safety drills – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

August 20, 2026August 20, 2026

Sabrina Whitaker: Perfectly Imperfect, August 18, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Sabrina Whitaker

Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

August 18-31, 2026

Mission: Hydrographic Survey, Leg 3

Geographic Area of Cruise: Lake Ontario

Date: August 18, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 43°51.0527′ N

Longitude: 76°29.1419′ W

Winds: SW at 14 knots

Air Temperature: 74°F

Science and Technology Log

Today was jam-packed with preparation, community, and reflection. I was struck not only by how meticulously everyone prepares for emergencies, but also by the crew’s thoughtful debriefs. They continuously strive for operational perfection, yet never at the expense of appreciating a job well done.

We began the morning with shipboard safety briefings. At sea, addressing a fire quickly is paramount. Everyone has a designated duty and muster station. On land, the standard advice for a building fire is to evacuate immediately—even if it’s small. However, as the Executive Officer (XO) and crew emphasized, if you spot a small fire aboard ship, the best immediate action is to grab an extinguisher and put it out. The reason for this stark difference is simple: on open water, help is miles away. An uncontrolled fire endangers the entire vessel, forcing an abandon-ship scenario that carries far greater risk than tackling a localized flame right away.

There were two new members of the crew besides me. They were assigned to firefighter roles and we went through the process of getting them gear and setting it up so that they could just hop into it if they needed to use it.

two men stand in an interior room of the ship wearing khaki firefighting jackets and pants and protection for their hands. they smile for a photo. hard hats and life jackets are stored on the wall behind them. — New crewmembers trying on firefighting gear

Should the call to abandon ship ever be given, comprehensive protocols are already in place. Everyone gathers their immersion suits and proceeds to the lifeboats. Each lifeboat holds up to 20 people. With roughly 30 personnel currently aboard the Thomas Jefferson and several lifeboats available, there is more than enough capacity for everyone.

From safety drills, we transitioned to the Leg Operations Brief, led by Operations Officer Mark Meadows. This meeting serves a dual purpose: preparing for the upcoming leg while reflecting on the previous one. Because personnel rotate frequently—some staying for multiple legs, others returning home or arriving from across the country—a structured presentation ensures a seamless transition. The team openly analyzes both the strengths and challenges of the prior leg to set up the incoming crew for success.

Next was a technical discussion on Pulse Per Second (PPS), a concept directly applicable to the data-collection software used on board. Operations Officer Meadows provided a thorough explanation, highlighting why understanding the mechanics behind our equipment (and its software) is crucial for real-time operational adjustments.

NOAA Corps officers, wearing their standard blue uniforms, in conversation in a room filled with computer monitors. OPS Meadows may be the one standing in the middle pointing to screen. — Operations Officer Meadows presenting on the previous leg of the mission

The software generates a pulse display similar to the diagram below:

photo of a visual output display from an older instrument. it features a graph of volts versus time, with a yellow line pulsing vertically up, over, and then back down. — Example of a 1 pulse per second signal generated by a GPS receiver. Photo from Codrey Electronics.

The time from the leading edge of one pulse to the leading edge of the next is exactly 1 second. Meanwhile, the duration between the leading edge and the trailing edge of a single pulse is approximately 1 millisecond (ms). This subtle nuance means it is remarkably easy for data collection to end up off by a millisecond. In many contexts, that tiny margin is negligible; in high-precision hydrography, it matters. Recognizing how the software handles these signals allows the team to correct data post-collection if needed. It reminded me of a favorite lesson from my own high school physics teacher: Always understand how your equipment works so you know how to troubleshoot it when it doesn’t.

After the briefings wrapped up, it was time to get underway! This was the moment my physics-teacher heart sang. It’s rare to see a fundamental physics concept demonstrated so dynamically in real life.

view from an upper deck of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson as the ship carefully pulls away from the dock at the Port of Oswego; we see a concrete road along the shore here, and port buildings, and a smaller boat docked farther down. — The separation from the dock and part of the maneuvering into open water

photo of screens on the bridge of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson displaying electronic nautical charts. we can see the blue water of Lake Ontario out the windows behind the display. — The course *Thomas Jefferson* plotted after maneuvering away from the pier

The deck crew expertly maneuvered the ship away from the dock, accounting for wind force, current, and the thrust vectors of the ship’s engines. It was a beautiful, real-world ballet of vector addition—one that my students would be relieved they didn’t have to calculate on paper! The crew handled the separation from the dock and navigation around the pier with effortless precision.

four NOAA corps officers in blue uniforms stand around the controls and displays on the bridge of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson. another crewmember, not a NOAA Corps Officer, is visible in the background. — Deck crew of NOAA Ship *Thomas Jefferson* as they maneuver the ship out from port

Once we reached open water, the crew gathered for what the XO fondly called “Story Time”—a post-maneuver debrief. Once again, they analyzed what went smoothly and what could be refined. They praised the steady speed and smooth handling, while constructively noting that higher communication volume over the radio would make it easier for everyone to follow along. Both praise and critique were taken to heart. Because the Thomas Jefferson will be navigating this same harbor all season, the pursuit of perfection is an ongoing goal—but everyone acknowledged that the crew’s skill today was exceptional.

Personal Log

Trying on the immersion suit was pretty hilarious. I unrolled it in my stateroom and then I had to read the directions. Are you supposed to keep your shoes on? Yes, and luckily, it says so on the instructions on the outside of the packaging. I was able to get into it ok, and then I kind of flopped upstairs so I could get help with getting a picture. I also realized that in a real emergency, I will need some help zipping it up because the zipper is very hard to slide. I’ll have to practice that some more. The worst part though, was taking it off and then rolling it up and putting it back into its bag. I’m not going to lie, that part was a little rough.

Sabrina tries on a bright red and yellow survival suit and gives two thumbs up with the comically large 3-fingered gloves. she stands inside the ship in a desk area. — TAS Sabrina Whitaker tries on a survival suit

Did You Know?

The Great Lakes are technically considered non-tidal.

Ocean tides (true tides) are generated by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. While the Great Lakes do experience a spring tide during a new or full moon, the water level changes by only about 2 inches (5 cm)—compared to 5 to 7.5 feet in places like the Long Island Sound. Because these lake tides are so minor, they are masked by greater local weather forces and categorized as non-tidal.

However, the Great Lakes experience short-term water level fluctuations that closely mimic ocean tides. These are called seiches (pronounced sayshes)—standing waves that oscillate back and forth within an enclosed or semi-enclosed body of water.

Unlike tides driven by gravity, seiches are driven by strong winds and rapid changes in atmospheric pressure that literally push water from one end of the lake to the other. Lake Erie is famous for dramatic seiches, but all the Great Lakes experience them. In fact, in 1954, the extreme winds of Hurricane Hazel piled up so much water near Toronto that it triggered a massive seiche on the opposite shore of Lake Ontario!

August 11, 2026August 11, 2026

Stacey Morris: Looking Inward on a NOAA Ship, August 9, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Stacey Morris

Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

July 26-August 10, 2026

Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: West Coast Pacific Ocean

Date: August 9 , 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 45°46.3’N

Longitude: 124°15.9′ W

Wind Speed: 12 kts

Air Temperature: 15.0°C

Science and Technology Log

Today we had safety drills, and I felt more confident knowing what to do in an emergency. They also checked fire hoses, and the fire response team practiced suiting up and going to their stations as quickly as possible. We were going to light expired flares into the air, but unfortunately we were unable to do so due to the waves and the acoustic sonar being in the water.

Stacey, wearing orange overalls and teal latex gloves and holding safety goggles in her left hand, holds up an unlit expired flare in her right hand. she stands on deck in front of piles of nets and the A-frame. — Safety drill with expired flares

Commanding Officer Erick Estela led us on a tour of the engine rooms to see how the ship runs. It also gave me a better idea of how the net is deployed. Here is one of the winches that connects to the doors that hold the net open underwater:

view into the engine room of the winch, with thick metal cables wrapped around it. off to the side are shelves filled with coiled line (rope) — Winch that controls the net door, located in the engine room

This is the rudder indicator of the ship:

a round metal housing inside the engine room that covers the top of the ship's rudder — Ship’s rudder

The engineers have everything they need to keep things running smoothly. They have a number of work areas, including a welding area:

welding station in the engine room. we see a metal workbench with metal scraps, pliers, soldering tools, a can of WD40 — Welding station

This hallway shows some of the electronics that control the generators that power the ship:

view down a control panel that takes up a full wall — Automatic ship controls

There are many backup equipment processes in case something goes wrong. Here is an area that an engineer can control propulsion if there was an issue on the bridge. Also, if the power goes out, there is an old-fashioned sound-powered “land-line” that you crank to call:

an engineer, with bright green ear protection on his head (above his ears), stands at the emergency control station with his hand on a lever — Engineer Operating System Location where engineers can control the ship in case of emergency

an old emergency telephone mounted on the wall — Sound powered telephone

Before I came on board, I was worried that we would have to take “Navy” showers, like my father used to talk about when he was in the service. These are where you only turn on the water to wash away soap and shampoo. Luckily, times have changed and NOAA makes its own water onboard! Here is a photo of one of the evaporators where fresh water is distilled from salt water. They have multiple units, but they usually don’t need to use all of them, unless people take extremely long showers.

view of the front panel with signs reading "EVAP #1" and "Fresh Water Distillation Unit No. 1 P426-7" — Fresh water distilled on board

There are also HVAC systems and sewage pumps (they use bacteria to break down solid waste):

view of signs on a metal panel that read "Secure for Sewage Pump"; there are two green indicator lights as well — Organic waste material is processed by bacteria

There are a few areas of the ships that have watertight doors that close during a flooding event, so that you can remain safe.

a NOAA Corps officer stands on the other side of a heavy metal door to the engine room that can be remotely closed and sealed — Doors that can be closed automatically by the bridge in case of emergency

We also checked out the damage control lockers located on opposite sides of the ship. If there is damage done to the hull, materials for containing the leak are available, along with fire mitigation supplies.

a NOAA Corps officer stands outside of an open round metal door - the inside of the door reads Damage Control Locker; we can see shelves of equipment inside a closet — Damage Control Locker

Oil leaks are mopped up with items located in these yellow tubs:

a NOAA Corps officer lifts the lid off a large yellow plastic barrel containing spill clean up equipment. the barrel is strapped to the base of a davit arm on the aft deck. behind the officer, beyond the deck, we can see calm water and blue sky. — Spill clean-up materials

The Dive Locker has wet suits, an air compressor for dive tanks, and other tools necessary for staff that are certified. Once a month, they check the hull outside of the ship to make sure everything is clean and intact. Divers train once a month to maintain their skills and certifications.

a storage room filled with wet suits, air tanks, and other equipment — Dive locker

Did you Know?

Every night, the chief of science, the chief engineer, the operations officer, the commanding officer, all of the deck crew, and the survey lead meet to go over the trawl plan for the night. Based on the days acoustic data, they go over fishing locations, the weather, if any vessels or buoys are in the area, the topography, and if there are any concerns or updates from the crew.

Then they do an operational risk assessment. Each person puts up a finger, with 10 fingers being the highest risk, and zero fingers being no risk. They rate Resources (Boat and Equipment, Supervision, Communication, and Support), Environment (Surf Zone, Remoteness, Ice, Rocks, Traffic, Shallow or Uncharted water), Team Selection (Experience, Training, and Familiarity), Fitness (Physical and Mental), Weather (Effects on mission and safety), and Mission Complexity (New or experimental, or restricts maneuverability). If the total score is high, that can affect whether trawling proceeds or how many trawls will occur that night.

photo of fingers holding up a laminated paper that reads "Operational Risk Assessment Form: GAR Evaluation Scale." There are boxes for ratings for Resources, Environment, Team Selection, Fitness, Weather, Mission Complexity. — Operational Rish Assessment Form used during meetings

Personal Log

Before I left Eugene to fly to San Francisco, I was excited to start my time with NOAA but also nervous about how well I would adapt and fit in on a research expedition. Admittedly, the fish trawling and sampling is rigorous and switching to a night schedule was tiring for the first few days. But everyone has been so patient and open to all of the questions I have (they even let me steer the ship!), even though I struggle sometimes with understanding some of their answers. I’ve learned an incredible amount about marine biology, fisheries, and NOAA, along with learning about the people behind the jobs on board. Now, near the end of my time on board, I feel that I’m more than capable in the wet lab, I’ve adapted to life aboard a ship, and I’m now part of an incredible crew and team. Maybe it’s time I switch to a science teaching position…? 🙂

Stacey stands at the helm of NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, her left hand on the wheel and her right hand gesturing off to the side. CO Erik Estela stands at her right to supervise, and looks over, smiling. — Keeping a ship straight is harder than it looks!

view of sunset over the water, seen from the back corner of the aft deck, with railings and some equipment in silhouette — Sunrise at the end of our shift

July 9, 2026July 9, 2026

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

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amelia Black

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 6-17, 2026

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

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

Date: July 6, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge:

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

Science and Technology Log

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Personal Log

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did You Know?

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

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

Adventure awaits!

Sources

July 7, 2026July 16, 2026

Guy Sturdevant: The Cave part 2, July 6, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Guy Sturdevant

Aboard Oscar Dyson

June 21 – July 15, 2026

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 2

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: July 6, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

N 59.52° W 172.60 °, 0 AMSL

Conditions: Overcast, Seas at < 1’

Visibility: >5 NM

Wind: 90°/ 5 kt

Barometric Pressure 1016.1 mBar

Dry Bulb Temp: 45.3 ° F

Science Log

In my last post, we left off our acoustics 101 with the emergence of the first modern echosounders in the 1990s. Today, we will look at the current system aboard Oscar Dyson and learn how the science team can use their knowledge of acoustics to estimate fish populations. First, let’s look at the physical components that make up the EK80 echosounder system.

the EK80 echosounder system, which looks like a stack of black computer housings with cables sticking out of them — *Each frequency requires its own transceiver. These six transceivers are the heart of the EK80 echosounder.*

Transceiver – a combination of a transmitter and a receiver; in other words, it both produces an electrical pulse to be sent to the transducer and converts the backscattered signal into usable data a computer can understand. You can think of the transceiver as the electronic brain that manages all of the signal inputs and outputs.

Transducer – Just like you might plug a microphone into your laptop to record audio, each transceiver needs a transducer to first convert the electrical pulse into an acoustic pulse that is transmitted into the water, and to measure the acoustic backscatter that returns. You can actually see the transducers in the photo of the centerboard below. The transceivers measure frequencies ranging from 18 kHz (those really annoying mosquito ringtones that only young people can hear are around 18 kHz) to 330 kHz.

close-up view of a center board - normally mounted beneath the ship, but currently hoisted up in the air attached to some sort of crane. an arrow points out red circles at the base of the centerboard, identifying these as transducers

The red circles on the bottom of the centerboard are the faces of the transducers. These sensitive instruments are mounted at the lowest point of the ship to isolate them from the vessel’s noisy hull. (Photo credit: NOAA)

The Echogram

Once the transceivers process the acoustic backscatter, the data is displayed on a screen for interpretation.

screenshot of acoustic backscatter readings, represented as a color-coded dots, across several panels. a superimposed text box identifies the depth as 109.5 m. — There’s quite a lot going on here! Let’s break it down into smaller pieces so we can learn to look at the data like a scientist.

the previous image of acoustic backscatter readings is repeated here, now with annotation. six vertical panels are identified with different frequencies: 18 kilohertz, 38 kilohertz, 70, 120, 200, 330. along the base of these panels, Guy has added a two arrow ranging from "bigger reflectors" to the left to "smaller reflectors" to the right. An illustration of a cod is at the "bigger reflectors" end of the scale, while krill and copepods appear toward the right side of the range. on the left side of the backscatter panels, there are now a few words along the y-axis, identifying the Surface of the water; the "Munge" (using the mock up album cover) just beneath the surface, Fish question mark in the middle of the water column, and seabed. — Each of the six frequencies appears as a vertical section that scrolls from right to left as the vessel moves. The top of each plot represents the ocean surface, and the thick red layer near the bottom shows the seafloor. The space in between lets us look at what is below the ship! Weak backscatter appears blue; stronger backscatter appears yellow and even red.

Our old friend munge is making an appearance in this echogram! It is the heavy backscatter layer just beneath the surface that is strongest at 18 kHz. Lower in the water column, we see that most backscatter occurs at higher frequencies, with only sparse backscatter in the lower-frequency plots. Backscatter that is observed only at higher frequencies indicates smaller organisms, such as krill or copepods. Backscatter that appears across all frequencies is likely generated by fish.

As you spend more time looking at this scrolling echogram, you can begin to recognize patterns and draw reasonable inferences. Below are some examples of the variety you can see in just a few hours in the cave.

a close up view of three panels (three frequencies) of an acoustic backscatter plot, or echogram. an arrow points to a thin vertical patch of red to identify it as "probable schools of juvenile pollock" — *Younger pollock can gather in schools 20-40 meters tall that appear as very thin red ellipses.*

close-up view of panels of an echogram showing acoustic backscatter readings. an arrow points to blue dots in the 18 kilohertz panel and identifies them as possible dispersed adult pollock. — You can clearly see occasional reflectors on the 18 & 38 kHz channels; these may well correspond to adult fish. The only way to be certain is to trawl in an area that looks like this and see what the net brings up!

example of an echogram (acoustic backscatter plot) with very little shading and few dots. it is labeled "Nobody is home." — *We know that large fish like pollock return a relatively even acoustic signal across every channel that we look at; there do not appear to be any significant pelagic fish present in this echogram.*

Now that we can read echograms, we are ready to call for our first trawl! Come back next time to see what we data we can scoop up in “The Anatomy of a Midwater Trawl”.

Personal Log

Things aboard Oscar Dyson have settled into a routine. We travel along acoustic transects during daylight hours, stopping 2-3 times a day to do a midwater trawl. Routine doesn’t mean boring, though! Maintaining a ship of this size and complexity is more than enough to keep everyone busy. The checklist for this leg included checking on the smaller craft that service and support Oscar Dyson on her mission. Conditions cleared on 06/29, and the Peggy D, the workboat that lives on the starboard hero deck, was given a thorough check and taken for a 30-minute voyage.

a small boat with a blue hull attached to the deck of NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson, in part by cables extending from davit arms. — *Peggy D secured to the aft hero deck of Oscar Dyson.*

a man and a woman in float coats and hard hats pose for a photo against the railing of the small boat as it churns away from NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson, visible on the horizon — *Peggy D secured to the aft hero deck of Oscar Dyson.*

Guy, wearing a life vest and neon green hard hat, takes a selfie on the small boat. we can see a woman in a float coat and hard hat sitting or crouching in the background, and a third person at the helm in the small boat's cabin. — *LCDR LeeAnn Keener and I enjoying the scenery.*

inside the small boat's cabin, Guy sits at the helm and another crewmember looks on. they both wear life vests and hard hats. — *LCDR LeeAnn Keener and I enjoying the scenery.*

first of three similar images: a person in a float coat and hard hat reaches a pole over the side of the small boat in motion

second of three similar images: a person in a float coat and hard hat reaches a pole over the side of the small boat in motion as a life preserver comes into view

Safety drills and practice are a part of the routine as well. ENGR Connor Rauch practices recovery during a man-overboard drill on Peggy D. In the case of an actual man overboard, the smaller vessels are used for recovery, as they can respond much more nimbly and are far safer in close quarters with a swimmer.

Wildlife

a very, very round fish, mouth agape, in a green plastic basket — *This smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) is just as surprised to see me as I am to see him.*

underside of the very, very round fish revealing its ventral suction disk — *This smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) is just as surprised to see me as I am to see him.*

June 24, 2026June 24, 2026

Jennifer Widdig: Drills before Thrills, June 22, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Jennifer Widdig

NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

June 17 – June 30, 2026

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: Lake Erie and Lake Ontario
Date: June 22, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 043^o 27’N
Longitude: 076^o30’W
Sky Conditions: Foggy
Visibility: < 1 miles
Wind Speed: 8 knots
Wind Direction: E
Dry Bulb: 14^oC
Wet Bulb: 16^oC

Science and Technology Log

Since my last blog, Junior Officer James Hutzenbiler has been qualified, meaning that all permanent officers on the ship now have their Officer of the Deck Underway Letter (Underway OOD).

Practice Makes Prepared

Grinning big for a photo, Jen holds up an orange personal flotation device in one hand and grasps the handle of a bagged survival suit in the other hand — Ready for abandon ship

Life aboard the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson is filled with exciting scientific work, but safety is always the top priority. Whether the crew is conducting hydrographic surveys, navigating busy waterways, or working far from shore, everyone on board must be prepared to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency. That preparation comes through regular safety drills and a strong culture of readiness.

Every week, the crew participates in both fire drills and abandon ship drills. In addition, man overboard drills are conducted monthly to ensure everyone remains familiar with emergency procedures. Leading these exercises is Megan McDeavitt, the Damage Control Officer (DCO), who is responsible for planning, coordinating, and evaluating each drill. To keep the crew prepared for real emergencies, the DCO often creates surprise scenarios. During the first fire drill I experienced, simulated smoke was released in a particular area of the ship. Crew members had to adjust their movements and follow alternate routes. These realistic situations challenge the crew to think critically and adapt to changing conditions.

One of the first safety items introduced during orientation is the Emergency Escape Breathing Device (EEBD). An EEBD is located in every room throughout the ship and provides a supply of breathable air that allows individuals to escape from smoke-filled or hazardous environments.

the emergency escape breathing device, housed in round plastic casing, in front of a bright orange plastic box that reads EEBD; both rest on a table. — Emergency Escape Breathing Device

When joining the ship, every crew member receives a billet card that outlines their responsibilities during each type of drill. The sheet identifies primary and secondary muster locations, ensuring everyone knows exactly where to report. The secondary muster station is especially important because emergencies can sometimes block access to the primary location.

close-up view of a small piece of paper attached by magnet to the door. at the top it reads: 2026-06-18 to 2026-06-23, TJ-26-02, Welland and ROV, TAS Widdig, Jennifer. Muster instructions are listed below for different scenarios, color coded. Red: Fire & Emergency, Yellow: Abandon Ship, Blue: Marine Overboard. White boxes of different sizes against the colored bars indicate the sound of the emergency signal. Fire & Emergency is one long bar; Abandon Ship is 8 small boxes plus a medium sized box; Marine Overboard is 3 medium boxes. — Billet Card

During a fire drill, the crew reports to their assigned muster stations where attendance is carefully checked. Once a complete muster is attempted, attention turns to any missing personnel. This is where the ship’s medical personnel in charge (MPIC) becomes involved. If a scenario includes an injured or unaccounted-for crew member, responders must locate, assess, and assist that individual while the fire teams continue addressing the simulated emergency.

The Thomas Jefferson maintains three separate fire teams, each trained to respond rapidly to emergencies. Team members must quickly don their firefighting gear, deploy equipment, and establish water to the simulated fire. Working together, the teams communicate their progress while searching affected spaces and ensuring the safety of all personnel.

emergency equipment on board the ship: a bright red metal locker, red hard hat, red fire extinguisher. also some sort of breathing apparatus and balled up fire protection gear. — Fire team station on NOAA Ship *Thomas Jefferson*

Abandon ship drills require a different type of preparation. When the abandon ship alarm sounds, crew members must report to their assigned muster station with their life jacket and their immersion suit, often referred to as a “Gumby suit.”

Following every exercise, the DCO conducts a detailed debrief with the crew. During this review, performance metrics are discussed, including how long it took to complete the muster, how quickly each fire team arrived on scene, how fast firefighters dressed in full protective gear, when water was established to fight the fire, and how efficiently missing or injured personnel were located. The crew also examines any challenges encountered during the drill and discusses ways to improve future responses.

Charting a Course for Discovery

Before each leg of operations, there is a briefing. Operations Officer Mark Meadows outlined the goals for the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson’s work on Lake Ontario. The mission is to update nautical charts, identify dangers to navigation, and replace outdated survey data collected in the 1940s.

screenshot from a NOAA webpage titled LAKE ONTARIO. the page features a a satellite map of the lake with red tracklines inside black polygons overlaid on the water. Text superimposed at the top of the map reads: "Existing Data Quality: 1940's, Fathometer, Set Line Spacing @1.5 nm, USACE 2018 nearshore Lidar Data." — The red lines mark the original survey lines from the 1940s.

Many of the original survey lines on Lake Ontario were spaced approximately 1.5 miles apart. While this was considered sufficient at the time, it left vast areas of the lake bottom completely unsurveyed. Modern hydrographic technology allows NOAA to collect much more detailed information, creating safer and more accurate nautical charts for everyone who uses these waters.

The survey efforts also support the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary and the Lakebed 2030 project, an effort to map the entire lake floors by the year 2030. To maximize coverage, the Thomas Jefferson operates nearly around the clock, collecting shipboard data 24 hours a day. During daylight hours, two smaller survey launches focus on nearshore and shallow-water areas that the ship cannot safely access.

The survey team enjoys a little fun when naming the survey sheets. OPS Meadows felt the need to name the nearshore sheets various flavors and heat levels from Dave’s Hot Chicken. Additionally, they decided to divide the midshore sheet into Bert and Ernie. While the names may not appear on the official charts, it added a little humor to the serious business of mapping Lake Ontario.

simple map of the south shore of Lake Ontario, with 5 polygons drawn against the shore in a line. each polygon is shaded a different color and named: mild, medium, hot, extra hot, reaper. — The Dave’s Hot Chicken Survey Sheets.

Personal Log

A Taste of Life on Board

One of the biggest surprises of my Teacher at Sea experience has been the incredible food. Every meal seems to bring something new, and the variety has been nothing short of amazing. In just a short time on board, I have enjoyed rabbit, lamb, gyros, steak, salmon, and even a delicious crawfish boil. Additionally, the desserts are to die for! The rice pudding being my favorite so far. Each meal is thoughtfully prepared, and there is always something to look forward to when the dinner bell rings.

One evening, Chief Steward (CS) Danni Cuff created a stunning croquembouche, which is a towering French dessert made of cream-filled pastry puffs held together with caramelized sugar. It looked like something that belonged in a bakery window rather than on a hydrographic survey vessel in the middle of the Great Lakes. More importantly, it tasted every bit as good as it looked!

a towering dessert more than a foot tall of ping-pong sized balls of pastry arranged in a christmas tree shape — CS Cuff’s Croquembouche

The crew aboard Thomas Jefferson also takes condiments very seriously. I am convinced there is every type of condiment imaginable somewhere in the galley. Ketchup, mustard, hot sauces, barbecue sauces, dressings, seasonings. You name it, they probably have it. And not just one version, but multiple brands and varieties. Whatever your taste preference may be, there is likely a condiment waiting to make your meal even better.

two tables in the mess hall, each lined with plastic boxes containing a wide variety of condiments — The stash of only the table condiments.

The galley always offers a small salad bar stocked with fresh vegetables and toppings. Fresh fruit is also available throughout the day, making it easy to grab a healthy snack between surveys, drills, and shipboard activities. Then there are also tons of unhealthy snack options available as well.

As a Teacher at Sea, sharing meals with crew members from every department makes it easy to get to know people and learn about their unique roles on the ship.

Did You Know?

There are an estimated 4,000-6,000 shipwrecks on the Great Lakes.