NOAA Teacher at Sea
Tamil Maldonado
Onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather
July 18 – 28, 2005
Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical Area: North Pacific
Date: July 20, 2005
Science and Technology Log
The Tucker trawl and Method Net had been deployed all night and day. Scientists have shifts of 12 hours every day. Equipment is attached in the fantail area (back of ship). There was a problem with the coaxial cable… it was broken, wet and they had to cut a portion of it. The Electrical Technician needed to set up the cables, put them together, and use a cable coating so the wires would not get wet again. Still, the data was not going through the wires into the computer data base. After a few hours they had some data and started doing experiments with the CTD and Tucker net. I was washing bottles they use to recollect larvae, taking them to the lab, freezing the bottles and chlorophyll filters, writing data down on their sheets, etc. It was very exciting to see larvae, jelly fish, and little fish.
I also went to the bridge and we started talking about the mathematics behind navigation, including all the geometry, trigonometry and vectors involved. We used the charts (maps) to find out our position, calculate how much time it would take for us to get to the next station where we were going to do another survey on larval fish. I also got to know all instruments on the bridge, and how they use them for traveling, and navigation. Moreover, we calculated true speed looking at the relative speed and using instruments, vector, ship speed, and charts.
At the end of the day I read the Draft of the scientific research, which helped me to know more information about their equipment and specifications of nets, CTD, and computer interface, among others.
I also talked to some students that are doing their internship with NOAA vessels. It was great to get to know them, and see their different interests on the ship.
Tomorrow I am going to interview people from the Hydrographic lab department, and learn some more about navigation.