of sharks and snappers! Follow the NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog to continue the adventure.

Adventure awaits! 

¡La aventura te espera!

Sources

https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/ctd/
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/oceanographic-and-ecosystem-sampling-during-pacific-hake-survey
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ocean-fact/ctd/
https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/indicators-conductivity
https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/expedition-feature/19gulfofalaska-logs-july26-2/ https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-07/parameter-factsheet_turbidity.pdf 

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Cheyanne Vanderdonckt: Departure Day Approaches, July 22, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Cheyanne Vanderdonckt

NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 27 – August 12, 2026

Mission: Shark/Red Snapper Bottom Longline Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico)/Atlantic Ocean

Current Location: Baltimore, MD

Date: July 22, 2026 

About Me

Cheyanne is sitting in a sailboat smiling on a sunny day. In the water in the background there are other sailboats.
Sailing in the Baltimore Inner Harbor in November 2025 with the schooner Lady Maryland in the background.

My name is Cheyanne Vanderdonckt and I am a special educator in the Baltimore City Public School System in Baltimore, Maryland. I have been teaching first and second graders at Moravia Park Elementary for 17 years. My favorite thing about my job — besides working with amazing children — is that I get to learn and try new things all the time. I am so excited to have been chosen to go on a wonderful learning adventure this summer aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II with the Teacher at Sea program! I will be participating in the Shark/Red Snapper Bottom Longline Survey departing from Pascagoula, Mississippi on July 27. I have been learning shark facts all year from a couple of my students who are very interested in the topic. When I told them what I would be doing this summer and they heard the word shark, they were in awe. I can’t wait to share my experiences with them!

Why Teacher at Sea?

I have been fascinated by the water and tales of seafaring from a young age. Most of my exploration took the form of voracious reading, but I also found ways to get in or on the water as much as possible. I spent the majority of my childhood in Florida, where I loved to canoe on the rivers with alligators sunning themselves on the shores. In the last couple of years, I have begun learning to sail with a local nonprofit that operates right in downtown Baltimore on the Inner Harbor. As I built my confidence on the water, I started to think about how I could help connect my students with the wealth of opportunities our waterfront provides — from recreation to scientific learning to marine careers.

Most of my students love science and the outdoors. They have the natural curiosity of childhood and they love hands-on exploration. Our lessons inevitably lead to them asking more and more questions. I love being able to say “I don’t know but we can find out!” when a student asks a question that goes beyond the set curriculum lesson for the day. This means that our work has sparked an interest or even a passion. That being said, I also recognize that I need to develop my own scientific literacy if I want to provide them with the highest quality science instruction. Every summer I take advantage of teacher trainings in science to build my own capacity in this area. When I learned about the Teacher at Sea program, I realized that this was the perfect opportunity for my professional growth that would also enable me to bring value experiences back to my students and the wider school community.

What I Hope to Learn and Bring Back to Baltimore

The photo shows a view of the Domino Sugar factory across the water with some sailboats in front of it.
The famous Domino Sugars factory in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Having a working port in our city is a great opportunity to connect students with marine careers.

I talk a lot with my students about careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Information about STEM careers is now embedded in the math and science curricula. However, I notice that many of the pictures presented to students show people indoors, sitting in front of computers or looking at a test tube. We don’t have as many images of scientists working outdoors or engaging in heavier tasks. My students love to move around, be outside, tinker with things, and generally be active. I always emphasize to them how critical reading and writing are to scientific careers. But I also want them to know that being a scientist can be an active career that can involve working outside, going on adventures, getting dirty and engaging in satisfying labor. Because I am a special educator, I am also interested in finding the ways that my students’ different ways of experiencing the world can be an asset in the science of the future.

Having a firsthand experience of a research cruise will help me understand the skill sets involved and the possibilities that await my students. Although they are a bit young to fully comprehend all of the technical details (and — if I’m being honest — I may struggle with it, too!), they will be able to see the types of work that scientists and mariners do at sea. I’m hoping that my work experience will aid me in designing learning experiences that help them learn not just scientific concepts but the types of technical and physical skills needed to succeed in these careers. For instance, the ability to identify and sort different species of fish may be a specialized skill but it is built on the foundations of careful observation and pattern recognition. How can I bring my students engaging experiences that build these skills? How can I keep learning exciting and motivating so that they carry that wonderful curiosity and sense of exploration into their futures? How can I connect them with experiences of our natural world that inspire awe and wonder?

Packing My Bag and Unpacking Big Feelings

In the past couple of weeks, I have been getting more and more information about my upcoming research cruise: what to bring, tasks to complete before leaving, a map of the ship, my shift and room assignment. On a practical level, I am checking and double-checking my packing list. I have a grown son who lives overseas and I have taken over his bedroom as my staging area. I’ve also been digging through his old Boy Scouts camping gear for anything that might come in handy. (He won’t mind that I took his head lamp!) Of course, space is limited, so I must resist the urge to think that I can prepare for any eventuality with more stuff. That’s all part of the learning process. I’ve also met with a Teacher at Sea mentor who answered my questions and assured me that “excited and nervous” are both appropriate feelings at this point. I am feeling just like my students probably do before beginning a new year of school. As teachers, it is not enough to just focus on information. We also have to attend to the emotions involved in learning. Allowing myself to be a beginner at something new and challenging helps remind me that my students are also feeling this way when I ask them to try something new. The support I want right now is the support I need to be prepared to give them.

On Saturday, July 25, I will be flying to Pascagoula, Mississippi, where I will spend two nights before the ship departs on Monday, July 27. Although I lived on the Gulf coast of Florida for 22 years, I have never been to this area before and I’m excited to have a day to explore before I report to the ship. This spring I read The Gulf: The Making of An American Sea by Jack Davis to learn more about this amazing body of water. I learned about the artist Walter Anderson who spent a lot of time on Horn Island. There is a museum dedicated to his work in Ocean Springs that I may have time to visit.

Thank You!

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing everything that I will learn and experience. Although I am the one boarding the ship, I have received so much support from my family, friends, colleagues and administrators that have made all of this possible. I am truly grateful for all of this.

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Amelia Black: We’re not in Kansas Anymore, July 8, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amelia Black 

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 6-17, 2026

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico
Date: July 8, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge:
Latitude: 28.41N
Longitude: 90.12W
Sea wave height: 1 ft
Wind Speed: 7 kt
Wind Direction: 180
Visibility: 10 miles
Sea Temperature: 88.34℉
Air Temperature: 85℉
Barometric Pressure: 30.03 inHg
Humidity: 70
Sky: Overcast

Science and Technology Log

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz 

Amelia introduces Dorothy

Transcript: [Amelia]: And meet Dorothy! Dorothy is the CTD. And she’s named Dorothy II because we are on the Oregon II.

The entire instrument is called a rosette, but aboard Oregon II it is nicknamed Dorothy II.  The rosette is the large circular frame that holds multiple bottles and scientific instruments.  At the very bottom of the rosette is the CTD, affectionately known as Toto.  CTD stands for Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth and it is one of the instruments scientists use to measure the health of the Gulf.  

two images in a diagram. on the left is an photo of the entire rosette, seen against a white background. it is a circular white metal frame that contains a ring of tall, narrow water bottles mounted above an instrument in the base. the image on the right represents an enlarged view of just that bottom instrument. it is titled "CTD: Conductivity Temperature Depth." In this close-up view, arrows point to different labeled parts: transmissometer, conductivity sensor, temperature sensor, altimeter, pump, flourometer, oxygen sensors, pressure sensor (main unit)
Dorothy II (The Rosette on Oregon II)
Diagram created by Amelia Black, NOAA Teacher at Sea,
with input from NOAA Senior Survey Tech Stephanie Stable
top-down closer view of just the conductivity, temperature, and depth sensor housed at the bottom of the rosette. we can see a label on the sensor reads TOTO.
Toto also known as the CTD

The first measurement the CTD collects is conductivity.  Conductivity measures the salinity or how much salt is in the ocean.  The higher the conductivity, the saltier the water (https://www.epa.gov/national-aquatic-resource-surveys/indicators-conductivity) 

You may be wondering, how salty is the ocean? This depends on the temperature of the ocean water. The warmer the water, the more salt the water can hold. The Gulf’s average salinity is 36 parts per thousand or 3.6 percent.  That’s roughly equivalent to a little under ½ a cup of salt dissolved in a gallon of water. Now that’s salty!

Next, the CTD measures the temperature of the water. Both temperature and conductivity are measured at different water depths.  As the rosette approaches the seafloor, an altimeter uses sound waves to determine the distance to the bottom.  An alert is sent to the scientists starting when the rosette is 100 meters from the ocean floor. The altimeter ensures that the rosette doesn’t run into the ground (bottom of the sea). 

The next two sensors, the fluorometer and the transmissometer measure different particles within the water.  According to NOAA Ocean Exploration page: 

A fluorometer measures the amount of chlorophyll in the seawater by shining ultraviolet (UV) light through the water and measuring the amount of red light that is produced by the chlorophyll in response to the UV. (https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/expedition-feature/19gulfofalaska-logs-july26-2/) 

Yes, chlorophyll, similar to the chlorophyll that plants use to change carbon dioxide into oxygen (photosynthesis).  The fluorometer looks at fluorescents (types of chlorophyll and other compounds) that are in the water.  This information helps the scientists to determine the overall productivity, or health, of the water.  Similar to the fluorometer, the transmissometer uses a beam of light to measure the turbidity of the water.  Turbidity is how clear the water is (https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-07/parameter-factsheet_turbidity.pdf).  The clearer the water, the farther the light travels. Think about the difference between a clear clean creek versus a muddy river.  Which would you rather swim in?  

Senior Survey Technician Stephanie Stabile explains final CTD checks as it is deployed into the water. 

Transcript: [Stephanie]: We go over and we check to make sure all the bottles are open, none of the lanyards are stuck. These air vents at the top of the bottles? We want them closed. And then samples valves at the bottom, we want them pulled out all the way so all water stays in the bottle. We take the caps off the sensor: so there’s two red caps and then one white cap at the bottom as well. And then she’s ready to go!

One final piece of the CTD that is very crucial is the cable.  This cable transmits (sends) data in real time back to the ship’s dry lab.  Scientists receive the data and decide whether to close the rosette’s sampling bottles to collect water for further analysis. Common water samples are tested for chlorophyll, oxygen, and nutrient levels. 

Back in the dry lab, scientists analyze the incoming data using multiple displays.  There is an incredible amount of information flowing in before a single fish is ever caught!  

a man sits at a desk with many computer monitors
photo of a computer screen displaying a table of data

NOAA Scientist Adam Pollack analyzing real-time data from the CTD 

And all of this happens before the crew even deploys the otter trawl nets to collect the groundfish sample for SEAMAP. 

Personal Log

I am really enjoying my time at sea.  I’m not sure if it’s the beautiful ocean, getting to handle fascinating sea creatures, the delicious meals prepared by Chief Steward Missy, or simply the incredible people abroad Oregon II, but so far this has been an amazing experience! 

Speaking of the great crew, I would like to introduce you to one of my coworkers, Senior Survey Technician Stephanie Stabile.  

Stephanie works with NOAA as part of the relief pool.  Rather than being permanently assigned to Oregon II, she gets the opportunity to work aboard many different NOAA ships and crew as relief help, similar to a substitute teacher.  

Survey technicians are responsible for data acquisition.  They oversee the collection and quality of the scientific data gathered by the ship.  “Data is our ‘cargo’, it is why we are out here,” Stephanie explains. 

portrait photo of a woman wearing a blue hard hat and an orange life vest, standing near a wooden railing of the ship at night. she has a pair of rubber yellow gloves clipped to her belt.
NOAA Senior Survey Technician Stephanie Stabile

Stephanie has worked for NOAA since 2015.  The part of her job she enjoys most is being part of a team, accomplishing the mission, and spending time at sea.  

“There are moments where I can’t believe that I get paid to be out at sea,” Stephanie says.  “I look out at the horizon and see how vast the world is.  It is very humbling.”  

photo of sunset over the Gulf. the water is dark blue, and the sky has streaks of yellow, pink, and orange at the horizon beneath gray-blue clouds

“There are moments where I can’t believe that I get paid to be out at sea. I look out at the horizon and see how vast the world is.  It is very humbling.”
– Stephanie Stabile

view over the Gulf toward the horizon. the water is very calm, almost glassy in places, and gray. the sky is light blue with lots of white cloud cover. the water reflects the sky in places.
View of the horizon from Oregon II

Her advice for anyone unsure of their future career: “Whatever it is that you want to do, try to be around it as much as you can. Volunteer, work at an aquarium, get the experience.”  

I absolutely love this advice! Sometimes the best way to discover whether something is the right path/career is simply to get involved and experience it firsthand. 

Did You Know?

The ocean produces over half of the Earth’s oxygen! Check out this article from NOAA to learn more: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ocean-oxygen.html

Don’t forget that you can follow along on my journey through the Gulf at https://www.windy.com/station/ship-wtdo?waves,27.501,-92.356,8,m:esbadxt 

Be sure to check back for my next blog as I continue exploring life and science aboard Oregon II.  

Adventure awaits! 

Sources

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Amelia Black: First Day of School…at Sea July 6, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amelia Black 

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 6-17, 2026

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico

Date: July 6, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge:

Latitude: 28.40N
Longitude: -91.40W
Sea wave height: 1 ft
Wind Speed: 8 kt
Wind Direction: 330
Visibility: 10 miles
Sea Temperature: 88℉
Air Temperature: 82℉
Barometric Pressure: 30.03 inHg
Humidity: 67.4
Sky: Overcast

Science and Technology Log

SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey
SEAMAP (Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program) started in 1982.  According to NOAA Fisheries’ Summer and Fall Groundfish Surveys in the Gulf of America, these surveys provide long-term data that help monitor the health of the ecosystem in the Gulf in order to support sustainable fisheries management.   SEAMAP surveying is done in the summer and in the fall and consists of over 300 stations (stops) throughout the Gulf, spanning from Texas to Florida.  

Map of the Northern Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). The land is depicted all beige, with only the state borders visible. The water shows some bathymetric relief. An area along the coast, stretching from Texas to the tip of Florida and shaded in flat orange, depicts the survey area.
The Summer and Fall Groundfish Survey combined collects data for over 80 days in the Northern Gulf of America per year, which is critical for fisheries managers. Credit: NOAA Fisheries 

This leg (Leg 3) of the survey will consist of survey points from Louisiana (Atchafalaya River) to northern Florida (north of Tampa Bay). 

Map of the Northern Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). The land is depicted all beige, with only the state borders visible. The water shows some bathymetric relief. An area along the coast, stretching from Texas to the tip of Florida and shaded in flat orange, depicts the survey area. This is the same map as above, but this map includes two large red circles; one just south of Louisiana, and the other west of Tampa, Florida.
Red dots show approximate locations of the start and end of the surveys. 

The scientists deploy a trawl net that sweeps near or on the ocean floor to collect the groundfish. This sampling shows a point in time of the Groundfish population throughout the northern area of the Gulf of America/Mexico.  

crewmembers in hard hats, life vests, and gloves stand around a large net suspended from above the photo frame. they each reach toward the net; some are steadying it while others work to untie the bottom. five large plastic baskets are placed underneath the net, ready to receive the catch. it is nighttime.
NOAA Scientist Adam Pollack and NOAA Senior Survey Technician Stephanie Stabile pulling in the trawl net for sample collection.  

Our first haul of this Leg took place at 2100 hours (9pm).  We ended up with a collection weight of 24.179kg (53 pounds).  Shrimp made up the predominant groundfish caught; total shrimp collection tipping the scales at 35 pounds! 

There were four different species of shrimp collected within this sample; brown, pink, white, and mantis. The majority of the shrimp were brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) weighing in at 32 lbs.   Next was 2.8 lbs of pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum).  We collected a small sampling of white and mantis shrimp. 

We sorted the shrimp into different taxa (types).  The most telling difference between the brown and the pink shrimp is that the pink shrimp has a pink dot on its side.  

a comparison of three shrimp species. title: Native Shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico. each species is accompanied by an illustration against a white background, and a list of identifying features. Brown shrimp: brown body, grooved on the back of the shell, tails usually have a purple or reddish purple band and green or red pigmentation. pink shrimp: pink body, dark colored spot on each side of the body, tail usually has a dark blue band rather than the purple band found on brown shrimp, grooved shell. white shrimp: light gray body with green coloration on the tail and a yellow band on the abdomen, no grooved shell, longer antennae than other shrimp (usually 2.5-3x longer than their body)
Native shrimp found in Alabama (Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken from Alabama Cooperative Extension System website) 

The white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) is similar to the brown shrimp but has an iridescent tail. The mantis shrimp (Squilla empusa) has a sharp looking tail and is known as a ‘thumb splitter’.  This made me quite leary of the shrimp at first, needless to say I was hesitant to handle the mantis shrimp (even though the ones we caught weren’t big enough to cause serious damage.) 

After sorting the catch we measured and weighed the groundfish based on SEAMAP set parameters needed for data analysis.  Criteria might include sending groundfish in for further testing and processing, while others groundfish populations might only require a certain number of the catch to be measured and weighed.  For instance, of the shrimp caught 50 of each type were split between male and female then measured and weighed.  

a brown shrimp, tail stretched out behind it, placed on a white fish measuring board. we can see the measuring board's name: Ichthystick. the shrimp stretched from about 40 to 60 cm.
Measuring the brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus).
Can you estimate her length? 

Personal Log

Amelia, wearing a yellow hard hat and orange life vest, takes a selfie at the railing of NOAA Ship Oregon II. it is sunset, and the water is calm with small ripples.
First Day of School… at Sea!

Monday at 0900 hours, I boarded the ship and started my journey with NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program. I imagine that I felt pretty similar to how my students feel on the very first day of school: a mix of intense excitement and a little bit of nervousness!

The day started with a brief tour of the ship, where I met the Field Party Chief (FPC), Faith.  Then, I attended an orientation led by the officers about the ship’s rules and expectations.  Just like how teachers go over classroom rules and expectations on day one. 

A lot of new terms, vocabulary, and acronyms were thrown our way. Luckily, I had done a little bit of preparation and learned some of the maritime language beforehand, even though I still have a lot to learn!  Here are a few quick translations:  

  • Berth=Bed/room
  • Head= Bathroom
  • Stern=Back of Ship
  • Bow=Front of Ship
  • Muster= Meeting area for roll call

Next, we participated in two of the three required safety drills.  The first was a fire drill.  Instead of evacuating the vessel (leaving the ship), the science team mustered at the stern and awaited further instructions.  This is similar to school fire drills, where we go to our designated area, take a headcount, and wait for further directions.  

The next drill that we participated in was the “abandon ship” drill.  We meet at our muster station with our lifevest and survival suit.  The survival suit is made of neoprene and is designed to keep our body temperature stable so we don’t succumb to hypothermia before being rescued.  

You might be wondering (as I did), how can someone get hypothermia in warm water?
While the water in the Gulf may be a nice 85℉, our bodies sit at 98.6℉. This means the ocean would slowly absorb your warmth and cause your core body temperature to drop.  Check out this fact sheet on how to put on the survival suit (immersion suit) https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//2024-09/NOP-Observer-Immersion-Suit-2023.508.pdf 

The third drill we learned about is the “mariner (man) overboard” drill.  If someone were to end up in the water it is everyone’s job to stop, point directly at the person, and never take your eyes off them.  This allows the crew to follow recovery procedures to save the mariner. 

photo of a quarter-sized piece of paper slipped into a plastic holder mounted on a metal door. this is the emergency billet. It is titled: Sci Black, Amelia. Three sections, color-coded, show the different emergency codes and muster stations.
Assigned stations for drills.

After the drills, the science team returned to the dry lab, and I met the crew members I will be working alongside. The work rotations are split into two 12-hour shifts, day and night.  I’ve been assigned day shift, working 11:30am to 11:30 pm.   

We reached our first survey station at 2100 hours (9pm) and the real work began!  

Did You Know?

NOAA Ship Oregon II uses sensors to report up to date weather data every hour.  Follow along at https://www.windy.com/station/ship-wtdo?waves,27.501,-92.356,8,m:esbadxt to map my progress through the Gulf. 

Speaking of sensors, I met Dorothy and Toto, right here on this ship!  Check out my next blog to learn about Dorothy and Toto. 

Adventure awaits! 

Sources

Posted on

Amelia Black: From the Kansas Prairie to Gulf Seas, June 28, 2026

Amelia takes a selfie with a historic tall ship in the background.

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amelia Black

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 6-17, 2026

Current School: Williams Science and Fine Arts Magnet Elementary, Topeka Public Schools (USD 501)

Upcoming School: Jardine Middle School, Topeka Public Schools (USD 501)

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico

Date: June 28, 2026

Personal Log

  • Amelia takes a selfie with a historic tall ship in the background.
    At the USS Constitution in Boston with a group of History educators from Kansas.
  • Amelia takes a selfie at an airport window; we can see an airplane at a gate in the background.
    From June 2026, headed from Kansas to Boston.
  • Amelia, wearing bright pink shades and a straw hat, takes a selfie in front of a towering wind turbine.
    Taking a group of teachers to learn about Windfarms at Fort Hays, Kansas.

Hello, all, my name is Amelia Black and I am a proud Kansas public school teacher. I have been a teacher for over fifteen years with Topeka Public Schools (USD 501). Transitions, geography, incredible adventures, and connectivity is the theme for this summer.

One big transition for me will be happening this this coming school year as I move from teaching elementary ESOL ( English as a Second Language) to middle school. I will be transitioning to a new school and starting the next journey in my teaching career, teaching newcomers ELs (English Learners) at Jardine Middle School. Newcomers are students who are new to America, who often arrive speaking little or no English. I love working with my students, as well as other educators and helping them both to find their strengths, their voice, and empowering them through learning and inquisitiveness. My favorite part of being an educator are the moments when new understand or a new skill clicks and they have a ‘light bulb moment’. Seeing the understanding dawn is an amazing part of teaching.

Before I set up my new classroom, I am embarking on an incredible new adventure with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) as part of the Teacher at Sea (TAS) Program. I will leave Kansas on America’s 250th birthday (Independence Day) and I will be trading landlocked Kansas for open waters aboard the NOAA Ship Oregon II!

During this adventure, I will be learning from some amazing scientists and crew members as part of NOAA’s Summer Groundfish Survey. When I step onto the ship, I will be a “newcomer” myself. In addition to learning new vocabulary, scientific language, and marine culture, I will be getting my ‘sea legs’ as I learn how to navigate on a 170-foot fishing vessel. This will be a whole new adventure for me and as a life-long learner something I am truly excited to experience. I want my students to see that it is okay to try new things and step out of your comfort zone, that it is okay to be nervous when you learning something new and in a brand-new place. By stepping out of my comfort zone and working alongside NOAA scientists, I want to model resilience, curiosity, and bravery. Skills that I know my language learners experience as immigrants to America.

You might be wondering, what is an ESOL teacher doing going on scientific exploration? The answer is in connectivity. Connectivity between language, reading, science, and social studies. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) AND Social Studies are essential for building background knowledge, academic vocabulary, and conceptual understanding. All components that are integral to comprehending complex texts and bring the joy of learning to the classroom.

As a passionate advocate for social studies, I serve on the board of the Kansas Geographic Alliance (KGA) and as a coordinator of their annual P4 Summer Institute (Plants, People, Places, Patterns). In this role I am given the opportunity to work alongside inspiring educators from across Kansas to explore and advocate for geography and social studies. Connectivity extends geographically: our rivers in Kansas lead to our oceans. The Midwestern watersheds affect our marine ecosystem in the Gulf. In participating in this experience, I will be able to bring back my learning and experiences not just to my students but to educators and others throughout Kansas.

To all my amazing students, families, and friends: I hope you are able to follow along this journey with me and I cannot wait to take you all on this learning experience. So get your maps out and follow along as we set off from Kansas to the Gulf of America/Mexico starting at Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Kansas Learning Log

Part of being a good educator is being prepared, so as I start this journey I want my log to reflect my learning but also the interconnectivity of science, social studies, and many other disciplines. The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) TAS (Teacher at Sea) Program has a blog format that I will be following in future blogs. The blog outline will start with Weather Data from the Bridge and a Scientific Log before my personal log. Each log will end with a fun learning opportunity or a sneak peak, you will have to read to find out! For this intro blog, I wanted to give you all a look at the Weather Data from Topeka, Kansas as well as a little information about this fantastic landlocked state.

Weather Data from Topeka, Kansas
Latitude: 39.0483o N
Longitude: -95.6780o W
Elevation: 945 feet (288 meters) above sea level
Wind Speed: 15mph (13 knots)
Wind Direction: South (180o )
Visibility: 10 miles (8.69nm)
Air Temperature: 93o F, heat index of 108o F
Barometric Pressure: 29.64 Hg (1003.73)
Sky: Mostly clear

A Little Bit about Kansas (Science and Technology Log)

You might already know a few things about Kansas. In addition to being a fly over state (thank you, Jason Aldean), Kansas is located in the middle of the United States. Kansas is the geographic center of the 48 contiguous United States (https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/GeoCenter_USA1.pdf). In fact, prior to modern mapping technology advancements a ranch in Osborne County, Kansas was the official geodetic center of North America. This meant that all the maps created for the United States, Canada, and Mexico used this Kansas ranch as their reference point. https://www.penryfamily.com/geographicalcenters/meadesranch.html

Most people assume that Kansas is flat. However, the eastern part of Kansas is part of the Flint Hills and has some breathtakingly beautiful rolling hills and prairies. Additionally, the elevation of Kansas rises steadily from east to west. The lowest point of Kansas is 679 feet above sea level and the highest point is over 4,000 feet above sea level!

an elevation map of Kansas set against a white background. The counties are marked in gray lines. The lowest elevation, 679 ft, is colored dark blue. Relatively low-lying river valleys extend in feathery fingers away from the eastern border of the state, fading toward green, and finally toward a dark maroon patch (4039 feet) along the western border.
Color Elevation Map of Kansas from KU GeoKansas
image from: https://geokansas.ku.edu/color-elevation-map-kansas

Did You Know?

NOAA Ship Oregon II samples ocean habitats spanning all the way from Florida to Texas!

Sources
https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/PUBS_LIB/GeoCenter_USA1.pdf
https://www.travelks.com/listing/geographic-center-of-48-contiguous-states/2307/
https://www.penryfamily.com/geographicalcenters/meadesranch.html
https://geokansas.ku.edu/color-elevation-map-kansas