NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker – Page 2 – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

June 17, 2024June 17, 2024

Charlotte Sutton: Science at Sea, June 14, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Charlotte Sutton

Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

June 7 – June 18, 2024

Mission: Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean; U.S. West Coast

Date: June 14th, 2024

Weather Data from the Bridge

Date: Friday, June 14, 2024
Latitude: 33°34.07 N
Longitude: 119°03.108 W
Sea Wave Height: 4ft
Wind Speed: 5.57 knots
Air Temperature: 62°F
Sky: Clear

Science Log

view over the ocean toward the coast. the water is dark, with waves but no whitecaps. we see a thin line of gray clouds in front of the low, gray silhouette of the coastal mountains. beyond the mountains, the sky is orange-to-yellow, fading into gray toward the top of the photo. — View from the deck just before daybreak.

What ocean organisms are you finding?

Each night, the Lasker NOAA Corps Officers, crew, and science team work together to conduct a series of trawls, deploying nets behind the boat to collect samples for the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS).

After the catch from the trawl comes onto the Lasker, scientists identify and measure each of the organisms on board. One of my main tasks during my time as a Teacher at Sea is to help the science team sort and identify the trawl catch each night. A sample of the organisms caught during each trawl, and all of the juvenile rockfish, are collected, labeled and saved for further analysis back at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab when the science team returns to shore.

Some of the most common organisms caught include pyrosomes, salps (including the large Thetys), krill, and fried egg jellyfish. We also catch a lot of fish, including juvenile anchovy, juvenile hake, many different varieties of myctophid fish, and of course rockfish. To me, some of the most exciting and special organisms caught include the juvenile octopus, all types of squid and king-of-the salmon fish. I am learning so much each day!

Five members of the science team, including Charlotte, stand on two sides of a long metal table. They are wearing sweatshirts, orange fishing overalls, and long orange gloves, and holding tweezers. on the table between them are white plastic trays with piles of krill and sorting buckets.

two women stand behind a large white plastic basin. The basin is filled with soupy green water which, at closer inspection, contains a mix of larger fish and smaller organisms. The women wear sweatshirts, orange overalls, long orange gloves, and hats. The woman on the left uses two hands to grasp a small, perhaps quart-sized plastic bucket filled from the large basin.

Photos: Trawl catch being sorted in the wet lab, trawl catch just after it came in on the ship.

a small octopus in a quart-sized plastic bucket of water

lines of tiny organisms arranged by type on a white tray. we see pyrosomes, tiny, squid, small metallic-colored fishes, a salp

empty white sorting trays line a long metal table; in the foreground we see a pair of orange-gloved hands

four members of the science team, wearing overalls and long orange gloves, stand on two sides of a metal sorting table; three science team members facing the camera, and one with her back to the camera. they each hold tweezers and carefully place tiny fish into long neat lines on the sorting trays.

a top-down view of a single sorting tray with 8-9 lines of tiny juvenile fish, each laid out so that it is facing the left side of the tray

close-up view of a small octopus in a white circular sample cup

Photos: Ocean organisms from the trawl being sorted in the wet lab, octopus saved from the catch.

How are marine mammals protected?

scientific equipment laid out on a beige plastic box; it's difficult to describe - a large piece that likely emits noises, and several smaller cannister attached to carabiners

a whiteboard mounted on a metal background - a wall or a refrigerator - reads: Marine Mammal Watch Morro Bay! then a table with columns labeled: Haul / Station / Inside / Outside. The hauls are numbered 104-107, Stations are numbered 341-344, and Inside and Outside contain names of the scientists assigned to the watch

Photos: Marine mammal deterrent device (L), mammal watch schedule (R)

view over the aft deck from an upper deck. we can see the a-frame for deploying trawl nets; a folded davit arm; an orange small boat stowed on the starboard side. in the distance, at the horizon, we see the coastal mountain range. — View of marine mammal watch station from deck

Each night, and throughout the night, a member of the science team goes on “Mammal Watch” during trawling operations to protect marine mammals. Fifteen minutes before a trawl, a member of the science team goes up to the bridge mammal watch station, and looks for protected marine mammal species like dolphins, sea lions and whales. If a marine mammal is spotted, then the trawl cannot happen until there are no marine mammals within one nautical mile of the ship. When the trawl begins, another scientist begins mammal watch on the deck from the time the net is launched into the water, until it returns to the ship. Again, if a marine mammal is spotted during this time, the trawl will be canceled and the net will be reeled in immediately.

There are also devices attached to the net called “dolphin deterrent devices.” These devices, often called “dolphin pingers” by the science team, activate as soon as they hit water, and emit sounds to deter dolphins and other marine mammals. This helps to keep marine mammals away from the net to prevent them from getting unintentionally tangled, and do not cause harm to marine animals.

an orange and gray plastic canister, about 7 or 8 inches in length, with what is likely a loop for a hook at one end. On the orange portion is a beautiful painting of a rockfish in yellow, green, and black. — Retired marine mammal deterrent device with hand-drawn rockfish art (by Jackie – one of the ship’s deck crew)!

Personal Log

What is the NOAA Corps?

The NOAA Corps is one of the nation’s eight uniformed services, and the only one to consist only of officers. All NOAA Corps Officers attend the Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and train alongside Coast Guard officer candidates. NOAA Corps Officers support all aspects of the NOAA mission and may be assigned to serve on either ships or aircraft. The Lasker currently has 6 officers aboard, under the leadership of Commander Claire Surrey-Marsden.

a woman in a navy blue uniform and sweatshirt, with a radio mounted on her hip, stands on the uppermost deck of the ship. she is speaking, probably addressing a group of people behind the camera. we see gray waters and gray skies beyond the railings.

a NOAA corps officer with a whiteboard stands to the left of the photo, speaking. other crewmembers sit on couches or stand listening. we see a computer, a sink area, and lines of windows around two sides of the bridge.

row of navigation computers; monitors mounted overhead; line of windows around every side of the room; three people stand at the computers, facing away from the camera

Photos: CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden on the flying bridge, Daily safety meeting in the bridge

I got a chance to interview CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden. Originally from the Bronx in New York City, CDR Surrey-Marsden has always been interested in the ocean and has a background studying marine biology from Florida Tech. After college, she interned and then worked for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where she worked with manatee conservation. She then applied and was accepted into the NOAA Corps, and went on to officer training at the Global Marine and Transportation School (GMATS) at Kings Point Academy.

NOAA Corps officers alternate between land and sea assignments in different locations. Her second sea assignment was actually on the delivery team of the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, then NOAA’s newest fisheries ship. CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden had land assignments in the Marine Mammal Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, and in Washington D.C. working with NOAA Rear Admiral Cary. She now returns to the Lasker on her fourth sea assignment as the Commanding Officer, coming full circle from delivering the same ship early in her career.

When asked what advice she would have for a student interested in a marine science career, CDR Surrey-Marsden advises to volunteer for any opportunity/activity, and to do a good job wherever you go.

Book Recommendations

One of the people I work closely with on the ship is scientist Ily Iglesias. Before arriving on the Lasker, Ily just defended for her P.h.D in ocean sciences at University of California Santa Cruz.

Ily is also a mom to a 3 year old daughter, and they love to read books together. Ily gave me several recommendations of her and her daughter’s favorite science-themed books to read together. Ily has been on survey trips several times, and each time before she leaves she enjoys reading the children’s book Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley. A story about baby penguin with a mama scientist that goes out to sea on a ship, and both a very relevant and helpful book for Ily and her family. Other ocean related favorites include Who’s Afraid of the Light? by Anna McGregor, and Where the Weird Things Are by Zoleka Filander. I’m excited to read these to my preschool students back in Alaska!

cover of the book Love, Mama by Jeannette Bradley showing an illustration of a baby penguin sitting on the ice, grasping a heart, watching a research ship in the distance

cover of the book "Who's Afraid of the Light?" by Anna McGregor featuring deep sea creatures - octopus, angler fish, barrel eye fish, plus a pair of eyes with a speech bubble that says "arghh! this cover glows in the dark!"

cover of "Where the Weird Things Are: An Ocean Twilight Zone Adventure" by Zoleka Filander and Patricia Hooning, featuring squid, octopus, angler fish, and a removely operated vehicle with a face

How’s the food?

One of the most asked questions of my family and friends from home is asking about what my meals are like at sea. I am happy to report that the food is great! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared each day by chefs Arnold and Jude, and available to everyone aboard the Lasker at specific times each day. Working the night shift, I typically begin my day with dinner at 1700, and end it with breakfast at 0700. At night while the science team is working, there is always a full salad bar available, as well as sandwich supplies, snacks and leftovers from the day before. Everyone available on the sip eats together in the “mess” – it’s a great time to relax and get to know everyone.

plated meal with what might be steak? (hard to tell) plus vegetables, salad, roll — Beef and vegetables

plated meal of beef, rice, vegetables, salad. — Beef and vegetables

Photos: Some favorite dinners so far from the cruise.

June 13, 2024June 13, 2024

Charlotte Sutton: Learning the Lasker, June 11, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Charlotte Sutton

Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

June 7 – June 18, 2024

Mission: Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean; U.S. West Coast

Date: June 11th, 2024

Weather Data from the Bridge

Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Latitude: 35.42 °N
Longitude: 121.22 °W
Sea Wave Height: 4-5 ft
Wind Speed: 4 knots
Air Temperature: 57 ° F
Sky: Foggy / light rain

Science Log

Arriving on the Lasker

We’re off! After landing in San Francisco and driving down to Santa Cruz, I arrived on the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker by way of small boat transfer. The Lasker was anchored in Monterey Bay, and sent a small boat to pick up myself and some of the science team and crew to be taken aboard. We boarded the small boat, the “RL-2 Shark,” then traveled to the side of the Lasker where we were hoisted up via a winch. I then got a full tour around the ship, and the opportunity to meet many people who work on the Lasker, including members of the science team, NOAA Corps, and Lasker crew.

Teacher at Sea Charlotte Sutton poses for a photo on board the small boat RL-2 Shark. She's wearing a life vest and a hard hat and holding in her hands a jacket with neon yellow reflective coloring. Behind the small boat, we can see the Santa Cruz harbor. — Charlotte boards the RL-2 Shark in Santa Cruz

a view up the portside of NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, facing the aft deck, as seen from the small boat the water's surface. Winch cables and a frame have been lowered off the side of the large vessel. We can see a davit arm toward the aft. — Charlotte boards the RL-2 Shark in Santa Cruz

The Night Shift

Running a ship like the Lasker is a 24-hour-a-day operation. At all times there are some groups of people sleeping and others who are working. The majority of the science crew works at night, so my day typically begins with dinner at 5:00 pm and then working with the science team from approximately 9:30 pm until 6:30 am. As a morning person this was very difficult at first! But after two nights working, I’m finally adjusting to our new schedule.

What is the Goal of the Survey?

The main scientific focus of the upcoming mission is the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS). This survey has been conducted since 1983, and collects data on rockfish and other organisms in their ecosystem.

Rockfish are a very important fish commercially and recreationally in California and on the West Coast. One of the primary purposes of the survey is to use the data collected to help provide additional information about the management of commercial and recreational fisheries off the west coast.

CTD Operations

On the ship's deck at night, a man stands facing away from the camera, looking down a large apparatus nearly the height of his shoulder. Inside a round metal frame are gray cannisters arranged in a circle (the "rosette"), surrounding a scientific probe mounted in the center. A cable extends from the top of the appartus out of sight. The man wears a hard hat, a life vest, and sunglasses and grasps a gray rope looped through a rung of the rosette. Another man, also wearing life vest and hard hat, is seen at a distance beyond the apparatus. It's nighttime. — CTD rosette, ready to be deployed into the ocean.

I began my first night shift by observing a CTD deployment. CTDs are instruments that measure Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD). CTD measurements are conducted approximately 5-6 times a day, and twice at night. The CTD descends down into the ocean to a depth of up to 500 m . There are other instruments and sensors attached to the CTD that measure things like chlorophyll levels and oxygen levels. The data taken from the water column serves as a foundation for scientists to understand the ocean environment.

All of the CTD data, and all the data that the Lasker collects, is free and available to the public.

Trawling

a hand-drawn diagram of a trawl net in two positions: net while fishing (on top) and net deployment and retrieval (bottom.) The lines are all labeled: we see the headrope (with buoys) at the top of the net, the footrope (small buoys) at the base of the opening, the bridle lines, door leg and transfer lines, the doors, and lines "to trawl winch" and net "to cod end." — Hand-drawn diagram of trawl net, courtesy of scientist Tanya Rogers.

When do we trawl?

The reason the science team trawls at night because there is net avoidance during the daytime, meaning the fish will see the net coming during the day and swim away from it. Other creatures migrate towards the surface at night. In a pattern called vertical migration, these mesopelagic species migrate to shallow waters to feed during the night, while spending day hours at depth.

Having more diverse species to study is useful for the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS). The more data that is collected on rockfish and other species helps scientists to better understand the heath of different fish species, and make predictions and assessments of ocean trends.

How does trawling work?

Each night, the Lasker crew, NOAA corps officers, and science team work together to trawl for different fish species.

“Trawls, which are nets towed behind a boat to collect organisms, have been used by fishers for centuries. Trawls can be divided into three categories based on where they sample the water column: surface, midwater, and bottom.” (NOAA Ocean Exploration)

In our Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey, the science team conducts midwater trawls, at approximately 30m depth to target the fish and other ocean organisms that are targeted for the study.

The last few days we’ve averaged 5 trawls per night. The process begins by deploying the trawling net behind the ship into the midwater section of the water column, and trawling for fish for either 5 or 15 min. After the net is brought in, the contents of the trawl are sorted, measured, and recorded by the science team. This data will be later analyzed to help better understand the ocean ecosystem.

Charlotte stands at a large white bin, about three feet long, containing a pile of small silver-colored fish. She uses two hands to hold up a plastic pitcher filled with a sample of the fish - two other empty pitches rest in the bin. Charlotte wears a coat, orange grundens (fishing overalls), long orange gloves, and her Teacher at Sea beanie hat. — Teacher at Sea Charlotte with the catch of a trawl.

Six people stand three to a side along a long metal table and face the camera for a photo. They are wearing heavy fishing overalls and long orange gloves, and each grasps a pair of tweezers in one hand. On the metal table, white plastic trays contain subsets of the catch; in the foregroud, two of these plastic trays contain organisms that have already been sorted and neatly arranged. — The science team sort fish and other organisms from the trawl.

Personal Log

NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker: My New Home at Sea

NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker (photo courtesy of NOAA)

My new home for my time at sea is the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker. The Lasker is a NOAA fisheries vessel, with a home port located in San Diego, CA.

“The ship’s primary objective is to support fish, marine mammal, seabird and turtle surveys off the U.S. West Coast and in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean” (NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations).

During my time at sea, the Lasker will be sailing off the coast of California, sailing out of Santa Cruz and back into port in San Diego.

Living on the ship reminds me a lot of my college dorm room. On the ship most people have roommates, and we all have shared spaces like the mess (cafeteria), science labs, outside decks and places to relax. Everyone aboard the ship has been extremely welcoming and kind, always answering any questions I might have and teaching me about life aboard a ship. I am happy to call the Lasker home over my trip at sea!

a bulletin board housed in a case with sliding glass doors, titled OUR CREW. The background of the display is a nautical chart of the California coast around the Channel Islands, though it is mostly obscured. Photos of the crew members are cut out and pinned all over the chart. There's also a magazine article about Reuben Lasker, the ship's namesake. — There are three major teams working and living as a cohesive unit aboard the *Lasker*. The *Reuben Lasker* crew, NOAA science team, and NOAA Corps officers each have distinct roles and work together each day to accomplish various science projects.

view of a sunset over a calm sea — Sunset aboard the *Lasker*.

Did you know?

Adjusting to working the night shift (approximately 9:00 pm – 7:00 am) as a typical morning person has meant sleep is often on my mind. Chatting before our second night shift, scientist Ily Iglesias shared with me how dolphins sleep. Both dolphins and whales sleep much differently than most mammals. Known as unihemispheric sleep, dolphins

“only rest half of their brain while the other half stays awake to breathe. Also, most whale and dolphin respiratory and digestive tracts are completely separate, so they don’t get water in their lungs when feeding underwater.” (NOAA Fisheries).

June 7, 2024June 7, 2024

Charlotte Sutton: Introduction, June 7, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Charlotte Sutton
Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker
June 7 – June 18, 2024

Mission: Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean; U.S. West Coast

Date: June 6th, 2024

Weather Data (Santa Cruz)

Date: 06/06/2024
Time: 08:00
Latitude: 36.98°N
Temperature: 60°F
Longitude: 122.01°W

Introduction

Hello! My name is Charlotte Sutton and I am thrilled to be a Teacher at Sea for the 2024 Season. I have been teaching for 5 years, and currently teach preschool at Orion Elementary at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER), Alaska. It is truly my passion to teach our littlest learners, and to help them grow and learn each day. Teaching in Alaska, students are surrounded by nature and wildlife. JBER is located near both the Knik Arm (Dena’ina: Nuti) and the Turnagain Arm (Dena’ina: Tutl’uh) waterways that are part of the northwestern Gulf of Alaska, as well as many mountain ranges and forests. My students are very curious about the world around them, and often tell me about the fish (especially salmon), beluga whales, moose, and bears that they see around the Anchorage area. In my classroom, I love to help students investigate the world around them by explicitly teaching and practicing the foundations of the scientific inquiry process to help them to become resilient problem solvers not just in preschool but in the years ahead.

I plan to use my experience as a NOAA Teacher at Sea to educate and inform students about the world’s oceans not just in my own classroom but throughout my community on JBER.

A view of Charlotte sitting at the helm of a small boat. She's wearing a navy blue windbreaker with the hood pulled tightly over a baseball cap, smiling, and squinting a bit into the wind. In the foreground is a compass mounted on the vessel beyond the helm. In the background, we see a cloudy sky over gray waters, with developed shoreline, trees, and the silhouettes of far distant mountains.

A wintery scene; snow blankets the ground. The outer wall of a school building fills the left side of the photo. To the right is a snowy field, a shed, and icy trees. In the center, a mother moose stands looking after her young; the juvenile moose is resting on the snow against the building wall.

Photos: Charlotte Sutton; A mother and juvenile moose outside Orion Elementary in JBER, Alaska; View of the Turnagain Arm waterway, Alaska, taken from Bird Point Trail

Science and Technology Log

This week I will be aboard the NOAA Vessel Reuben Lasker as a NOAA Teacher at Sea. The Reuben Lasker is a fisheries survey vessel, meaning the primary mission to “support fish, marine mammal, seabird and turtle surveys off the U.S. West Coast and in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean”. The main scientific focus of the upcoming mission is the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS). This survey has been conducted since 1983, and the data collected on rockfish and other fish like salmon helps scientists to better understand the heath of different fish species, and make predictions and assessments of ocean trends.

When I arrived in Santa Cruz, I had the opportunity to meet with NOAA Corps Officer LTJG Bonnie Vierra, who gave me a tour around Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab. This lab is where NOAA scientists and their team conduct research and operations when not at sea. This lab hosts an array of scientists who conduct various projects. I’m excited to join the NOAA crew aboard the Lasker soon!

A partial whale skeleton (lacking skull and perhaps pectoral fin bones) mounted on metal posts at a cliffside. Coastal plants cover most of the sand surrounding the display, but a picnic bench is visible in a clearing to the right. Beyond the vegetation, the gray ocean blends into the cloudy white-gray sky, creating a notable contrast with the brown whale bones. — **Photo**: *Partial Whale Skeleton outside of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab*

several small vessels on boat trailers in a line at the boatyard. We can see shelves of equipment to the left, and a small garage and sheds behind the vessels.

View inside a lab - workbenches, overhead lights, microscopes, stacks of containers.

Photos: Small NOAA vessels, research lab, and salmon tank at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab

Full-wall indoor mural depicting species found off the California coast, including rockfish, salmon, opah

view out the window of the lab over the coastal dunes; a small stained glass sturgeon hangs from threads over the top of the window

Photos: Art found at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab

Personal Log

Before I left for my Teacher at Sea trip, I received a last minute invitation to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Ocean Awards Gala. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s mission is “The Foundation is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. Working together, we safeguard species and the places they call home, and preserve America’s maritime history.” The foundation supports the NOAA mission as the official nonprofit partner to NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary System.

I happened to sit at the same table as Rear Admiral (RADM) Chad Cary. RADM Cary is currently deputy director for operations, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO), and deputy director, NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps). He also was a previous Commanding Officer (CO) of the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker which I’ll be sailing on in just a few days! He had so many wonderful things to say about both the science research team and the officers and crew of the Lasker. RADM Cary is also originally from Alaska, and I was so fortunate to get to speak with him before my upcoming time at sea aboard the Lasker.

I am so excited for the journey ahead!

Charlotte, in a full length floral dress, stands under the words "Ocean Awards Gala" projected against a curved stone wall — Charlotte Sutton

a group of people in formal wear mingle at a gala — Charlotte Sutton

Photos: Charlotte Sutton; National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Gala at Union Station in Washington D.C.; Charlotte Sutton and RADM Chad Cary

August 16, 2019

Allison Irwin: The Journey Extends, August 15, 2019

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Allison Irwin

NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

July 7 – 25, 2019

Mission: Coastal Pelagic Species Survey

Embarkation Port: Newport, Oregon

Cruise Start Date: 7 July 2019

Days at Sea: 19

Conclusion

On July 25, 2019 NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker and its crew navigated slowly under the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay. As the fog smothered entrance to the bay loomed ahead of us, I stood on the bow with the Chief Bosun and a few others listening to, of all things, sea shanties. We passed a couple of whales and a sea lion playing in the water, and we cruised right passed Alcatraz before arriving at our pier to tie up.

San Francisco did not disappoint! I walked a total of 20 miles that day stopping at Pier 39 to watch the sea lions, Ghirardelli Square to get chocolate ice cream, and Boudin Bakery to try their famous sourdough bread. I walked along the San Francisco Bay Trail, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and then back to the ship.

Sea Lions at Pier 39
Ghirardelli Square
San Francisco Bay Trail

Later that evening I went out for dinner with three of the science crew and the restaurant had a couple of local items that I hold near and dear to my heart now – sardines and market squid. It felt like everything came full circle when I ordered the fried sardine appetizer and grilled squid salad for dinner after having caught, measured, and weighed so many of them on the ship. I never would have stopped before to think about the important role those little critters play in our food chain.

Fried Sardine Appetizer
Grilled Squid Salad

The first entry for this blog posted almost two months ago framed an introduction to a journey. Even though I’ve been back on land for three weeks now, I couldn’t quite bring myself to title this entry “The Journey Ends.” Instead it feels like the journey has shifted in a new direction.

I spent a lot of time on NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker thinking about how to integrate lessons from this project into my classroom and how to share ideas with other teachers in my district and beyond. Most of all this trip inspired me to reach out even more to my colleagues to collaborate and design instructional activities that push the boundaries of the traditional high school paradigm.

July 23, 2019

Allison Irwin: Art and Science, July 22, 2019

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Allison Irwin

NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

July 7-15, 2019

Mission: Coastal Pelagic Species Survey

Geographic Area: Northern Coast of California

Date: July 22, 2019

Weather at 1200 Pacific Standard Time on Monday 22 July 2019

When I walk outside onto the deck, the sky is a stunning shade of blue matching the color of Frost Glacier Freeze Gatorade. The sun is warm against my skin – I’m finally not wearing a jacket – and bright, but not so bright that I have to squint against the reflection of the water. I put my sunglasses on anyway since the polarized lenses help me see more defined colors in bright sunlight. The instruments show 15° Celsius right now with 25 knot winds. The horizon has a funny haze along its whole length even though the sky above me is absolutely clear. When I look over the long distance, I’m seeing cumulative aerosols – dust, water vapor, and other particles suspended in the air to form a haze along the horizon. I can’t see it directly above me even though it must be there.

PERSONAL LOG

One of the most beautiful things I’ve seen this whole trip, even when you take the coastline into account, are the squid. Never thought I’d write that sentence. But they sparkle and change colors! Last week we found a tiny octopus in something called a bongo tow (I’ll explain that in the science section). That little critter was even more awe inspiring. It had big turquoise eyes that reminded me of peacock feathers.

While I was in Newport, Oregon before the ship left, I was walking around Newport Marina and found a couple of guys painting a mural. The one who designed the mural is an art teacher at Newport High School. We started talking about his mural and the NOAA Teacher at Sea program. In addition to his career as an art teacher, Casey McEneny also runs his own art studio called Casey McEneny Art. The other guy helping him, Jason, has an art studio called Jay Scott Studios.

By painting the commissioned mural, he was connecting his career with his love of art and his community. His son even participated in the process by filling in a small portion of the mural while Casey worked on outlining the rest of it. Later he’ll go back and overlay the mural with color so it pops off the wall.

Casey McEneny with his son
Full mural commissioned by Rogue Brewery in Newport Marina
Jason from Jay Scott Studios laying down the outline

THE SCIENCE

Ok, so the bongo tow. Do you remember as a kid (if you were a kid in the movies) when you used to run through fields of flowers catching butterflies in a butterfly net? I’m imagining a 6 year old girl with a flowing sundress. Well, take two oversized white butterfly nets and attach them to a metal frame that look like spectacles. Each hoop in this frame has a 71 centimeter diameter. These mesh nets each have a codend just like the trawl nets, except these codends are less than 1 foot long and are made out of extremely fine mesh. They’re designed to catch zooplankton – copepods, krill – and other smaller things that the net collects while traveling through the water column.

The juvenile octopus we found in the bongo tow last week was too difficult to identify at that young stage. It was only about 1 inch long. I searched through their identification books in the lab and tried to figure it out, but even the scientists said that the science community just doesn’t know enough yet about cephalopods (think octopus and squid species) to identify this beautiful creature until it’s an adult. We do know, since it has 8 arms and a fused mantle, that it’s at least an octopus and not a squid. Squid are not octopods, they’re decapods – in addition to the 8 arms they also have 2 long tentacles.

There are two species of octopus living in this area that look very similar even as adults. They are the Enteroctopus dofleini (Pacific Giant Octopus) and the Octopus rubescens (East Pacific Red Octopus). As adults, they’re both a dark red color almost like rust or brick. The artist I mentioned earlier, Casey, included a Pacific Giant Octopus in his mural at Newport Marina. But those are just two of many, many species of octopods in this area. Our little guy is probably neither of those. Still, I’m hoping it is a baby Octopus rubescens since they have a high density of chromatophores that make them sparkle!

Pacific Giant Octopus from Casey McEneny’s Mural

The chromatophores are cells that both reflect light and contain different colors (pigment). They come in all different patterns and are distinct enough to use as identification tools for different species. They can be individually large or small and show up either in dense patches or scattered like freckles. Octopus and squid species contract and expand these special cells to change color based on necessity, if they need camouflage for example, or it’s thought that they even use color to communicate their mood. I’ve seen them sparkle in brilliant colors like a kaleidoscope but that’s probably, unfortunately, an expression of their agitated state since we’re catching them.

While there’s no way to tell exactly what they’re thinking, it is well known that octopus species are highly intelligent compared to other animals found in the ocean. They are curious, they sometimes play pranks on divers, and they seem to be more intentional than fish in their actions. Their intelligence made me think they’d have long lives, that they gained experience and personality over time, but octopus species typically only live a few years. Females will usually only reproduce once in their short life spans.

TEACHING CONNECTIONS

There are so many ways to connect cephalopods to the classroom! First, research shows octopus species may plan ahead and that they can learn and adapt to their surroundings. They’re problem solvers. They’re curious by nature. How often do I wish my students were more curious about learning and literacy! By reading about the resiliency and learning capabilities of an octopus, maybe it will inspire my students to see themselves as more capable of persevering through difficult challenges and adapting their learning styles to meet the needs of different disciplines. I can drive home the point that studying for biology might not look the same as studying for their upcoming test in civics, and that the more academic learning tools they have to employ from their toolbox, the more they’ll be able to master this whole “being a student” thing. If you’re at a loss for how to bring an octopus into the classroom, try starting with this activity from the NY Times Learning Network called Learning with “Yes, the Octopus is Smart as Heck. But Why?”.

Casey, the art teacher from Newport High School, shared an interesting activity from his art class. He recommends using images of zooplankton under microscope (we found plenty of these in our bongo tow!) to inspire abstract art projects similar to how Carl Stuwe intertwined science with art at the beginning of the 20^th century. English teachers could share the same images to get students writing creative fiction or a mini lesson on imagery. Science and art provide a natural blend and plenty of opportunities for teachers to collaborate and combine our instructional force so we can integrate important concepts across the disciplines.

As a literacy teacher, I can’t help but think about how awesome it would be to teach my students the Latin prefixes and root words that are commonly used to name sea creatures. Names like Doryteuthis opalescens, Rossia pacifica, Octopus californicus, or Thysanoteuthis rhombus. Then, let them loose to name, design, describe, and share their own octopus species – yet to be discovered! While I’m sure their imaginations would come up with some elaborate ideas, few things are ever as fantastical as reality. Check out the Vampyroteuthis infernalis living in the deep, dark depths of the ocean.

Vampire Squid Source: https://marinebio.org

We wouldn’t have found this creature or been able to capture its image without technology like Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and underwater submersible vehicles. There are clearly ways to link instruction to technology courses in addition to art, science, and literacy. Maybe students could take a sea creature that already exists and use mixed media to present an artistic representation of it like the Oregon Coast Aquarium did for their Seapunk exhibit. They could get their mixed media supplies from scrap leftover in the tech wing.

Octopus Art from Seapunk Exhibit at Oregon Coast Aquarium
Lanternfish Art from Seapunk Exhibit at Oregon Coast Aquarium
Tuna Art Made from Recycled Electronics Components at Oregon Coast Aquarium
Lanternfish Art from Seapunk Exhibit at Oregon Coast Aquarium
Octopus Art from Seapunk Exhibit at Oregon Coast Aquarium

TEACHING RESOURCES

NOAA Ocean Explorer – Octopus Friday Photo Gallery
Frontiers in Communication – Cephalopods Between Science, Art, and Engineering: A Contemporary Synthesis
Bridge – An Ocean of Free Teacher-Approved Marine Education Resources
Share My Lesson – Octopus Camouflage Lesson