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.
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).
Red dots show approximate locations of the start and end of the surveys.
The scientists deploy a trawl net that sweeps near or on the ocean floor to collect the groundfish. This sampling shows a point in time of the Groundfish population throughout the northern area of the Gulf of America/Mexico.
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.
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.
Measuring the brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus). Can you estimate her length?
Personal Log
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.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.
Younger pollock can gather in schools 20-40 meters tall that appear as very thin red ellipses.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!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.
Peggy D secured to the aft hero deck of Oscar Dyson. ENG Connor Rauch and ENG Chelsea Gostomski on the aft deck of Peggy D.LCDR LeeAnn Keener and I enjoying the scenery.Bosun Alex Steele instructs me in the safe operation of Peggy D.
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
This smooth lumpsucker (Aptocyclus ventricosus) is just as surprised to see me as I am to see him.Lumpsuckers have a unique feature: a ventral suction disk that allows them to firmly attach themselves to rocks in rough conditions.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
The wreck of the St. Peter in Lake Ontario (Credit: NOAA)
Latitude: 25 22.739′ N Longitude: 82 24.980′ W Relative Wind speed: 2 Knots Wind Direction: North – Northwest Air Temperature: 32.8 Celsius Sea Surface Temperature: 30.8 Celsius
Hello from the Gulf of America. Hereafter, it will be referred to as the Gulf.
We departed the Port of Miami at 14:20pm EST on August 13th. Below are my early experiences leaving port and getting a crash course before our survey starts. It’s been lots of info quickly; from living at sea on the Oregon II, how we fish, why we fish, what we use to fish, and all the different roles NOAA corps, Steward Crew, Deck Crew, Engineer Crew, and Science team do function on the water.
From the Galley; Port Holes Land to SEA
First and foremost, I have better service and internet at sea than I do at home—definitely better than at New York Harbor School. Maybe it’s time we really bring marine and maritime tech beyond the decorative portholes on our classroom doors. 😉
Although funny, it makes sense. At sea, doing scientific research on fisheries, things need to be a certain way—for the sake of quality science directives, the life of the organisms studied, and the quality of life for those walking the corridors and decks of the ship. While transiting from port to our first station in the Gulf, it’s been overwhelming—in a good way—but exciting, learning all that’s needed to truly be a part of the crew.
Why does the Oregon II even go to sea?
An assignment given to my students – albeit over the summer – comment on the blogs. Maybe they were hoping I’d have no internet connection. They were wrong. Let’s get those comments going.
Mission Objectives:
Ready to learn and assist in Oregon 2’s objectives
Conduct a study to assess the distribution, abundance trends, life history (age structure, growth, and reproduction), movement patterns, and habitat of coastal sharks and red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus).
Collect biological and environmental data at survey sites (including water quality parameters).
Tag and release sharks.
For some context on fisheries scientific surveys:
I’m currently on Leg 2. This survey has four legs. A leg is a separate time at sea within the overall survey. In each leg, different stations are worked to reach objectives. This survey runs down the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to West Palm Beach, FL, then transits back around past the Florida Keys, and into the Gulf to begin sampling again north of the Dry Tortugas. The legs in the Gulf , data is collected at three different depth strata: shallowest and closer to the coast (9-55 m), midway (55-183 m), and farther out on the continental shelf (183-366 m)—bouncing back and forth along shelf as we move up the western coast of Florida..
The gear used on this survey is bottom longline. But first—safety. I’ll get to the science and tech in a bit.
SafetyTraining& Protocol
Before the ship got underway, we went over a lot of safety procedures in case something were to occur while at sea. We went over what emergency signals are: fire is a 10-second alarm, man overboard is three long blasts, and abandon ship is six short blasts and one long. We were given cards that list our locations for where to muster in the event something occurred. We went over protocol and procedures if any of these events happen. While underway, we did some drills.
Training for Abandoning Ship in EmergencyLife Rings are all around the shipTraining for Abandoning Ship in Emergency.
While on the ship, we did some drills. I would have to say, practicing for an event where I have to abandon ship was a little fun and emotional. Putting on the immersion suit to save my life—keeping you warm, afloat, illuminated, and with your head above water—in the event I need to abandon ship, is an iconic “teacher at sea” shot, I am told. I should have known; we have them at Harbor School. I’ve seen lots of selfies of kids and VIPs in them, but never had the chance. It’s an exciting and necessary drill aboard a working vessel.
Parachute Flare Training
We were demoed and practiced two types of flares to be used in different emergency situations. It was the best birthday candle I’ve witnessed to date. I got to set off the parachute flare, and some folks lit off other flares with a birthday serenade. It goes without saying, the reusable Grateful Dead birthday candle from Clara—my partner—is out of the league of candle celebrations. But the flare demo came close.
While underway, I’ve noticed and learned little things I would normally take for granted and that we don’t need on land.
Not unfamiliar PPE
Red lights at night help preserve night vision and are just being kind to our shipmates. Watch for the red light blinking on top of the engine room—that means someone’s coming up the stairs. The office chairs don’t have wheels. The computers and equipment are cantilevered to the wall. Hard hats go on when things are overhead, and a PFD (personal flotation device) goes on when working close to the edge or near the stern. And when handling animals or fishing gear, we’ve got different gloves for different jobs.
BK Roasters doesn’t go rolling
My coffee cup really needs a stabilizer for this table. Honestly, I might bring one of these into the classroom—I’m forever spilling or misplacing my coffee.
And of course, the big reminder out here: follow directions. Listen, read, communicate. Feels like I’ve heard that a million times—pretty much every teacher, whether at sea or on land, says it.
You smell it through the galley.
Life at sea has its own lessons. Out here, everything needs backups, and things have to work a certain way. We’re living, working, and doing science on a ship that never stops moving and is always a long way from shore.
Shout out to BK Roasters for supplying a critical piece of material for this mission, good smelling, roasted coffee from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in NYC. My shipmates are saying it’s super smooth!
Science and Technology Log
In order to conduct the data collection and research on sharks, lots of scientific protocols and technology, both computer-based and mechanical, go into the survey. First and foremost, we are fishing. The techniques are similar to those of commercial fishermen. On the longline shark and snapper survey, we use bottom longline.
Bottom longline fishing
Bottom longlines have a mainline weighted to the seafloor with buoy lines marked by flags on either end, called high flyers.
Typically, per watch from 12 p.m.–12 a.m. and/or 12 a.m.–12 p.m., there are 3–4 sets, depending on how far away the stations are and conditions in the Gulf. An orchestrated ballroom dance across the Gulf, except the dance floor is wet, moving, with predictable and sudden changes in environmental conditions. Oh right, and sharks. Brings “the floor is lava” to a new level.
Gangions—short lines clipped to the mainline with hooks—are baited and attached to the mainline (4 mm thick). We bait 100 gangions (3 mm thick) with Atlantic mackerel and circle hooks. This one-nautical-mile line is then deployed off the stern. Note: we use a data collection system on a Toughbook to mark, map, and catalog the numbered hooks that are baited to use later on when hauling.
The most interesting thing I learned, or rather don’t emphasize when I teach about fishing gear types, is that longlines are detached from the vessel. There is a winch (like a big reel) that trails the line from the bow to the stern to set the gear and haul the gear. Upon set, it is released from the ship. Upon hauling it in, we reconnect to the harvesting system.
Mainline Hauling and Setting System; 4mil line
One BIG fishing reel
Its runs from Bow
Line Continues through breeze way
At end of Breeze way, its almost to stern to be in position for setting line.
In middle of stern, line will be set to connect all the gangions.
To set the longline, it’s deployed in this order:
As things go into the water, data is collected on the gear—quantity and location.
This all happens from the stern (back of the ship) of the Oregon II:
Buoy, High-flyer (high visibility, designed and lit) – tossed out at the station coordinates.
Weights – connected after some slack from the high-flyer to keep the line on the bottom.
50 gangions with bait, numbered 1–50 – spaced out along half a nautical mile of mainline.
Weights – to keep the middle section on the bottom.
50 gangions with bait, numbered 51–100 – spaced out along another half nautical mile of mainline.
Weights – attached at the opposite end to keep the line on the bottom.
High-flyer, Buoy (high visibility, designed and lit) – with some slack given after the weight to keep things accurately placed.
During the soak of the 100 gangions, we are also completing water quality data via a CTD Device ( Conductivity, Temperature and Depth) that measures conductivity, depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and Ph. I will describe this in more detail in a later post.
CTD water quality monitoring device; Watching data on descent and ascent
After being deployed its time to let the longline soak for an hour. Then we flip it and reverse it with some twists.
A big twist through the whole process is that you will have live animals on the ship that need to be returned to sea. The idea is to study these animals.
Lastly, as you are hauling up the line, you are simultaneously thinking of the next set. For example, keeping numbered gangions in order and placing hooks correctly in the barrel. If not careful, things can get squirrely quickly.
Note: as things come out of the water, data is collected on the gear—quantity, location, and status of the hook. How’s the bait looking? Is there a fish on!?!?!
Happens from the bow (front of the ship) of the Oregon II:
Buoy – High-flyer (high visibility, designed and lit) – A grappling hook is tossed to nab the mainline and pull it toward the vessel. The buoy and high-flyer are pulled onto the vessel, detached from the mainline, the mainline is reconnected to the harvesting winch, and the highflyer brought back to the stern.
Weights – Pulled onto the vessel.
50 gangions with bait – Status of the hook. How’s the bait looking? Is there a fish on!?!?
Weights – Pulled onto the vessel.
50 gangions with bait – Status of the hook. How’s the bait looking? Is there a fish on!?!?
Weights – Pulled onto the vessel.
High-flyer (high visibility, designed and lit), buoy
During the hauls, data is collected on the animals; fin clips taken for genetics, sexed, measured, and weighed. Some animals are tagged.
Measuring different data lengths on sharksProcessing fins to go to another labFirst “fish on” of our watch Shark being released after data collected.
I would say writing a personal log is probably the hardest. I’ve been so engaged in learning what we are doing, I haven’t really been thinking about anything other than being a student.
But after some reflection, some workout routines in the corner of the bow, listening to some music, and working off all the great food I’ve been eating—I am a dessert-after-every-meal type of person—the Chief Steward has won my heart. It’s hard walking past the galley and not grabbing the cooking of the day on a 12-hour shift, in between set and haul.
In the early days of taking this journey, it reminded me of my first year of teaching. With eight hours of doing it, the learning curve is steep and continues to climb. You kind of have no choice, especially when you aren’t getting off the vessel for 17 days.
All in all, I am so grateful for this experience. It’s made me realize how much I underestimate the appreciation I have for both the people who do the work to study our marine life and for those who fish the marine life as a wild food source. It’s a massive world out here on the Gulf—in some distances it’s 800 miles from Texas to Florida—and on the open ocean. It takes special people both to do the work of studying these animals and to fish them for money.
Instantly, stepping on this ship, it’s place-based learning in stakeholder engagement. It’s a wild world out there. Living and working on a vessel is both a good way and a crash course in stakeholder engagement and cooperation. You kinda have no choice. We could learn a few things on land from the folks that work on the water for research and/or their economic income, specifically when it’s in the realm of fisheries.
Moreover, from the shark wranglers that are my current shipmates.
Animal Sighting:
Brown Noddy Chilling
Brown Noddy ( Anous stolidus)
The brown noddy forages over the water and dipping down to catch small squid, other mollusks, aquatic insects and super small fish, like sardines and snatching insects in air too.
AKA -Tuna Bird – Fishermen see it as a sign that tuna are near.
Did you know?
Sharks are fish.
They live in water, and use their gills to filter oxygen from the water. They don’t have bones. These are a special type of fish known as chondrichthyans because their body is made out of cartilage instead of bones. The further classification of sharks, rays, and skates are known as “elasmobranchs.”
Geographic Area of Cruise: Northwest Atlantic Ocean
Date: August 11, 2025
Weather Data from Bridge: Latitude: 3956.51 N Longitude: 07043.5 W Relative Wind speed: 17 Wind Direction: 336 Air Temperature: 23.6 Sea Surface Temperature: 24.965 Barometric Pressure: 1022.81 Speed Over Ground: 9.8 Water Conductivity: 5.326 Water Salinity: 35.03125
Miles and Dorothy launch the drifter!
First, Janice from NC is asking about the drifters! In my first blog I mentioned the Global Drifter Program. Since 1979 countries have been placing and monitoring drifters around the world to better understand and make better predictions . Amanda, Miles and I launched the last of our drifters yesterday.
Sam Ouertani, CIMAS (UMiami/NOAA) Research Associate, provided the following answers to Janice’s questions: How long are the drifters collecting information? > Drifters typically collect data until the drifter runs aground, the batteries die, or the sensors die. Most drifters are able to collect data for 450 days, however they typically lose their drogue within a year. Without a drogue, data from drifters cannot be used to accurately estimate the surface current velocities, but drifters are still able to measure sea surface temperature and other parameters if equipped with additional sensors.
Are there cameras on the drifters? > Unfortunately, Global Drifter Program drifters don’t have cameras but several programs in NOAA have started to add cameras. The National Data Buoy Center has added cameras to almost 100 buoys. I believe the Arctic Buoy Program has started adding cameras to observe sea ice conditions, but footage is not yet available.
Do they collect data about depth of the ocean? >Drifters only collect data at the surface of the ocean; therefore they don’t measure any parameters below the surface, and they do not measure sea floor depth. Another NOAA program, Argo, collects temperature, salinity, and pressure below the ocean surface, but Argo floats do not reach the bottom of the ocean.
Where’s the deepest part? >The deepest part of the ocean is the Challenger Deep, 35,876 feet deep or over 6.7 miles deep, located in the Mariana Trench. Humans measured this depth by lowering a rope from a submersible vehicle.
Thank you Sam for such thorough answers, and thank you Janice for asking! You can find more information about the drifters we launched here.
Second, an answer to the math problem from the last BLOG: On the First Christmas Bird Count, 18,500 individual birds were logged by the 27 participants. On average, 685 birds were seen by each person. That’s a lot of birds! (The numbers 25, 89, and 1990 were not used to solve the problem.) How do you think that number compares to today’s counts?
Engineers Drew, Glen, and Eric on NOAA Ship Pisces
Science at Sea: If steel is heavier than water, how does the 1840-metric ton Pisces stay afloat? Her density, that’s how! The total volume of water she displaces (including steel, people, parts, and air) must have less mass than that same volume of saltwater. Saltwater’s density is 1.025 g/mL, that’s more dense than freshwater, making it easier for you to float in the ocean. You might remember the Titanic sank when it hit an iceberg, ripping the hull and allowing water to enter and add more mass to the ship.
I recently was given a tour of Pisces hull space by the fabulous Engineering Department. They literally make everything run.
Safety is paramount
With ear plugs safely protecting my eardrums, we traveled down into the engine space. Safety is paramount. Fire stations can reach any point on the ship with 2 different hoses. There are 2 or 4 of everything – fire hoses, engines, generators, AC units, proportion motors, you name it – because EVERYTHING needs a backup. There are traditional CO2 fire extinguishers, but I’ve never been to a school that had a CO2 flooding system like the engine room has. Carbon-dioxide (CO2) breaks the oxygen side of the fire triangle by displacing oxygen in the combustion reaction, effectively stopping the reaction. If you were taught to “stop, drop, and roll,” you learned another way to smother the fire. The CO2 flooding system is so powerful that it cannot be used without doing a full body count of the people onboard to make sure no one is in the engine room.
Engineer EricEngineer TravisDorothy tours the engine roomOily water separator
Engineers Eric (left) and Travis (right) show Dorothy how water, electricity, and power are provided
Our first stop was the water maker unit. The water needed for cooking, bathing, and drinking can be distilled from ocean water or processed through reverse osmosis. Both options are available on Pisces. Past the expansion tanks and power distribution units Engineer Eric pointed out the refrigeration system for our Chemistry lab above. We freeze chlorophyll samples taken in one of our CTD projects in an ultra low freezer maintained at -75oC. I was looking at the equipment that was making the freezer work. Air compressors, generators, and motors make the 600-volt electricity on board, step it down to 480 volts for the major machinery, and down even farther to 110 volts for the outlet in my stateroom to charge my cellphone.
Dorothy takes notes during her tour of the engine room
We continued inspecting the machinery that runs Pisces and enables our teams to fulfil our mission. Another piece of equipment that resembles an instrument from our chemistry lab is the centrifuge. It is used to purify the diesel fuel. These pull out the heavier impurities and store water, the lightest part of the mixture, underneath. You might have seen centrifuges at work in the dairy industry. Understanding the science of the engine room helps the science outside the engine room work even better!
Schematic (bottom left) of the 2 generators and 2 propulsion motors (down walkway on right). Water maker unit (top left) and refrigeration system (middle left) .
More information on Pisces: The ship is 206 feet long, is capable of trawling up to 6,000 feet, and can lift 8,000 pounds. She also has a “quiet hull” which helps reduce underwater sound. Maybe that’s why the whales and dolphins get so close?!
Feel the power!
You do the Math: If each of the engine’s cylinders displacement is 51 liters, and it has 12 cylinders, what is the total displacement of the engine? Compare this with a car engine which holds 2-3 liters. Check in the next blog post for the answer.
To increase the speed of the ship requires an increase in power, but this is not a directly proportional relationship. Doubling the speed requires the power to be cubed. Engineer Eric described the importance of understanding fuel use on ships, math is money! Large container ships easily spend $300,000 a day on fuel. Saving 1% translates to $30,000 savings.
Styrofoam science experiment…. submerged 500 meters…. inverse relationship between pressure and volume predicts the air pockets in the styrofoam will decrease when the pressure is increased. What do you think will happen?
Interesting Things: I am surprised by the ways I have been prepared for life on a boat by classroom life in a public school. At West Johnston High School, in Benson, NC, we have fire drills at least once a month. On a boat, we have safety drills at least once a week. The horn blows a series of long and/or short blasts to let us know if there is a fire, a “MAN OVERBOARD”, or if we need to “ABANDON SHIP!”
Everyone must get into their Gumby suit in less than a minute during an emergency fire drill. The FRB (Fast Reserve Boat) practices the man overboard rescue!
The Science team on NOAA Ship Pisces EcoMon Summer 2025
Career Spotlight: Meet NOAA Ship Pisces’ new CO! Commander Sinquefield.
Commander Sinquefield, NOAA Ship Pisces
Did you know there was a Change of Command last month? Our new CO brings a wealth of knowledge and a desire to be a good leader. He showed me around the bridge this week and shared some of his background (BTW, the view on the bridge is amazing!). CDR Sinquefield’s command philosophy is to respect yourself, respect your shipmates, and respect your ship. Likewise, take care of yourself, take care of your shipmates, and take care of your ship. He believes in personal communication and fresh air.
The things he likes about being CO? He likes seeing things you just can’t see on shore, the continuity of historical traditions (like the language, for instance the word “starboard,” has had meaning for 1000 years), training, the opportunity to put into action leadership skills that he was taught and learned through leaders he admired, and regulations. OK, regulations might be pushing it, but he did say he had great respect for the loss of life that has prompted many of the regulations in the shipping industry today.
Growing up in Mississippi, he joined the Coast Guard to complete the trifecta of working in cotton fields, chicken plants, and river tugboats. CDR Sinquefield worked on three different ships while in the Coast Guard, hauled more 80-lb batteries up Alaskan mountains to replenish navigation lights than he’d care to remember, and became familiar with NOAA projects that informed fisheries reports on the west coast. He left the Coast Guard as ship assignments became highly competitive as the service was taking older ships offline at a greater rate then they were being replaced. He left the USCG and he joined NOAA as a civilian, later joining NOAA’s uniformed service, the NOAA Corps.
CO teaches the teacher about maps available for navigation. ENS Howsman (top right) stands watch on the bridge. The center of the circular device (bottom right) spins so fast during cold weather it keeps the area ice free.
CDR Sinquefield was able to earn his commercial shipping license, but doesn’t plan on driving a Mississippi tug boat anytime soon. He stands firm with NOAA’s of 10,000 people, 7 line offices, 15 research and survey ships, and 10 specialized environmental data collecting aircraft. The extraordinary mammals – we’re talking seals and blue whales here – affirm his career choice every. single. day.
Personal Log
Life on is very different from life on land. We work 12-hour shifts. Everyone gets to walk to work – I take 53 steps (10 of them are down 1 staircase) from my cabin door to the door of the dry lab. I take 19 steps to the mess hall for lunch and dinner. There are 67 steps (up 3 staircases) from my door to the Flying Bridge where I see gulls, Mola mola, a full view of the sun in the day, and a sky load of stars at night. I am there now, working on this Blog post when I am not distracted by nature.
Dorothy “working” on this BLOG on the Flying Bridge
One thing that is the same on a boat is the need to wash clothes (probably more frequently since everything had to fit in a carry-on bag and I needed that fleece sleeping bag just in case!). Here is a picture of the laundry room. The ship has 3 washers, 3 dryers, and all the detergent you need.
Dorothy checks out the washer and dryer on board. Detergent is provided. The most important rule when using is to clean out the dryer lint trap before AND after using. Extra Credit if you can tell me why!
