Rainier – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 5, 2016August 21, 2021

Lynn Kurth: The Ocean and Humans are Inextricably Interconnected, July 1, 2016

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Lynn M. Kurth

Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier

June 20-July 1, 2016

Mission: Hydrographic Survey

Geographical area of cruise: Latitude: 58˚03.973 N Longitude: 153˚34.292 W

Date: July 4, 2016

Weather Data from the Bridge
Sky: Cloudy
Visibility: 10+ Nautical Miles
Wind Direction: 010
Wind Speed: 10 Knots
Sea Wave Height: 0-1 ft. (no swell)
Sea Water Temperature: 11.1° C (51.9° F)
Dry Temperature: 12° C (53.6° F)
Barometric (Air) Pressure: 1013.3 mb

Science and Technology Log

Throughout my experience as a Teacher at Sea, it has been evident that the ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected. This was apparent from my very first evening in Homer when I came across an eagle poised next to its colossal nest assembled in the middle of three rusty pier pilings. An illustration of nature conforming to our presence on the water and what we deem to be acceptable for our environment.

eagle — **Eagle with nest located in deep water port of Homer, AK**

But, humankind must sometimes accept and conform to nature. The fishermen of Uganik Bay have built their fishing camps above the tidal line and strung out their nets where the fish traditionally run. Most of the men and women who live here have chosen to do so because this is where the fish are found. One such gentlemen is Toby Sullivan, a commercial fisherman, who in 1975 headed to Alaska from Connecticut to work on the Alaskan pipeline. Instead, he found himself fishing vs. working on the pipeline and to this day is still gill-netting salmon to make a living. Toby’s fishing camp, East Point, located on the south shore of the Uganik Bay, has had a net on the site for the past 80 years. And, unfortunately, we drifted into that site when a strong current took us by surprise while we were gathering water quality data over the side of the small sonar vessel. When this happened, Toby and his crew worked swiftly and diligently to secure their fishing gear while NOAA divers were summoned from the Rainier to safely help our vessel leave the area.

enhancedtoby — **Toby Sullivan and crew work to install an additional line on their fishing set**

A few evenings later, Mr. Sullivan and his crew came on board the Rainier as dinner guests and a rich discussion of hydrographic work and fishing gear followed. He explained in detail how he sets his fishing gear and offered the idea that a radio channel be utilized between NOAA’s small vessels that are working around fishing gear and the local fisherman, in order to facilitate better communication.

As I watched the exchange of ideas between Commanding Officer E.J. Van Den Ameele and Mr. Sullivan it appeared that both men recognized that both parties were interested in Uganik Bay because the ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected. The Rainier’s primary mission in Uganik Bay is to gather the necessary data to create accurate and detailed charts for navigational use by the local fisherman and other mariners. As a commercial fisherman, Mr. Sullivan’s primary interest is to keep his gear and crew safe while continuing to make a living from the harvest of local fish.

toby — **Toby Sullivan shares information about how he sets his fishing gear**

Today the Rainier continues on with its mission of hydrographic work at sea using the multibeam sonar which is located on the hull of the Rainier. The swath that multibeam sonar on the Rainier covers is similar to the swath of the multibeam sonar on the smaller boats; the coverage area depends on the depth of the water. For example, at our current water depth of 226 meters, the swath of each pass that the multibeam sonar makes an image of is 915 meters wide. This evening, upon the completion of the work with the Rainier’s multibeam sonar we will depart the area and be underway for Kodiak, AK.

All Aboard!

Michael Bloom serves as as survey technician aboard the Rainier and kindly took some time with me to discuss his background and work aboard the Rainier.

DSCN0300 — **Survey Technician Michael Bloom completes the collection of a bottom sample in Uganik Bay**

Tell us a little about yourself:

I grew up in a military family, so I was actually born in England and have lived in Florida, Nebraska, Montana, Oregon and Washington. I went to college at Oregon State University located in Corvallis, OR and majored in earth systems with a focus on marine science.

How did you discover NOAA?:

Ever since I was a little kid instead of having posters of bands etc… I had posters of maps. NOAA Corps participated in career fairs at my university. I stopped at their booth my sophomore year and again my junior and senior year to learn more about their program. After learning more about NOAA I also focused on the marine aspect of earth science because I knew I wanted to work with them. Initially I didn’t know about the civilian side of NOAA, so I applied for the NOAA Corps two times and wasn’t accepted into the program, although I was an alternate candidate once. At some point, when speaking with an officer he told me to apply for a civilian position with NOAA. So, I applied and was accepted.

I’m happy to be on the civilian side because I get to work on the science side of the operations all of the time and I get to keep my beard!

DSCN0393 (2) — **Survey Technician Michael Bloom monitors the settings of the Rainier’s multi beam sonar**

What are your primary responsibilities when working on the ship?:

I am survey tech and my primary duties include data acquisition and data processing. We can work to become the Hydrographer in Charge on the surveys after enough time working in the field and, if after the Field Operations Officer observes us, he feels confident that we are ready. Eventually I’d like to work for NOAA as a physical scientist, a job that would have me going out to sea several times a year but one that is primarily land based.

What do you love about your work with NOAA?:

I get paid to travel! I go to places that people pay thousands of dollars to visit and I actually get paid thousands of dollars to go there. I enjoy that I can see the real world application of the work that I do. Scientists are using our data and ultimately we could be saving lives by creating such accurate charts.

Personal Log

NOAA’s website for the Rainier states that the Rainier is one of the most productive and advanced hydrographic ships in the world. After spending two weeks working on board the Rainier, I couldn’t agree more. However, I don’t believe that it is only the cutting-edge technology that makes the Rainier one of the best hydrographic ships in the fleet. But rather a group of outstanding people at the helm of each of the different technical aspects of hydrography. Hydrographic surveying has many steps before the end product, a chart, is released. The people I met on board who are part of that process are teaching each other the subtle nuances of Rainier’s hydrographic mission in order to become even better at what they do. I am grateful for the time that the crew and Officers have graciously given me while I have been on board. I felt very welcome from the moment a NOAA Corps member picked me up at the airport throughout my stay on the Rainier as I continued to pepper everybody with questions. Thank you Rainier! I am confident that when I return to my classroom your efforts to help me better understand your work of hydrographic surveying will pay off. You have given me the gift of new knowledge that, when shared with my students has the potential to ignite in them the same excitement and passion for science that so many of you possess.

DSCN0398 (2) — **Teacher at Sea Kurth on the middle deck of the ship**

July 1, 2016March 26, 2021

Barney Peterson: Spreads Like A Ripple, July 1, 2016

Field studies of salmon habitat with 4th grade students

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Barney Peterson

(Soon to be) Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

August 13-28, 2016

Mission: Shark/Red Snapper Longline Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: July 1, 2016

Spreads Like a Ripple

“Yep, sounds exciting, but you teach about Pacific Salmon, so how useful is learning about Hammerhead Sharks in the Gulf of Mexico really going to be?” my friend asked.

Her reaction was not unusual. I am a 4^th grade teacher with 26 years of experience in the Everett Public Schools in Washington State. I have put some serious thought into using my Teacher At Sea experiences to open eyes and minds to the world around us. I think the possibilities are endless.

My first Teacher at Sea assignment was summer 2006 aboard NOAA ship, RAINIER, on a hydrographic survey mission in the Shumagin Islands, Gulf of Alaska. From this I developed lessons on making contour maps using sticks and a sounding box. I grew my understanding of how weather systems that develop in the Gulf of Alaska influence our weather in Puget Sound. I used that knowledge to help students understand relationships between geography, weather and climate. I learned about birds, mammals and fish in the ocean food chain and inserted that learning into helping students understand the life cycle of the salmon we raise in our classroom.

In 2008 I had the opportunity to share a Teacher in the Air experience with fellow TASA Dana Tomlinson from San Diego, California. We flew with a winter storm research crew from Portland, Oregon; traveling 1800 miles out over the Pacific Ocean and back tracking developing weather systems. We created lessons that helped students understand the importance of using accurate global positioning information to follow low pressure systems as they moved across the ocean toward the west coast of North America. We put together a unit to help them understand how air pressure, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction are measured and how that data is used to understand and predict weather patterns. My students still use those lessons as we participate in the GLOBE program, sending data in every day of the school year.

That was then, and this is now:

At school, I have students use globes and inflatable Earth Balls to track from the Arctic Ocean through every other ocean and back to the Arctic without taking their pointer-fingers off ocean surface. Then they start to get it… the connections: there is really just one big ocean! We learn about the water cycle and I challenge them to explain “where the water comes from.” We learn about food webs and energy flow. Our salmon studies teach them about producers, consumers and decomposers. They get the idea of cycles and systems and how all parts must work together. They learn to consider what happens when one step of a cycle fails or one part of a system is missing. We learn about organisms labeled “indicator species” that help scientists track changes in the health of ecosystems.

True, all of this is presented with a focus on where we live in the Pacific Northwest. But…that is just one place on the edge of our one ocean. Time comes to broaden the view. There are many life cycles depending upon the continual efficient functioning of Earth’s systems. Since there is just one ocean, nothing really happens in isolation. The same kinds of events that disrupt life cycles in one place will certainly disrupt them in another.

In August I will be aboard the NOAA ship, OREGON II, in the Gulf of Mexico. Our mission is to investigate and gather data about Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks and Red Snapper. They share an ecosystem and participate in the same food web. They are subject to consequences of the same environmental changes and catastrophes that happen in other parts of our ocean.

Drop a pebble into the water anywhere and ripples spread until they reach the outermost boundaries. We all share one ocean. Where does the ripple stop?

June 26, 2016August 21, 2021

Lynn Kurth: Goodbye “Toes”, June 26, 2016

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Lynn M. Kurth

Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier

June 20-July 1, 2016

Mission: Hydrographic Survey

Geographical area of cruise: Latitude: N 57˚23 Longitude: W 153˚20 (North Coast of Kodiak Island)

Date: June 26, 2016

Weather Data from the Bridge:
Sky: Fog
Visibility: 1 Nautical Mile
Wind Direction: 085
Wind Speed: 12 Knots
Sea Wave Height: –
Sea Water Temperature: 12.2° C (54° F)
Dry Temperature: 12.6° C (54.7° F)
Barometric (Air) Pressure: 1008.6 mb

Science and Technology Log

As I was looking up at the stars over the ship one evening, I was thinking about the study of space and the 1980’s Teacher in Space program. It’s difficult to believe that as of this past January it has been thirty years since the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, which took the life of educator Christa McAuliffe and six other astronauts. Christa had been selected to become the first teacher in space, which offers such opportunity to learn and grow. I admire Christa McAuliffe because of this and the fact that she recognized that the study of space offers the opportunity for discovery, innovation and investigation.

kurthblog2 — Kurth at Sea (Uganik Bay, Alaska)

I love being a Teacher at Sea because the ocean is similar to space in that it is largely unexplored and offers the chance to discover, innovate and investigate. In fact, less than 5% of earth’s ocean has been explored even though new technologies have expanded our ability to explore. Scientists like those I am working with on the Rainier use a variety of this new technology such as satellites, complex computer programs, and multi beam sonar to explore and carry out their hydrographic work. Over the past week, I have been fortunate to work with these scientists in Uganik Bay and gain a better understanding of how they use these technologies in their work.

DSCN0035 (2) — Out on the skiff with Chief Jim Jacobson and crew

Before the surveying work using the multi beam sonar system can begin, a small crew is sent off the Rainier in a skiff, a shallow flat-bottomed open boat, to complete near shore work. During this work, the crew on the skiff meticulously examines the features of the coastline while comparing what they see to any available charts and other sources of information about the area. The depth of Uganik Bay was last surveyed and charted in 1908 but the area does have some additional charting of shoreline features documented throughout the years via aerial photography and information shared by local mariners. The skiff used for the near shore work is equipped with a GPS (global positioning system) unit and a computer program which continually maps where it travels. The skiff moves slowly along the shoreline while circling rocks and other features (reefs, islands, kelp beds, fishing gear) in order to accurately determine their size and location. The scientists record all of their findings on a sheet illustrating the area they are working in and enter the revisions into a computer program when they return to the Rainier. These revisions frequently include adding features not previously documented, modifying information on existing features or suggesting possible features to be eliminated when they are not found and verified.

DSCN0112 — Chief Jim Jacobson enters updated information from near shore work documented while on the skiff.

For example, one of the days while I was working with a crew on a skiff, part of our work involved verifying whether or not a series of rocks existed where they had been previously charted. Oddly enough, when looking at the chart the formation of rocks looked like a giant left footprint. This particular feature on the chart, was flagged for us to investigate and verify because each of the rocks that made up “the little toes” seemed to be too equally spaced to be natural features. When we examined the area we found that there was only one rock, “the big toe”, at the top of the formation vs. a total of five. The suggested updates to this feature were supported with the documentation of photographs and measurements. In other words, the scientists suggested that the final revisions completed by NOAA staff in Seattle would include the “amputation” of the four “little toes” from the charts.

footblog1 — Sheet used on skiff to document suggested revisions. Notice the “foot” feature?

All Aboard!

I have really enjoyed chatting with the people on board the Rainier because they have interesting stories to share and are happy to share them. Erin Earley, member of the engine utility crew, was one of those people who graciously gave me some of her time for an interview.

DSCN0198 — Erin Earley (right) discusses ship operations with Ensign Bethany McAcy (left)

Tell us a little about yourself:

I’m Erin Earley from Sacramento, California and was a social worker prior to working for NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration). I enjoy water color painting, creating multi-medium sculptures, and anything to do with designing gardens. And I love dogs, Shelties in particular.

How did you discover NOAA and what do you love the most about your job with NOAA?:

As a social worker I had a couple of young adults in the child protection system who wanted to find a different career. When looking at career options for them I came across a maritime program for youth in Sacramento that seemed to meet their needs. So, I went to a parent night to learn more about the program and when I heard about the rate of pay and opportunity to travel I asked if they were considering an option for adults to join the program. They said that they were and I registered for the program and began with the AB (able bodied seaman) program for deck work but after watching the Deadliest Catch I decided that wasn’t for me. So, I decided to complete the engineering program to be qualified for engine room work. The course work included survival work, emergency ship repair work and fire fighting skills.

I love my job with NOAA because for the most part I’m working with a small group of people, we all know our duties, and we all help each other out. I enjoy seeing jobs get completed and things getting fixed. And, the most important reason I love my job is that I don’t have to drive to work and dress up. I come from Sacramento, and here I don’t have to wait for traffic coming across town and wait at Starbucks for an hour. On a ship you become a minimalist, you learn what is important and what is not. I love meeting new people, trying new foods and seeing new things!

DSCN0194 — Erin Earley takes a sounding of a fuel tank

What are your primary responsibilities when working on the ship?

My primary responsibilities at sea include monitoring the oil levels of the equipment, making sure that everything is running properly, reporting to the engineer anything that might be a problem, making sure the bow thruster has proper fluids, and making sure there’s no excess water in any of the places. We’re floating on a huge ocean and we want to make sure none of it’s coming in!

What kind of background and/or education do you need to have this job?

It would help to go to a maritime school and a lot of major coastal cities have these schools that offer these programs. If you want a four year college education you could go to a maritime academy (San Francisco, New York and Baltimore ) to get a degree in mechanical engineering and then you could work on a ship or on the shore side at a port. If you don’t want to go to a four year college you can still work in engineering but you would have to take certification courses and work your way up. I think for a young person the adventure of working for NOAA is fun but you should always have a plan as far as where you might want to go. Keep your options open!

Did You Know?

The Rainier:

has 26 fuel tanks
uses 500 gallons of fuel a day while at anchor
uses 100 gallons of fuel each hour while underway (2400 gallons/day)
goes through approximately 50 lbs of beef and 30 lbs of chicken each week
uses 8 different kinds of milk (lactose free, soy, almond, cashew, 1%, 2%, whole, and skim)

June 23, 2016August 21, 2021

Lynn Kurth: The Earth has One Big Ocean, June 22, 2016

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Lynn M. Kurth

Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier

June 20-July 1, 2016

Mission: Hydrographic Survey

Geographical area of cruise: Latitude: N 57˚50 Longitude: W 153˚20 (North Coast of Kodiak Island)

Date: June 23, 2016

Weather Data from the Bridge:
Sky: Clear
Visibility: 10 Nautical Miles
Wind Direction: 268
Wind Speed: 14 Knots
Sea Wave Height: 2-3 ft. on average
Sea Water Temperature: 12.2° C (54° F)
Dry Temperature: 16° C (60.8° F)
Barometric (Air) Pressure: 1023 mb

Science and Technology Log

I’m continually searching for ways to connect what I am learning to what is relevant to my students back home in the Midwest. So, as we left Homer, AK for our survey mission in Kodiak Island’s Uganik Bay, I was already thinking of how I could relate our upcoming survey work to my students’ academic needs and personal interests. As soon as the Rainier moved away from Homer and more of the ocean came into view, I stood in awe of how much of our planet is covered with water. It’s fascinating to think of our world as having one big ocean with many basins, such as the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic. The study of ocean and its basins is one of the most relevant topics that I can teach when considering the following:

the ocean covers approximately 70% of our planet’s surface
the ocean is connected to all of our major watersheds
the ocean plays a significant part in our planet’s water cycle
the ocean has a large impact on our weather and climate
the majority of my students have not had any firsthand experience with the ocean

Earth’s One Big Ocean as seen from outside of Homer, AK

Each of the ocean basins is composed of the sea floor and all of its geological features which vary in size and shape. The Rainier will be mapping the features of the sea floor of the Uganik Bay in order to produce detailed charts for use by mariners. The last survey of Uganik Bay was completed in 1908 when surveyors simply deployed a lead weight on a string over the edge of a boat in order to measure the depth of the water. However, one of the problems with the charts made using the lead line method, is that the lead line was only deployed approximately every 100 meters or more which left large gaps in the data. Although not in the Uganik Bay, in the 1930s NOAA began using single beam sonar to measure the distance from a ship’s hull to the sea floor which made surveying faster but still left large gaps in the data. Fast forward from approximately 100 years ago when lead lines were being used for surveying to today and you will find the scientists on the Rainier using something called a multibeam sonar system. A multibeam sonar system sends out sound waves in a fan shape from the bottom of the ship’s hull. The amount of time it takes for the sound waves to bounce off the seabed and return to a receiver is used to determine water depth. The multibeam sonar will allow our team on the Rainier to map 100% of the ocean’s floor in the survey area that we have been assigned.

nNTC_Hydro — Evolution of Survey Techniques (Illustration Credit: NOAA)

DSCN0006 — NOAA Ship Rainier June 22, 2016 in Uganik Bay off of Kodiak Island

All Aboard!

NOAA Corps Junior Officer Shelley Devereaux

The folks I am working with are some of the most knowledgeable and fascinating people that I have met so far on this voyage and Shelley Devereaux from Virginia is one of those people. Shelley serves as a junior officer in the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Corps and has been working aboard the Rainier for the past year. The NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States and trains officers to operate ships, fly aircraft, help with research, conduct dive operations, and serve in other staff positions throughout NOAA.

Here is what Shelley shared with me when I interviewed her one afternoon.

Tell us a little about yourself: I’m originally from the rural mountains of Appalachia and moved to Washington DC after college. I lived in DC for about seven years before I joined the NOAA Corps and while in DC I really enjoyed cycling, hiking, cooking, baking and beer brewing.

How did you discover NOAA Corps and what do you love most about your job in the NOAA Corps?

I went to Washington DC after I received my undergraduate degree in math and worked a lot of different jobs in a lot of different fields. In time, I decided to change careers and went to graduate school for GIS (Geographic Information Systems) because I like the data management side of the degree and the versatility that the degree could offer me. I was working as a GIS analyst when my Uncle met an officer in the NOAA Corps who talked with my Uncle about the NOAA Corps. After that, my Uncle told me about NOAA Corps and the more I found out about NOAA Corps the more I liked it. Especially the hydro side! In the NOAA Corps each of your assignments really develops on your skill base and you get to be involved in a very hands on way. Just this morning I was out on a skiff literally looking to determine what level a rock was in the water. And, later in my career I can serve an operations officer. So I loved the fact that I could join the NOAA Corps, be out on ship collecting data while getting my hands dirty (or at least wet!), and then progress on to other interesting things. I love getting to be part of all the aspects of ship life and being a surveyor. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that what we do here has a tangible effect on the community and the public because we are making the water safer for the people who use it.

DSCN0011 — NOAA Corps Junior Officer Shelley Devereaux manages her sheets during near shore work in Uganik Bay

What are your primary responsibilities when working on the ship?

I am an ensign junior officer on a survey ship. Survey ships operate differently than other ships in the NOAA fleet with half of my responsibilities falling on the junior officer side of ship operations which includes driving the ship when we are underway, working towards my officer of the deck certification, working as a medical officer, damage control officer and helping with emergency drills. The other half of what I get to do is the survey side. Right now I am in charge of a small section called a sheets and I am in charge of processing the data from the sheets in a descriptive report about the area surveyed. So, about half science and half ship operations is what I do and that’s a really good mix for me. As a junior officer we are very fortunate that we have the opportunity to and are expected to learn the entire science of hydrography.

Junior Officer Shelley Devereaux checks the ship’s radar

What kind of education do you need to have this job and what advice do you have for young people interested in a career like yours?

You need a college degree with a lot of credits in science and/or math. Knowing the science that is happening on the ship is important to help your understanding of the operations on the ship which helps you be a better ship operator. Realize that there are a lot of opportunities in the world that are not always obvious and you need to be aggressive in pursuing them.

Personal Log

You didn’t think I’d leave out the picture of Teacher at Sea in her “gumby suit” did you? The immersion suit would be worn if we had to abandon ship and wait to be rescued.

Happy Solstice! Quirky but fun: For the past six years I have celebrated the solstice by taking a “hand picture” with the folks I am with on the solstice. I was thrilled to be aboard the Rainier for 2016’s summer solstice and include some of the folks that I’m with on the ship in my biannual solstice picture.

Winter Solstice 2015 with Sisu (family pet) and my husband James

Did You Know?

Glass floats or Japanese fishing floats are a popular collectors’ item. The floats were used on Japanese fishing nets and have traveled hundreds and possibly thousands of miles via ocean currents to reach the Alaskan shoreline. The floats come in many colors and sizes and if you’re not lucky enough to find one while beach combing, authentic floats and/or reproductions can be found in gift shops along the Alaskan coast.

October 12, 2014August 21, 2021

Lauren Wilmoth: Shore Party, October 12, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Lauren Wilmoth
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
October 4 – 17, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical area of cruise: Kodiak Island, Alaska
Date: Sunday, October 12, 2014

Weather Data from the Bridge
Air Temperature: 1.92 °C
Wind Speed: 13 knots
Latitude: 58°00.411′ N
Longitude: 153°10.035′ W

Science and Technology Log

The top part of a tidal station. In the plastic box is a computer and the pressure gauge.

In a previous post, I discussed how the multibeam sonar data has to be corrected for tides, but where does the tide data come from? Yesterday, I learned first hand where this data comes from. Rainier‘s crew sets up temporary tidal stations that monitor the tides continuously for at least 30 days. If we were working somewhere where there were permanent tidal station, we could just use the data from the permanent stations. For example, the Atlantic coast has many more permanent tidal stations than the places in Alaska where Rainier works. Since we are in a more remote area, these gauges must be installed before sonar data is collected in an area.

We are returning to an area where the majority of the hydrographic data was collected several weeks ago, so I didn’t get to see a full tidal station install, but I did go with the shore party to determine whether or not the tidal station was still in working condition.

A tidal station consists of several parts: 1) an underwater orifice 2) tube running nitrogen gas to the orifice 3) a nitrogen tank 4) a tidal gauge (pressure sensor and computer to record data) 5) solar panel 6) a satellite antennae.

Let me explain how these things work. Nitrogen is bubbled into the orifice through the tubing. The pressure gauge that is located on land in a weatherproof box with a laptop computer is recording how much pressure is required to push those bubbles out of the orifice. Basically, if the water is deep (high tide) there will be greater water pressure, so it will require more pressure to push bubbles out of the orifice. Using this pressure measurement, we can determine the level of the tide. Additionally, the solar panel powers the whole setup, and the satellite antennae transmits the data to the ship. For more information on the particulars of tidal stations click here

Tidal station set-up. Drawing courtesy of Katrina Poremba.

Rainier is in good hands. — *Rainier* is in good hands.

The tidal station in Terror Bay did need some repairs. The orifice was still in place which is very good news, because reinstalling the orifice would have required divers. However, the tidal gauge needed to be replaced. Some of the equipment was submerged at one point and a bear pooped on the solar panel. No joke!

After the tidal gauge was installed, we had to confirm that the orifice hadn’t shifted. To do this, we take manual readings of the tide using a staff that the crew set-up during installation of the tidal station. To take manual (staff) observations, you just measure and record the water level every 6 minutes. If the manual (staff) observations match the readings we are getting from the tidal gauge, then the orifice is likely in the correct spot.

Just to be sure that the staff didn’t shift, we also use a level to compare the location of the staff to the location of 5 known tidal benchmarks that were set when the station was being set up as well. As you can see, accounting for the tides is a complex process with multiple checks and double checks in place. These checks may seem a bit much, but a lot of shifting and movement can occur in these areas. Plus, these checks are the best way to ensure our data is accurate.

Micki and Adam setting up the staff, so they can make sure it hasn't moved. — ENS Micki and LTJG Adam setting up the staff, so the surveyor can make sure it hasn’t moved.

Mussels and barnacles on a rock in Terror Bay.

Leveling to ensure staff and tidal benchmarks haven't moved. — Leveling to ensure staff and tidal benchmarks haven’t moved.

Today, I went to shore again to a different area called Driver Bay. This time we were taking down the equipment from a tidal gauge, because Rainier is quickly approaching the end of her 2014 season. Driver Bay is a beautiful location, but the weather wasn’t quite as pretty as the location. It snowed on our way in! Junior Officer Micki Ream who has been doing this for a few years said this was the first time she’d experienced snow while going on a tidal launch. Because of the wave action, this is a very dynamic area which means it changes a lot.

In fact, the staff that had been originally used to manually measure tides was completely gone, so we just needed to take down the tidal gauges, satellite antenna, solar panels, and orifice tubing. The orifice itself was to be removed later by a dive team, because it is under water. After completing the tidal gauge breakdown, we hopped back on the boat for a very bumpy ride back to Rainier. I got a little water in my boots when I was hopping back aboard the smaller boat, but it wasn’t as cold as I had expected. Fortunately, the boat has washers and driers. It looks like tonight will be laundry night.

Personal Log

The food here is great! Last night we had spaghetti and meatballs, and they were phenomenal. Every morning I get eggs cooked to order. On top of that, there is dessert for every lunch and dinner! Don’t judge me if I come back 10 lbs. heavier. Another cool perk is that we get to see movies that are still in the theaters! They order two movies a night that we can choose from. Lastly, I haven’t gotten seasick. Our transit from Seward to Kodiak was wavy, but I don’t think it was as bad as we were expecting. The motion sickness medicines did the trick, because I didn’t feel sick at all.

Did You Know?

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) contains several different branches including the National Weather Service which is responsible for forecasting weather and issuing weather alerts.

Animal Spotting

There are sea otters everywhere!

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) sighting. — Sea otter (*Enhydra lutris)* sighting.

September 3, 2014August 21, 2021

Cassie Kautzer: So Much to Say – So Little Time! September 2, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Cassie Kautzer
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
August 16 – September 5, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Survey: Kupreanof Strait
Date: September 2, 2014

Temperature & Weather: 12.8 ° C (55° F), Mostly Sunny, WINDY (NNW winds, 20-25 kt)

Science & Technology Log

This morning I woke up excited because it was to be our first day conducting Hydrographic Survey with the ship! Something I didn’t realize prior to my arrival on the Rainier, not only are the launch boats set up with multibeam sonar under the hull, but so is the ship. Having sonar on the ship is very beneficial in deep water, where the ship is able to cover a wider swath. It was also beneficial today when the winds were high and the water a little rougher than usual and we had to cancel our launch boat data collection for safety. (As a side note, I think it is again important to note that safety is a leading factor in operations on the Rainier. I noticed today on the bottom of the POD (Plan of the Day), just above the rules, it says, “Operations are subject to change at any time. NEVER shall the safety of life or property be compromised for data acquisition.”) So, with no extra risks being taken on the launches, Rainier herself set off to ‘mow the lawn’ through the depths of Kupreanof Strait!

Multibeam Sonar attached to the hull of Rainier (NOAA.gov)

Multibeam Sonar attached to the hull of a Survey Launch (NOAA.gov)

I quickly discovered there was a bit more to keep track of when conducting hydro survey from the ship. For starters, instead of the three computer monitors that one watches on the Launch, there were seven on the ship! Another difference was in communication. On a Launch, the HIC and Coxswain can communicate directly with each other. On the ship communication takes place through walkie-talkies, because elements of data acquisition are taking place in several locations throughout the ship. The HIC and those on Survey Watch are in the Plot Room on the F-deck of the ship, logging data and monitoring all aspects of the survey.

One room closer to the bow on F-deck is the Bridge, or command center. The Bridge is where someone is at the helm, steering the ship, and trying to follow the line of data the survey technicians have put in place. Finally, deck hands are on the Fantail (back of the ship), prepared to drop the MVP (Moving Vessel Profiler) instead of the CTD (device that measures Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) used on the launch. To use the CTD, the Launch has to come to a complete stop in the water. Stopping completely in a ship as big as the Rainier is not as easy, so instead of the CTD, the MVP is deployed from the back of the ship while the ship is in motion. Looking like a fish, the MVP trails out about 44 meters behind the ship, about 5 meters below the surface, and can be dropped to take a cast (measure the water’s sound velocity profile) as needed, all via computer control.

I (the TAS - Teacher at Sea), sit at Hydro Watch with HSST Starla Robinson, as Rainier surveys through Kupreanof Strait — I (the TAS – Teacher at Sea), sit at Hydro Watch with HSST Starla Robinson, as Rainier surveys through Kupreanof Strait

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Amidst our data acquisition today, we had a Man Overboard Drill. The alarm bell sounded in three long blasts – the signal for man overboard. ALL crew quickly headed to their assigned muster stations. An announcement was made that the man overboard (Oscar, a life sized doll wearing a life jacket) was seen off the port (left) side of the ship. Within seconds of reaching my muster, the Flying Bridge, several crew had located the man overboard. It is important once you have eyes on the man overboard, to point directly at them, and to keep your eyes on them at all times. Just as an example, our Field Operations Officer (FOO), Russ Quintero, had me close my eyes and spin around a couple of times. Even with others pointing at the man overboard, it took me a couple minutes to locate him again. I readily understood why it is important you don’t take your eyes of the person, for you may not find them again.

FOO Russ Quintero has eyes on the 'man overboard' during our safety drill. — FOO Russ Quintero has eyes on the ‘man overboard’ during our safety drill.

Within just a few minutes after the alarm, the jet boat was lowered down and deployed with a small crew, including our rescue swimmer. Oscar was recovered and brought safely back to the ship! Then, after the drill, the entire crew met in the mess to discuss, question, and comment. Overall, a successful drill was completed, and I again was appreciative at the attention paid to safety for all of us aboard!

Personal Log

Tomorrow will be my last full day on Rainier while she is working underway. I will spend my last day out on the water, on a launch boat, trying to use what I have learned to be most helpful in the acquisition of our survey data, and of course, trying to observe and enjoy all the beauty and majesty Alaska has to offer!

We will be docked again, at the US Coast Guard Base in Kodiak in a few days. Until then, I will enjoy my adventure living on Rainier, enjoy my learning journey, and enjoy the time I have left with all of my new friends!

It was just a little bit windy today... — It was just a little bit windy today…

August 31, 2014August 21, 2021

Cassie Kautzer: High Tide, Low Tide , August 30, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Cassie Kautzer
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
August 16 – September 5, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Survey: Terror Bay
Date: August 30, 2014

Temperature & Weather: 10 ° C (50° F), Cloudy, Windy (NNW winds, 5-10 kt)

Science & Technology Log

NOAA ship Rainier anchored in Japanese Bay.

Since my last blog, we have come and gone from Japanese Bay, and moved on to Terror Bay. As we were coming into Terror Bay through a narrow passage, we all got a dangerous reminder about how important hydrographic survey work is.

The nautical charts used to map our route into Terror Bay showed a depth of 25 Fathoms (150 feet), at a specific point we were traveling over. The actual depth at that point, however, was only 7 Fathoms (42 feet). That is only one third of the depth that was charted. The Rainier’s draft is slightly over 14 feet (the depth from the waterline to the bottom of the Rainier’s hull, or bottom), so we were safe traveling over the 7 Fathom location. Seeing this big of a DTON (Danger to Navigation) from the nautical charts to the actual depth, however, could be a cause for alarm. How many other measurements are wrong? Can we safely get the ship back out of Terror Bay? With these thoughts in mind, one Launch boat was sent out today to survey and recon (explore/inspect) Terror Bay and ensure that we have a safe path out!

While a Launch Boat surveys, many other crew members have been busy installing and leveling new tide gauges in Terror Bay. Tides are the daily rise and fall of the oceans, caused by the Sun and Moon’s gravitational pulls on Earth’s oceans. The difference between low tide and high tide is the tidal range. (The world’s biggest tidal range can be observed in Bay of Fundy, Canada. At Bay of Fundy, high tide can be as much as 53 feet higher than low tide- all in a matter of six hours. (onegeology.org)

Gauging sea level is trickier than just sticking a ruler or tape measure in the water because ocean waters don’t have one steady level. Tides and currents constantly flow up and down, causing tides and water levels to be very important for hydrographic survey and other work at sea. Hydrographic surveys are conducted at all different levels of tides. This means shoal areas, rocks, shipwrecks, and other hazards are surveyed and recorded at all different levels of tides. After hydrographers survey an area, they bring all the recorded data back to the ship for processing. In processing, the depth around any hazards or dangers to navigation must be corrected based on the changing water levels. In order to determine the necessary changes due to tides, tide stations are set up near survey areas.

A tide gauge and horcon station (horizontal control) is being set up in Terror Bay. (Photo by Barry Jackson)

To set up a tide station, a team needs to go ashore near the area to be surveyed and explore- looking for good, stable, permanent places (like bedrock) to install tide gauges and a tide staff. After an area is identified, a team is sent to install benchmarks. Benchmarks for tides are like those that can be found at national landmarks and mountain peaks. Tidal benchmarks are multipurpose: they provide a frame of reference to ensure the tide staff and tide gauge orifice are stable (not moving relative to the land), they allow for comparison data in later years if we return to survey or work in this area again, and they provide stability data (the Earth’s surface, including under the oceans, is constantly changing).

Senior Survey Tech Barry Jackson drill into bedrock, preparing to install a benchmark.

Here is a benchmark cemented into bedrock near the shore line.

Along with installing benchmarks, a tide staff must be set up. A tide staff is large meter stick used for both leveling of benchmarks and for taking readings on water depth over an extended period of time. After all instruments for the tide station are set up, the tide staff must be observed for several hours. While observing, the water level must be measured with the tide staff and recorded every six minutes. This data will then be compared with the data gathered by the tide gauge instruments, and hopefully, will match.

Cheif Survey Tech Jim Jacobson and Assistant Survey Tech Thomas Burrow install the Terror Bay tide staff during low tide.

ENS Micki Ream reads measurements from the tide staff during higher tide.

While benchmarks and a tide staff are being installed, often another team is working to install the tide gauge. Tide gauge stations are instruments used to measure the change in sea level, over time. They are powered by solar panels and include tubing and a sensor that must be secured under the water by a dive team. The sensor, or orifice, must be placed on the seafloor, and anchored there, where it will always be underwater, even in low or negative tide. The sensor uses air pressure, from a pump on shore, to measure the water depth.

Dive Master ENS Katrina Poremba and Diver ENS Micki Ream work to weight down the orifice tubing and anchor the sensor to the seafloor.

Once everything is set up, a team will do a leveling run to measure the height of the benchmarks relative to the tide staff. Meter sticks are held level at each of the benchmarks. One person then reads a top, middle, and bottom thread measurement from each benchmark through a special vertical level on a tripod (kind of like a telescope). Benchmarks are measured and compared from A to B, B to C, C to D, D to E, and the primary benchmark to the tide staff. Then, these are all read again in a backwards run to double check and hopefully close the deal.

Assistant Survey Tech Eli Smith sets up for a level run while ENS Micki Ream prepares for data collection.

This is the level, put on the tripod, that allows Hydrographers to take vertical thread measurements from each benchmark.

Survey work nearby can now begin, because hydrographers will have the appropriate tides data to make necessary corrections to the depth measurement gathered by the survey launches in the area!

Personal Log

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For My Students

Find out more about TIDES *here*

August 28, 2014August 21, 2021

Cassie Kautzer: TEAMWORK! SAFETY FIRST! August 27, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Cassie Kautzer
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
August 16 – September 5, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Survey: Enroute to Japanese Bay
Date: August 27, 2014

Temperature & Weather: 10.5° C (51° F), Cloudy, Rainy

Science & Technology Log

The past week/ week and a half, docked alongside the US Coast Guard pier in Kodiak – it was easy to see people settle into a routine. This morning, however, we are preparing to leave the Coast Guard base – there is something in the air. Without it being spoken, it is clear both the NOAA Corps officers and the wage mariners are excited to get underway. THIS is what they signed up to do!

The Rainier is 231 feet in length, with a breadth (width) of 42 feet. She cannot be run by a single person – it takes a team, a large team, to operate her safely. Aboard the Rainier there is a crew of NOAA Corps Officers, including Commanding Officer CDR Van Den Ameele (CO), Executive Officer LCDR Holly Jablonski (XO), Field Operations Officer LT Russ Quintero (FOO) and a number of Junior Officers. There is also a full staff of Surveyors, Stewards, Deck Hands, Engineers, a Chief Electronics Tech (ET) and an Electronics Eng. Tech (EET). All of the people on the Rainier’s nearly 50 member crew take on more than one job and help with whatever is asked of them. It takes a team of people to drive the ship, a team to deploy launch boats, a team to process survey data, a team level tide gauges, a team to keep the boat in good maintenance, etc…

This is the Crew Board for all team members currently aboard the Rainier. ENS Micki Ream updates the crew board each leg.

This morning, in preparation for getting underway, all NOAA Corps officers met for a Nav (navigation) Briefing, to go over the Sail Plan, to make sure all necessary parties were prepared and informed. NOAA Corps is one of seven uniformed services in the United States. Its commissioned officers provide NOAA with “an important blend of operational, management, and technical skills that support the agency’s science and surveying programs at sea, in the air, and ashore.” (www.noaa.gov) The Sail Plan, prepared today by Junior Officer, ENS Cali DeCastro, includes step-by-step guidelines for sailing to our next destination. For each location or waypoint along the route, the sail plan gives a course heading (CSE), Latitude and Longitude, distance to the that point (in Nautical Miles), the speed (in knots) the ship will be cruising at to get to that point, and the time it will take to get there. Today we are headed to Japanese Bay, and our cruise to get there is about 98 Nautical Miles and will take us almost 9 hours.

As seen from the fantail (back of the ship) - TEAMWORK! SAFETY FIRST! — As seen from the fantail (back of the ship) – TEAMWORK! SAFETY FIRST!

It is important to note that nautical miles and knots at sea are different than linear miles and miles per hour on land. Nautical miles are based on the circumference of the Earth, and are equal to one minute of latitude. (http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nauticalmile_knot.html) Think about the Earth and what it would look like if you sliced it in half right at the Equator. Looking at one of the halves of the Earth, you could then see the equator as a full circle. That circle can be divided into 360 degrees, and each degree into 60 minutes. One minute of arc on the Earth is equivalent to one nautical mile. Nautical miles are not only used at sea, but also in the air, as planes are following the arc of the Earth as they fly. 1 nautical mile = approximately 1.15 miles. A knot is a measurement of speed, and one knot is equivalent to 1 nautical mile per hour.

It is also important to be aware of all the safety procedures on board. There is a lot to keep track of – but the Rainier is well prepared for any kind of emergency situation. Prior to departing the Coast Guard Base this morning, our emergency alarms and bells were tested. Emergency bells and whistles are used during a Fire Emergency, an Abandon Ship situation, or a Man Overboard situation.

In any situation, every crew member has an emergency billet assignment. This assignment tells you where to muster (meet), what to bring, and what to do – dependent on the situation. For fire and emergency, abandon ship, and man overboard each person has a different assignment. Within 24 hours of setting sail, the entire crew does safety drill practice (We did this in the early afternoon today!) For fire and emergency both the general alarm bell and the ship’s whistle will continuously sound for ten seconds; for an abandon ship situation, seven short blasts on the ship’s whistle and general alarm bell will sound, followed by one prolonged blast; and for a man overboard there will be three prolonged blasts of the ship’s whistle and general alarm.

Safety is not only a concern in emergency situations – it is at the forefront of all operations aboard the ship. Proper safety equipment is donned at necessary times, especially when working on deck or on the survey launches. Personal Floatation Devices (PFD) are worn anytime equipment is being deployed or handled over the side along with safety belts and lines for those handling equipment over the side. Every crew member is issued a hard hat and must be worn by everyone involved in recovery or deployment of boats and other equipment. Closed toed shoes must be worn at all times by all crew and crew must be qualified to handle specific equipment. Everyone is also issued an Immersion Suit (survival suit), affectionately nicknamed a Gumby Suit! The Immersion suit is a thermal dry suit that is meant to keep someone from getting hypothermia in an abandon ship situation in cold waters.

In my "Gumby" Immersion Suit during our Abandon Ship Drill. This suit is a universal, meaning it can fit people of many sizes, including someone much much taller than me. Do I look warm? (Photo courtesy of Vessel Assistant Carl Stedman.) — In my “Gumby” Immersion Suit during our Abandon Ship Drill. This suit is a universal, meaning it can fit people of many sizes, including someone much much taller than me. Do I look warm? (Photo courtesy of Vessel Assistant Carl Stedman.)

Personal Log

Believe it or not – I have made a lot of connections from the Rainier to my school. At the bottom of our daily POD’s (Plan Of the Day), the last reminder is, “Take care of yourself. Take care of your shipmates. Take care of the ship!” The environment here has not only made me feel welcome, but safe as well.

I even felt safe when they let me man the helm (steer the ship). Out of picture, Officer LTJG Adam Pfundt and Able Seaman Robert Steele guide me through my first adventure at the helm!

For my Students

Here is a wildlife update. I saw Whales today! I think there were Humpback Whale. I saw quite a few blowing out near the ocean service. I marked three in my graph because I only saw three jumping and playing in the water!

Some questions to reflect on…

Why is teamwork important? What can you do to be a good team member?
Can you make any connections between the mission and rules I am learning on the ship and the mission and rules you are learning at school?

August 24, 2014August 21, 2021

Cassie Kautzer: It’s All About the Survey! August 24, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Cassie Kautzer
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
August 16 – September 5, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Survey: Woody Island Channel, Kodiak, Alaska
Date: August 24, 2014

Temperature & Weather: 12° C (54° F), Cloudy with Drizzly Rain

Science & Technology Log

Survey work continues today (Yes- even on the weekend) in the Woody Island Channel. While it is easy for me to see why this area is navigationally significant, it made me think about how one would identify which areas need to be surveyed. The National Ocean Service compiles data and prioritizes areas in need of surveying. Examples can be seen here for NOAA’s survey priorities in and around Alaska.

Using the areas of critical priority the Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD) writes project instructions. Project instructions include all necessary data and guidelines, including: project name, project number, assigned field unit (ship), assigned processing branch, planned acquisition time, purpose and location of survey, and necessary supporting documents. On the project instructions, the Hydrographic Surveys Division also splits the assigned survey areas into sheets, or manageable sections.

This image shows the project on the North side of Kodiak Island. The project area is split into sheets. Sheet 6 is highlighted in pink. (Photo Courtesy NOAA and Project Instruction packet.)

This is a completed sheet from the North Kodiak project.

Each sheet is then assigned to a Hydrographic Survey Technician (HST), a Hydrographic Senior Survey Technician (HSST), or a NOAA Corps Officer. Usually, one person will be the sheet manager and another will be the sheet assistant. The sheet manager is often teaching and guiding the sheet assistant, to train them to be able to do this work on their own in the future. The sheet manager is also responsible for dividing the sheets into polygons. Polygons for hydro surveys are used to divide the survey into smaller sections. When planning polygons, it is important for the sheet manager to follow specific guidelines- shapes cannot just be randomly drawn on a sheet or chart. The deeper the water, the larger the polygon can be; the more shoal the area, the smaller the polygon should be. Polygons should be drawn with the ocean contours, and should be planned for launch boats to run them from offshore to nearshore. This is a safety step in that launches should be working from deeper areas up to shoaler areas near the shore. As the boats move back in forth collecting data, it is as if they are mowing the lawn. The boats always try to slightly overlap the last strip so that no data is missed. If a small spot or strip of data is missed, its like that little area of grass that didn’t get mowed. It is called a Holiday in the data, because we have to make a special trip back to gather data on that spot.

Hydro Senior Survey Tech Brandy Geiger analyzes data and creates polygons for the sheet she is managing for the Woody Island Canal Survey. — Hydro Senior Survey Tech Brandy Geiger analyzes data and creates polygons for the sheet she is managing for the Woody Island Channel Survey.

Senior Tech Barry Jackson, Assistant Tech Dan Negrete, Senior Tech Brandy Geiger, Chief Tech Jim Jacobson, and Senior Tech Starla Robinson look over Woody Island Channel plans to prepare for survey.

Once plans are completed, the Field Operations Officer (FOO) can plan how many survey launch boats will be deploying, who will be aboard each, and what polygons they will aim to cover each day. Aboard each launch a skilled coxswain (driver) and a Hydrographer in Charge (HIC) are needed. There is almost always a third person on board, as it is best/safest to deploy boats with one person at the bow (front), one at the stern (back) and one in the driver’s seat. Once on the water, the HIC and Coxswain have to cooperate and communicate to make an efficient and safe plan for the day.

Rainier Survey Launch - RA3. — Rainier Survey Launch – RA3.

Hydrographer in Charge (HIC) Starla Robinson and Seaman Surveyor Dennis Brooks look over multibeam data together, as they safely plan next steps to survey in shoal, rocky waters.

Personal Log

Every day is an adventure! I so enjoy learning – and it’s a good thing – because just about everything here is new to me!

Enjoying this beautiful evening- oceanside!

Assistant Survey Tech Thomas Burrow [from Rogers, Arkansas :) ] processes multibeam data brought back from the launches. — Assistant Survey Tech Thomas Burrow [from Rogers, Arkansas 🙂 ] processes multibeam data brought back from the launches.

A black sand beach on the Kodiak Coast Guard Base.

Observing from the observation deck as the Rainer gets underway. — Observing from the Flying Bridge as the Rainer gets underway.

For My Students

The survey says…

*What observations did you make in trying to answer the trivia question about what I found in the water? Did you decide you saw Harbor Seal, Otter, Octopus, Plants, or Aliens?

You were actually seeing a plant/plants called kelp. Kelp is a large brown seaweed that often has a long, tough stalk. Kelp can often be found growing in and around shoal, rocky areas in the ocean. A lot of kelp in the area is a warning to boats and other vessels that shallow areas or rocky obstructions may be near by, and caution is needed.

A new question for you:

1) What is a polygon?

2) What experiences have you had with the ocean?

August 23, 2014August 21, 2021

Cassie Kautzer: Survey Methods! August 22, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Cassie Kautzer
Aboard NOAA Ship Rainier
August 16 – September 5, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area of Survey: Woody Island Channel, Kodiak, Alaska
Date: August 22, 2014

Temperature & Weather: 11.5° C (53° F), Cloudy, Rainy

Science & Technology Log

Today was ‘Day 4’ of surveying in the Woody Island Channel next to Kodiak, Alaska. The Woody Island Channel is a very busy waterway leading ships, boats, and vessels of all sizes into Kodiak. The problem at the moment is that much of the Woody Island Channel has shoals (shallow areas) and rocks. This can be very dangerous, especially since the channel has not been surveyed or mapped since the 1940’s! At that, in the 40s, surveyors were using Lead Lines to map the ocean floor. Lead Lines were long ropes, marked with measurements, and with a weight at the end, that were thrown out to measure the depth of the water. Lead Lines were considered very accurate for their time. The problem with Lead Lines is that there was no way for surveyors to map the entire ocean floor–the lead line only gave a measurement of depth in one location (point) at a time.

Drawing of Lead Line Survey, formerly used to survey water depths one point at a time.

Today, NOAA Hydrographers use Multibeam Echosounders. A Multibeam Echosounder uses sonar to send out hundreds of sound pulses and measures how long it takes for those pulses to come back. The multibeam echosounder is attached to the hull, or bottom, of the survey launches. To find out how deep the ocean floor is in an area, depths are generated by measuring how much time it takes for each of hundreds of sound pulses to be sent out from the echosounder, through the water to the ocean floor and back again. The sound pulses are sent out from the echosounder in an array almost like that of a flashlight.

Image shows swath of echosounding from the hull of the launch. Different colora represent different depths. (Courtesy of NOAA) — Image shows swath of echosounding from the hull of the launch. Different colors represent different depths. (Courtesy of NOAA)

The deeper the water, the wider the swath (band of sound pulses). The more shoal (shallow) the water, the smaller the swath. Basically, a wider area can be surveyed when the water is deeper. This means that surveying near shore, near rocky areas, and near harbors can be very time consuming. These surveys do need to be completed, however, if they are in navigationally significant areas, like the Woody Island Channel that Rainier is surveying right now.

Image of hydrographic survey methods as they've changed over time. — Image of hydrographic survey methods as they’ve changed over time.

Technological advances over the years have made it more efficient and more accurate to survey the oceans.

Using multibeam sonar, the Rainier has surveyed thousands of linear nautical miles of ocean in the past couple of years. In 2012 the Rainier was away from its home port in Newport, Oregon for 179 days–surveying 605 square nautical miles and 9,040 liner nautical miles. In 2013 Rainier was away from its home port for 169 days – surveying 640 square nautical miles and 7,400 linear nautical miles. It is NOAA’s goal to get 10,000 linear nautical miles surveyed each field season between all four of its Hydro ships: Rainier, Fairweather, Thomas Jefferson, and Ferdinand R. Hassler. Several years, the Rainier has come close to this on its own!

Personal Log

I have spent the last four days out on the survey launches, gathering data, with a bunch of amazing people. I have had the opportunity to drive a launch several times, with skilled Coxwain and Able Seaman Jeff Mays supervising me and helping me adjust to the differences in driving/steering a heavy boat versus driving my car at home. Jeff always took back over when we got to a rocky area or area that was shoaling up quickly. I am grateful to him, however, for the opportunity. As with any skill that needs to be practiced, I got a little better each time I drove. (Trying to steer in a straight line/path on the water when dealing with wind, water currents, waves, wakes from other boats, and the boats themselves is tough! At least for me. Coxwains Dennis Brooks and Jeff Mays make it look easy, and always kept me feeling safe aboard the launch boats!)

Me, at the wheel of a survey launch. (Photo courtesy of HST Jackson Barry) — Me, at the wheel of a survey launch. (Photo courtesy of HSST Barry Jackson )

For My Students

Below is an update on my Alaskan Wildlife sightings. Remember, these are all animals I have been within 20 feet of (except for the bear). Along with the wildlife in the graph below, I have also seen hundreds of birds from a distance and several romp of otter (large groups).

Wildlife I have seen thus far, graphed using Create A Graph (nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph)

Can you help me identify the pictures below? It can be quite difficult to identify creatures and “stuff” in the dark ocean waters.