Norfolk – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 12, 2025July 23, 2025

Sinh Nguyen: A Change of Command, July 8, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sinh Nguyen

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

July 7, 2025 – July 24, 2025

Mission: Larval Bluefin Tuna Slope Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Ocean, Slope Sea

Date: July 8, 2025

Weather Data:

12:06 PM Eastern Time

Currently, the temperature is 28.9°C (84°F). The wind speed is 10 knots.

Career Log

Uplift Education, Mighty Primary scholars: Howdy from the sea! Mr. Nguyen here. I hope you’re enjoying your summer (and reading lots of books). Yesterday, I moved onto NOAA Ship Pisces. It was a long day at the port meeting everyone and learning the rules.

view of NOAA Ship Pisces in port, as seen from the dock well ahead. also along the dock are a truck, some dumpsters, a large spool - various equipment involved in loading the vessel — *I arrived early morning at the port in Norfolk, Virginia*

Right away, everyone made sure I felt comfortable, safe, and prepared for the sail.

On the ship are the following crews, or teams: NOAA Corps, deck department, engineering, survey, stewards, electronics, and scientists – which I’m a part of. Excitingly, there was a Change of Command ceremony, a special event when one commanding officer (CO) gives the ship to a new one. So, in honor of this celebration, I’ll be dedicating this post to the ceremony and to the career stages of NOAA Corps officers!

NOAA stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They study and protect the ocean, weather, and animals.

Uplift Education, Mighty Primary scholars, what kind of animals do you think NOAA study in the ocean and in the sky? Let’s think, act them out, and draw! If you’d like, ask your parents to post your work in the comments!

A NOAA Corps officer is like a scientist and a ship captain. They wear uniforms and lead missions (special tasks) on ships. We respectfully address an officer by his/her rank or ship position. Yesterday, I got to see a Change of Command ceremony. That’s when one commanding officer (CO) finishes his/her job, and a new commanding officer (CO) takes over the ship. It’s kind of like picking and celebrating a new class leader. It shows respect, teamwork, and leadership.

view down (perhaps from the ship?) of a tent and chairs set up in the parking lock of the dock. We cannot see NOAA Ship Pisces, but another NOAA Ship, Ferdinand R. Hassler, is docked nearby and its name is clearly visible. — *NOAA Corps Officers and crew members set up the Change of Command ceremony.*

NOAA Corps outside NOAA Ship Pisces.

The ceremony took place outside Pisces. All officers wore white uniforms with badges and stripes that showed their rank (like how high their job is) and accomplishments (the amazing things they’ve done). Families, friends, and crew members said goodbye to the former CO and later cheered for the new CO. There were speeches and salutes to celebrate! After the event, there was time for lots of photos and personal congratulations.

The former CO and new CO saluting each other.

Sinh, wearing a Teacher at Sea t-shirt, stands for a photo next to the new commanding officer, in formal white uniform. they stand on deck in front of NOAA Ship Pisces, and we see the city of Norfolk in the distance. — The ceremony went great! The rain stopped and the weather was nice when everything started.

Seeing this ceremony was a great way to understand NOAA Corps officers and the importance of their work.

It takes a lot of practice and leadership skills to become a NOAA Corps officer! Here’s how it works:

Apply to join: https://www.omao.noaa.gov/noaa-corps
If accepted, go to Basic Training Academy as an Ensign.
Complete Basic Officer Training Class
Serve as a Junior Officer aboard a NOAA Ship
Show leadership, earn sea time, and complete more training.
Be promoted to Lieutenant Officer and you may be selected as an XO.
Get more leadership training and experience and you may be selected as a Commanding Officer (CO).

Can you list and write the steps someone takes to become a NOAA ship leader?

a flow chart with five empty steps connected by arrows — *Document source: Sinh Nguyen*

The NOAA Corps supports all crews on ship in many important ways. For the science crew, they make it possible for scientists to do their work safely and successfully on sea. Learning more about NOAA Corps makes us appreciate their incredible leadership and accomplishments!

In the classroom, how can you start developing your leadership skills? Just like NOAA Corps officers, we can show leadership skills in many ways. Every day is a chance to grow into a leader. Which learner profiles can we demonstrate to help others, take responsibility for our actions, and work together as a team? Go ahead and point to a trait that you can commit to for the new school year.

a diagram with an illustration of the globe in the center and 10 spokes leading out to images in circles. the spokes are labeled: inquirers, balanced, principled, caring, open-minded, communicators, reflective, risk taker, knowledgeable, thinkers. — These are International Baccalaureate (IB) attributes that help us become great leaders at Uplift Education, Mighty Primary. NOAA Corps officers show these traits when they lead their crew and support science missions on the ship. How can we practice these traits every day to grow as leaders? Photo credit: IB/PYP Website

Personal Log

There was so much to learn about crew members and rules, but everyone was so helpful. I felt like many of you have before, like a new student on the first day of school. A challenge was figuring out the layout, or set-up, of Pisces. At first, it felt like a maze as I was trying to figure out where to go and which rooms are in which deck. However, after asking for help, I was able to understand the layout better.

view of one of the ship's narrow hallways — *The hallways can be tight, but it taught me to be respectful and safe moving through a shared space.*

I really felt welcomed by my Chief Scientist, Dave Richardson, and by his science crew. The Chief Scientist is responsible for leading science research during this mission. In my next post, I’ll share more about the scientific work we’re doing at sea!

a group of four people walk across a brick-covered pathway through a park — *Some of us explored Norfolk, Virginia, as we walked to a restaurant for dinner. Downtown Norfolk is about a 15-minute walk from the dock, with a lot of beautiful ocean views and history.*

selfie photo (taken by Sinh) of six people on a dock; the four closest people are smiling for the camera and the two in the back seem to be looking elsewhere — Hanging out in Norfolk

view of city street. we can see an American flag on display. the sky is bright blue with some wispy clouds. — Norfolk Streets

photo of a large battleship, as seen from head of the bow. the water is very calm and there is a beautiful sunset. — Norfolk Streets

two women smile from a bench seat in a bar and hold up a piece of paper awarding a $15 prize — *At the restaurant, we played and placed 3^rd in a game of trivia.*

six people standing around on deck looking at large thick rope snaking all around; we can see the dockside area of Norfolk in the background, off ship — On deck on NOAA Ship *Pisces*

four people, two sitting in computer chairs and two leaning against nearby walls, look intently at a computer screen in the computer lab of the ship — *There were lots of opportunities to get to know the scientists, who are very supportive and friendly, just like all the crew members I’ve met so far!*

three people stand around some sort of equipment on board that has cross pieces, a mast of sorts, and canvas wings. Sinh is at right, and he and the woman in the center smile for the camera while another woman works on the equipment. — *We continued preparation. I’m excited to share more about this for the next post!*

Did You Know?

On NOAA ships, there are different names used for what we’re usually used to. For example:

Bedroom = stateroom

Bathroom = head

Floor = deck

Kitchen = galley

Dining Room = mess deck

Front of the house: Bow (front of the ship)

Back of the house: Stern (back of the ship)

view of a ship's stateroom containing two bunk beds (so, four berths total.) there is a locker room at the far side. each bed has navy bedding and brighter blue sliding curtains. — This is a photo of my stateroom (bedroom) on the ship. I share it with three other crew members. We all work at different times, so we have to be quiet and respectful so everyone can rest.

Learn more about NOAA Ship Pisces here: https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/vessels/pisces/pisces.html

Explore previous research missions here:
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/maps/ocean-exploration-data-atlas/

August 27, 2018September 6, 2018

Meredith Salmon: An Incredible Adventure! July 31, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Meredith Salmon

Aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

July 12 – 31, 2018

Mission: Mapping Deep-Water Areas Southeast of Bermuda in Support of the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation

Date: July 31, 2018

Latitude: 36.85°N

Longitude: 76.28°W

Air Temperature: 28°C

Wind Speed: 4.2 knots

Conditions: Cloudy

Personal Log

We returned to Norfolk this morning and successfully completed our expedition! It is definitely bittersweet to be concluding our work at sea since our team aboard the Okeanos was comprised of such wonderful people. We grew to be really close and truly enjoyed each other’s company.

norfolk 1 — Headed under the draw bridge on our way to the shipyard.

These past couple weeks at sea have been an incredible experience and I am excited to share what I have learned with the Peddie community. Being aboard the “America’s Ship for Ocean Exploration” and mapping a region of the seafloor that has not been studied yet was a very exciting opportunity as both a scientist and educator. I plan on creating and teaching a Marine Science elective during the Spring of 2019. Data collected from the expedition will be utilized to design classroom activities, laboratory experiments, and cross-curricular materials that directly relate to the research completed. Students will understand the importance of exploration and be encouraged to discover, inform, and educate others about the ocean. Since the Okeanos is equipped with telepresence capabilities, I will be able to stream seafloor images, ROV dives, and interviews from sea in my classroom. Having students directly engaged with those completing research in real time will enable them to make associations between the ocean and their local ecosystems to put the research into context.

I really enjoyed meeting everyone aboard and listening to their stories. Since these vessels require 24/7 operations, many people worked very hard over the course of the expedition to ensure that everything was going as planned. The crew, stewards, engineers, NOAA Officers, scientists, and explorers in training were very willing to share their knowledge, insights, and experiences. I respect their dedication and flexibility while at sea and I am very grateful to have met such awesome people! This experience was definitely one of the highlights of my teaching career and I am very inspired to know that no matter where in the world the Okeanos is located, everyone aboard is committed to understanding the wonders of the unknown ocean.

Okeanos MAPPING TEAM! — The *Okeanos Explorer* Mapping Team

norfolk 3 — Some of the Mapping Team navigating the shipyard!

Okeanos at Norfolk — This photo of NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer was snapped by the mother of one of the Senior Survey Techs! She was waiting for us to arrive the morning of the 31st and got this shot on the drawbridge!

Okeanos inbound Norfolk — NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer inbound to Norfolk, VA. [Photo by Captain Eric Stedje-Larsen, USN] [Photo by Captain Eric Stedje-Larsen, USN]

July 5, 2013August 13, 2021

Yaara Crane: Maritime Careers, July 3, 2013

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Yaara Crane
Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson
June 22 – July 3, 2013

NOAA GG — Along with us in port, was the *Gordon Gunter*.

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical area of cruise: Mid-Atlantic
Date: Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Latitude: 36.85°N
Longitude: 76.30°W

Weather Data from Bridge:
Wind Speed: 4.80knots
Surface Water Temperature: 25.35°C
Air Temperature: 26.60°C
Relative Humidity: 81.00%
Barometric Pressure: 1023.19mb

Norfolk is a major naval base. We passed by this aircraft carrier with a plane sitting on its deck.

Science and Technology Log

When I began interviewing some of the individuals on board, I knew that I could not talk to all of the 30+ people on board. Here is a snapshot of some of the non-scientific personnel on board, and the important work that they do each day.

Chef Dave — Chief Steward Dave is in his chef whites in the galley.

David Fare has been working for NOAA for eight years, and you definitely want to stay on his good side. As Chief Steward, Dave is in charge of the most important aspect of life aboard a ship – food! Dave has spent the majority of his life at sea; he worked for the Navy for over 30 years before retiring, and then joined NOAA to get back to sea. As Chief Steward, his major duties include buying food, keeping track of the ship’s food stores, and maintaining a nutritionally balanced menu. The menu he creates is compiled from various recipes, cookbooks, and training he has attended over the years. There are quite a few regulations that he must follow to make sure everyone has the opportunity to have a healthy meal, but he must also go above and beyond to work within the bounds of any dietary restrictions. Dave’s meals must accommodate vegetarians, noted allergies, and low sodium for people with high blood pressure. His major advice for anyone seeking a position in the culinary field is to get experience, and attend a culinary school.

Anthony (Tony) Teele has also been working for NOAA for 8 years, the past five of which have been on the Thomas Jefferson. Tony is both the Medical Person in Charge (MPIC) and a Seaman Surveyor. As the MPIC, Tony has a medical background, specifically in clinical psychology and youth counseling. When I was feeling seasick, Tony was the guy checking my blood pressure and making sure that I kept hydrated. He was required to take a course to make sure he was prepared for general medical needs like basic first aid, CPR, and simple sutures. Tony hopes to use his medical skills in his future career endeavors.

As a Seaman Surveyor, Tony has many other duties. First off he explained how deckhands are ranked from entry level to the top: General Vessel Assistant, Ordinary Seaman, Able-bodied Seaman, Seaman Surveyor, Boatswain Group Leader, and Chief Boatswain. The Chief Boatswain on the TJ is the longest serving member of NOAA on the ship and an expert in his field. Tony’s duties include being Coxswain (abbreviated “Coxn”) on survey launches, being a helmsman on the bridge, operating various heavy machinery on board, and keeping the decks in top shape. He loves that NOAA gives him the opportunity to travel, learn, and provide stepping stones for his future.

My final interview was with GVA James Johnson (JJ). I found out early on that JJ attended Mount Vernon High School, just down the road from where I teach. After earning his GED and serving for 10 years in the Navy as an Aviation Support Equipment Technician, JJ made the switch to NOAA. He loves the idea that he is working for something bigger than himself and not stuck at a 9-5 job. Every day is an adventure as he learns his way around his duties. JJ is currently doing a lot of learning while he works. I have observed him spending hours on the bridge learning how to be a helmsman. Tony and the Officers help to keep a close eye on JJ while he is at the helm learning his new skills. His advice to people who want to be a GVA is to be proactive and seek out training. JJ appreciated the freedom that NOAA employees have to augment on different ships, and loves the excitement each new day brings.

Tony and James — Tony (left) and James (right) are on the bridge during their watch.

I spent at least half an hour speaking with each person, and the pride they all have in their jobs was something they all conveyed. Working on a ship is more than a job; it is a lifestyle that they have chosen. These men and women spend months of their lives away from their families each year, working to support NOAA’s mission. Kudos to you all, and thanks for making time to talk to a Teacher at Sea.

Norfolk radar — Norfolk is the third largest port in the country. The radar helps to navigate through this busy waterway.

Personal Log

We have made it back to Norfolk, and everyone is quickly taking the opportunity to celebrate the 4^th on their own terms. This is a rare opportunity to be home for the Fourth of July holiday, and we have people going to areas like the Carolinas, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Cancun. Safe travels to everyone! The TJ will be in port for maintenance until mid-August before returning to the waters of the Delaware Bay. Their work for this summer is nowhere close to done, and I wish them all smooth sailing. For my future, I hope to be able to take a group of students on a field trip to Norfolk so that they can see first-hand where I lived for two weeks. I have also extended an invitation to members of the TJ that want to share their experiences with any of my classes. This was an exciting adventure, and I hope it is just the beginning of my interactions with NOAA. Blogging has been a new experience for me, so thank you to everyone who has been following my adventures.

Did You Know?

NOAA Corps Officers have no fewer than eight different uniforms that they must maintain throughout their career. The ship can also be dressed out for the holidays, and the TJ will be flying its flags in honor of the 4^th of July.

TJ ship colors — The ship colors have been hoisted up the mast. They identify the ship by spelling the letters Whiskey Tango Echo Alpha