NOAA Teacher at Sea
Chuck Gregory
Onboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson August 12 – 24, 2007
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: New York Harbor Date: August 13, 2007
Chuck’s stateroom aboard the ship. During his voyage, Chuck (bottom bunk) shared his stateroom with Ensign Andrew Ostapenko (top bunk).
“He who knows best knows how little he knows.” ~Thomas Jefferson
Andy’s alarm clock went off around 0600h. I was already awake but comfortable, so I didn’t get up right away. I could hear that one of the Megan’s was using the shower. The staterooms on our deck have an interesting arrangement – two guys sharing a bath (shower and toilet) with two gals (Megan & Megan). The trick is to knock first and, once the coast is clear, to enter and lock the gal’s door from the inside. But the real trick is to remember to UNlock the gal’s door before leaving. Stay tuned…
After Andy used the shower it was my turn. I’ve used smaller showers, but not much smaller. The water pressure was good, and the temperature comfortable. I am now awake! I quickly dressed and went to the Mess Hall to catch up on some eating. I met the CO, and a few other crew. I also met Tom who is from the NOAA office in Silver Springs, Maryland (near DC). He is on board to observe and get a better idea what the ships do to gather the data. Breakfast was simple (I am trying to lose about 10 lbs.) – cereal, fruit and coffee – and I was off to take a few pictures before we headed out to sea.
The morning sky is clear and the day will be hot, so it’s probably a good thing we are going to be on the water. Next to us on the pier a group of visitors was getting the tour of the USS INTREPID. Manhattan and the surrounding area was enshroud in a gray haze. It’s going to be a learning day and I have a lot to learn. For now, I think it’s time for me to stop writing and take my Dramamine.
The Plan of the Day (Day #225) for the THOMAS JEFFERSON is as follows:
Sunrise = 0604h Sunset = 1958h 0000h
Ship moored alongside Stapleton Pier, Staten Island, NY 1100h
Ship underway 1130h
Deploy 31’ Launches (3101 & 3102) 1215h
Anchor @ Sandy Hook Anchorage 1545h
Retrieve launches
Tides for Sandy Hook Low @ 0258h (-0.2 ft.) & 1459h (0.2 ft.); High @ 0855h (5.0 ft.) & 2105h (5.6 ft.) Currents in Sandy Hook Channel Flood: 0604h (2.0 kts.) & 1814h (2.3 kts.); Ebb: 1212h (1.6 kts.) & 0041h (1.7 kts.) Weather from Sandy Hook to Fire Island AM: W winds 10-15 kts., seas 2-3 ft.; PM: NW winds 10 kts., seas 2 ft.
Today was a learning day as I wanted to learn more about the bathymetry instruments. The THOMAS JEFFERSON is equipped with a Klein 5000 Side Scan Sonar (aka SSS Fish). Informative place settings dot the mess hall and I was able to learn the basics of the equipment from them:
“The side-scan sonar is NOT just like a photo of the ocean floor. Objects get “stretched and distorted”. They need to be interpreted.”
“The SSS Fish data can be affected by: 1) tides, 2) survey speed, 3) sea conditions, 4) angle of incidence of sound waves, 5) launch (or ship) attitude (roll, yaw & heave), 6) etc.”
“When sound waves from the SSS Fish are reflected off an object a dark or “hard” return is created in the data. The object blocks the sound waves from traveling beyond it, which creates a “light colored shadow”.
“Unlike Multibeam Sonar, side-scan sonar created better images of the bottom when objects are off to the side, rather than directly beneath the instrument.”
“Side-scan sonar sends out an acoustic pulse out both sides of the vessel. The intensity of the acoustic reflection from each side is measured for a period of time. An image of a stripe of sea bottom is made with each pulse.”
At 1730h I met with Peter the hydrosurvey data technician and observed him downloading today’s data. Peter applied a series of corrections (heave, tide and sound velocity) to the data. This time consuming process took about two hours. This data will be sent to NOAA’s Atlantic Hydrographic Branch (AHB) where it will be reviewed, checked, cross checked, and additional data will be added if needed (e.g., from Army Corp). The raw data is also sent to the National Geographic Data Center in Boulder, CO where it is archived. From AHB the data is sent to NOAA’s Chart Division where it is made into the navigation charts we commonly use. FOO and Acting XO Chris informed me I will be going on one of the launches tomorrow. #3102 with SSS Fish and Multibeam (MBES). I can’t wait. I’m going to need a good night’s sleep as we’ll be on the launch for about 10 hours! Good night!!
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Miriam Hlawatsch
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster July 29 – August 10, 2007
Mission: Lionfish Survey Geographical Area: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Carolina Date: August 4, 2007
On the Bridge, XO LT. Stephen Meador and CO CDR. James Verlaque plot the course for NOAA ship NANCY FOSTER.
Weather Data from the Bridge
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind Direction: 215º
Wind Speed: 1 knot
Sea Wave Height: 1 ft.
Swell Wave Height: 2-3 ft.
Seawater Temperature: 28.5ºC
Sea Level pressure: 1016.0 mb (millibars)
Cloud Cover: 3-5 oktas, cumulous
Personal Log
While on the Bridge today, Commanding Officer James Verlaque allowed me a brief opportunity to steer the ship and set the course for a new dive location. Activity on the Bridge continues to fascinate me. It takes tremendous attention to detail to keep NANCY FOSTER safe in the water. It is most evident that the success of the scientific mission and the safe efficient operation of the ship are a result of the true spirit of cooperation between the crew and scientists aboard. The fact that everyone (crew and science) shares the mess during meals serves to reinforce the team approach. Certainly, it afforded me an opportunity to get to know many on an individual basis.
NOAA Officers keep NANCY FOSTER safe and on course.
Science Log
Objective #5: Conduct multi-beam sonar transects using RV NANCY FOSTER at multiple locations.
NANCY FOSTER is one of a fleet of research and survey vessels used by NOAA to improve our understanding of the marine environment. She is equipped with sonar technology to conduct hydrographic surveys of the sea floor. Chief Scientist Paula Whitfield explains that, for this mission, specialized multi-beam sonar technology is used to create detailed maps of potential dive areas. Habitat mapping is important because it provides specific information that will allow her to make decisions about where to send divers for sampling; otherwise, there could be a great deal of wasted effort, both in terms of time and resources.Multi-beam Bathymetric Sonar is technology that provides detailed, full-coverage mapping of the sea floor using multiple sonar beams (sound waves) in a fan-shaped pattern or swath. The ship goes back and forth in straight lines over a pre-determined area much like a lawn mower goes back and forth over the grass, making sure the entire area has been covered. In addition to habitat mapping, multi-beam hydrographic surveys have many applications such as navigation safety and civil engineering projects.
Example of a Multi-beam swathMulti-beam survey resultsNOAA scientists Paula Whitfield and Brian Degan compare bottom topography for dive site selection (left) and hydrographic survey technicians Missy Partyka and Mike Stecher (left).
Some very interesting features here in Alaska are the rocks and the various shapes and textures that they form as well as the animals that inhabit the environment. Below are some pictures illustrating this.
The rugged coastline is abruptly ends with this beautiful cliff. There are so many wonderful vistas I have captured on this trip, each one more breathtaking than the last.Seals lying on a rock out cropping.Two eagles perched on the branch of a tree on a tiny island in the Bay of EscobelieA young deer watching intently from an island while our launch takes readings of the water depth.Haul out-rocks and beaches where seals come ashore to rest or molt. This haul out was located near Timber Island. The seals watched us but did not seem to react as we got closer. The waves were not large but there was lots happening here so the crew and I were very mindful of not only the animals around us but also the rocks that we could see and we were constantly on the lookout for those we could not see.Humpback whale feeding. The humpbacks often entrap prey using “bubble nets” to corral prey in a smaller area and consume them. I am very grateful to my TAS colleague Ginger Redlinger for letting me use this picture of a humpback whale. She took beautiful video of the humpbacks while we were both out on the RAINER. She kindly shared this picture with me and I would like to include it here.
This was truly an awesome adventure. I cannot wait to share this with my students, family, friends and colleagues.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Ginger Redlinger
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 15 – August 1, 2007
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: Baranof Island, Alaska Date: July 26–27, 2007
Weather Data from the Bridge
Visibility: 10 Nautical Miles
Wind directions: 110°
Wind Speed: 10 Knots
Sea Wave Height: 0-1 feet
Seawater Temperature: 14.4° C
Sea level Pressure: 1012.9 millibars (mb)
Cloud cover: Cloudy
Temperature: 16.7° C, (62° F)
Mariner Word of the Day: Scuttlebutt. A scuttlebutt on an old sailing vessel was the barrel where drinking water was stored. People would gather and talk casually, or gossip, as they drank water. This led to the second definition of scuttlebutt, “a rumor.”
ENS Pereira, Divers-Physical Scientist Campbell and LT Yoos, Coxswain O’Connor review safety checks and dive plan.
Science and Technology Log
We moved the ship from Steamboat Harbor to Bocas de Finas near Bush Top Island because winds were picking up. The ship is safer when it is not anchored in a high wind area! Weather matters a great deal when you are working on the water. Winds contribute to sea waves, swell heights, and can create less-than-ideal conditions for hydrographic surveying. Weather is taken into account in planning when, and where the ship will travel to work. It also determines what should be done first. Specifically, determining the day’s priorities can depend on what time the winds and seas are expected to change. While seaworthy vessels can work effectively in rough waters as is sometimes necessary, knowing when the water will be rough makes for better planning. What I have come to appreciate on this ship is the accuracy of the weather predictions aboard the RAINIER. If the Orders of the Day (OOD) read that it is going to rain – it rains. If it tells me that there will be swells in the afternoon from 3 to 4 feet – there are! Now I don’t know about you, but I have noticed when I am at home the only accurate weather forecast I get is when I look out the window.
Divers begin their descent.
What is it about the weather information that is used on board that makes it so reliable? First, there are many sources of information about the weather that are available, and second, they use them! The Officers on board know a great deal about the earth, from surface to upper atmosphere, so they know what information is necessary for a good analysis. There are many resources available to the RAINIER that you can access too. For example, there are text-based discussions of the weather based on the use of different global models, there are local forecasts, there are infrared satellite maps updated every 30 minutes so you can see where clouds are forming and how they are moving, there are also satellites that collect data in order to show the visibility spectrum, or how much light is available –every 30 minutes. (It tells you the amount of radiant-light energy entering the area.) Another is QuickSCAT that creates a chart of the wind’s movement in an area (with lots of small arrows) so you can see exactly what directions it is moving (wind swirls and moves like water around rocks – it doesn’t just go in one direction all the time!). Lastly, there are grids that tell you the extent of high and low pressure systems, how strong they are, and where they are likely to move. Pressure systems impact the direction of the winds, and their strength.
Sporting Goods – Craig, Alaska
With all of this information, you can take into account many variables that affect navigation: visibility, wind speed and direction, cloud cover, precipitation (which also impacts visibility), water movements, (direction and speed of waves, and swells). I should also add a non-weather related variable that impacts planning – tides. Considering all these variables together helps predict conditions in order to choose the best time of day to complete work, and move vessels through the water SAFELY! As everyone starts their day they know what to expect so they are well prepared.
Website for weather information related to the RAINIER’s work (thanks to CO Noll):
Survey Tech Krynytsky and ENS Villard-Howe (Navigation Officer) gather and examine bottom samples.
Yesterday’s work
Tide Gauge check – Nossuk Bay. We traveled to Nossuk Bay to inspect a Tide Gauge, as it was not sending data correctly. Tide gauge inspections require SCUBA (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.) The divers were going to 40 feet below the surface. The pressure is greater underwater every 33 feet, so it is harder to move and to breathe. A specialized crew is sent for this job since it requires specific training in order to execute perfect communication, keen observations, and precise movements of the boat.
After ensuring the underwater section was working properly attention shifted to the land-based components. The crew, except the coxswain, went ashore to inspect the rest of the equipment. Since we noticed fresh bear sign in the area, we talked loudly and kept our eyes open. After everything checked out ok we returned to the ship. I had fifteen minutes to eat lunch and return to the boat for sediment surveys and a run to Craig, AK to pick-up two officers joining the RAINIER for the trip back to Washington. One is a Junior Officer returning to the RAINIER for the trip back to Sand Point. The other is the new Commanding Officer, who will be replacing CO Noll. CO Noll’s commission with the RAINIER ends with the completion of this journey.
Checking the transmission equipment to ensure it is working properly.
We gathered samples from seven different locations where ships and boats anchor when they enter Boca de Finas. Knowing the bottom type can ensure safe anchorage. Not knowing what the bottom is made of when you drop anchor can be dangerous. Surveying the bottom consists of dropping a line with a scoop to the bottom, and examining the contents once the sample is back on board. The contents are compared to a descriptive chart to be sure the correct classification is selected. This information will appear on NOAA charts to help navigators in this area.
Personal Log
The crew jests that the official footwear of Alaskans is a boot called XTRA TUF. When in Craig, we stopped in at the local sporting goods store and I noticed how neatly arranged everything was – with one exception – the boots in the picture below. I asked the man behind the counter about this and he said, “The contents of those boxes will be gone in the next 48 hours – so we don’t bother to mess with them. So I think the crew is correct. At about 10:00 last night, I asked ENS Villard-Howe some questions about ropes, navigation & direction vocabulary. We started to talk about all sorts of nautical topics. She went to her cabin and brought me three very important books – her top three if you want to know anything about maritime topics! The Eldridge Tide and Pilots Book (first written in 1854), American Merchant Seaman’s Manual, and The Ashley Book of Knots. (If anyone wants to get me books for my classroom – these are the three on my wish list! Young potential mariners and marine scientists can learn a great deal from them! )
We talked for another forty-five minutes. As we started to yawn in between sentences we said “enough.” (It wasn’t the company or the topic we were exhausted.) I have to admit, I felt like I was talking with someone who knows and loves the history, knowledge, and skills of her work. She has a true passion for maritime work and her work on the RAINIER.
For my students, I wish them the same level of passion for their endeavors and appreciation for the contributions and history in their yet-to-be chosen field. It is this kind of dedication that makes a great worker, teammate, and leader. There are many examples of this on board – I just happened to spend the later part of the evening exploring the depth of knowledge of one crewmember!
Personal milestone – Sea legs: I ate greasy-yummy pizza on the way back from Craig, AK (a small port town on Prince of Wales Island), while bouncing and rocking across 2-3 foot swells for an hour and it didn’t bother me one bit! : )
Villard-Howe’s top three books.
Question of the Day
Topic 1: What websites can you use to learn about tomorrow’s weather in your area? (Start from the ones that are listed above, and see if you can’t find the links from the SE Alaska sites to your local information.) What information is used to forecast weather in your area? Using the information on the website, try to forecast the weather tomorrow – (temperature, precipitation, general conditions.) See what the “news forecasters” say. Check to see how you did. What would you do different the next time you try to forecast the weather?
Topic 2: How do satellites gather satellite information? How many weather satellite systems are on the NOAA website? Where is the closest NOAA weather station in your area?
Topic 3: What is a Merchant Marine? Where do Merchant Marines work?
I wondered how the survey technicians know they are in the right place and they continue to be in the right place while the data is collected. The short answer is satellites or GPS. While this was explained to me, here is the official info regarding known location, as explained by NOAA’s Earth Systems Research Laboratory:
“Global Positioning System. GPS was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense to tell us basically three things: where we are, how to get where we want to be, and what time it is right now. This is commonly referred to as “PNT” which stands for positioning, navigation, and timing. GPS is a “dual-use” system in that it has both military and civilian applications. To facilitate the development of civilian applications, the U.S. Government makes the radio signals broadcast by the GPS satellites available to every user free of fees. As a result of this policy, a multi-billion dollar industry has developed to exploit the benefits of GPS for civilian applications. For example, a commercial GPS navigation system in your car tells you where you are on an electronic map that is constantly updated as you move. Computer software in the navigation system tells you the best route to take to get to your destination. Wireless communications between your navigation system and a traffic management system tell you the best route to take to avoid delays or hazards.”
The launches can only collect data when there are a minimum of five satellites receiving and transmitting in orbit above the area that is being surveyed. The use of five satellites lessens the chance that the information may be skewed by a distortion from one of the satellites.
The survey launch collects data from the sonar device that is located in the bottom of the ship; the computers assemble the feedback on board the launch and continually retransmit that data via satellite back to the RAINIER and it is processed during the evening hours. The work runs right through the night, with technicians working to ensure the sonic images are transferred into a coherent chart.
This photo was taken looking over the shoulder of the coxswain who is in charge of the boat and steers the boat to keep it on the desired course. The orange airplane icon shows the direction of the boat and keeps the launch on the survey lines designated by the survey tech in the forward cabin.
The areas today have not been surveyed in the past eighty years. Obviously the technology has changed markedly since the last survey. To view more about historical surveys click the following NOAA link.
I finally had a chance to pilot the launch and of course it looked far easier to do than when I tried it myself. It seemed like a simple task, to keep the nose, or bow, of the boat on the specific course and while I understood it well enough my attempts were often less than perfect. The sea was clam with negligible wave height. The wind was perceivable but not a large influence. The current was strong but steady and predictable. The route was clearly indicated on the screen in front of me and yet I could not hold the course steady enough (at least not well enough to collect valid data). Perhaps I was being too hard on myself: most annoying was the bow of the boat would head in the direction that I wanted it to but the stern of the boat (reacting to the force of the currents) dragged in a way that caused me to simultaneously both over and under compensate for the action. That coupled with the fact that I had no island or land point of reference made this experience a challenge. With the help of Mr. Foye, I was given some expert coaching that allowed me to get into a zone. I was in a pattern of both over and under steering and each correction brought me further away from where I wished to be. I learned that you develop a feel for this sort of thing and while I tried my best, I knew it would take many days of practice before I developed competency navigating this boat.
Launch approaching the RAINIER at the end of a day.
As the launch approaches the RAINIER, the person near the bow of the launch has a line ready to throw to the crew on board the ship (same in the stern). The crew on the larger ship needs to hold the launch so it doesn’t bang into the RAINIER. RAINIER then lowers two cables to attach to the launch (one on the bow and one on the stern). The cables are hooked onto large shackles and when all is secured the signal is given to the operator to hoist up the launch. There is only one person signaling to the operator on the ship. If there is ever a problem, naturally anyone can alert the crew of the problem but there is always only one person signaling to ensure safety of all.
