NOAA Teacher at Sea Lisa Kercher Onboard NOAA Ship Fairweather June 11 – 24, 2006
Pulling away from the dock
Mission: Hydrographic and Fish Habitat Survey Geographic Area: Alaska Date: June 12, 2006
Science and Technology Log
At approximately 16:00 today, we pushed off from the Deep Water Dock in Homer, AK The FAIRWEATHER plans to do some fisheries work in the waters surrounding the Homer area. We will be testing equipment, and sampling the ocean floor in an attempt to learn more about the fish habitat.
I had plenty of time today to explore the ship, establish my email connection, and attend a safety meeting. Junior Officer ENS Allison Martin explained the history of the FAIRWEATHER to me. I was excited to learn that the FAIRWEATHER, while not being used for research work, was used during the clean up efforts of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in the late 1980’s.
Tug boat St. Augustine helps the Fairweather pull out
The FAIRWEATHER was stationed in Valdez, AK for crewmembers to retreat to while working to control the results of the most devastating oil spill to the Alaskan coastal habitat. ENS Martin also showed me a project she had just finished working on that mapped a specific part of the Alaskan coastal waters. The work the FAIRWEATHER does is important to both the fisheries industry and the tourist industry, with the increase in cruise lines in Alaska. The FAIRWEATHER maps the uncharted territory so that both fishing vessels and cruise ships can safely maneuver through the water. Some of the equipment used for these survey missions includes launch boats and cone penetrometer devices. These are all capable of surveying the ocean floor using sonar.
Two other launches like this one are stationed on the Fairweather
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Jeff Lawrence
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier
May 22 – June 2, 2006
Mission: Hydrography survey Geographical area of cruise: Alaska Date: May 30, 2006
AB Leslie Abramson & Chief Steve Foye piloting the ship
Weather Data from Bridge as of 0730 Hours:
Visibility: 10.0m miles
Wind direction: 350 deg. (N)
Wind Speed: 2 knots
Sea level pressure: 1018
Present weather: Scattered cirrocumulus clouds, sun shining brilliantly – It’s a beautiful morning in SE Alaska.
Temperature: 49 deg. wet/dry 50 deg.
Science and Technology Log
Earlier this week I went out on launch RA 6 to run some lines off Biorka Island. The weather was a little dreary and cold but made much warmer by the crew, which consisted of Chief Boatswain Steve Foye, AB (Able Body Seaman) Leslie Abramson, and LTJG (Lieutenant Junior Grade) Nicola Samuelson.
LTJG Nicola Samuelson collecting sonar data aboard RA 6
Seas were a little rough running between 4 and 6-foot swells, but the crew did an excellent job staying on their lines and completing the task assigned. Conditions are not always ideal, yet the job must still be done. If seas are too rough the crew will head to a bay or protected area that still needs to be worked. Steering a boat in rough sea conditions isn’t easy. Chief Foye was on board to assist AB Abramson if needed. Leslie did an excellent job controlling the boat while down below LTJG Samuelson was collecting the data from the sonar. LTJG Samuelson has finished her 2-year assignment with the RAINIER and will be heading to Rhode Island for her next duty station when we reach our next port stop of Juneau.
Personal Log
This day was an interesting one. I learned when you feel nausea or seasickness it is better to eat something even though you don’t fell like doing so at the time. I really enjoyed learning so much about the day-to-day data collection techniques used by the crew of the RAINIER. The equipment is quite sophisticated and the people using it are very well trained. LTJG Samuelson was very helpful in explaining how the data is collected, stored, retrieved, and used to make the nautical navigation charts that NOAA publishes. The boatswain crews are well trained and do a good job piloting the launch boats through strong tide currents, rocky coastlines, and even rough seas.
Questions of the Day
How deep is a fathom?
When a ship anchors there are red, white, and blue chain links to show how deep the anchor is. What is the length between these colors called?
How long is this length of chain?
How much does one anchor on the RAINIER weigh?
How much does one marked length of chain weigh on the RAINIER?
What is the keel of a ship?
What is meant when people are talking about a ship or boats draft?
What does it mean when a ships bell rings continuously for 5-6 seconds every minute when it is anchored in open water?
Thanks to Ordinary Seaman Megan Guberski for helping me to pose and answer some of these questions.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Philip Hertzog
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 25 – August 13, 2005
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: Aleutian Islands, AK Date: August 11, 2005
Weather Data from Bridge
Latitude: 58˚ 04.93’ N
Longitude: 152˚ 02.55’ W
Visibility: 10 nm
Wind Direction: 215˚
Wind Speed: 4 kts
Sea Wave Height: 0-1 feet
Sea Water Temperature: 10.6˚ C
Sea Level Pressure: 1025mb
Cloud Cover: 0, no clouds
Science and Technology Log
We continued our transit towards Homer, but made a stop in Kodiak to pick up fuel. I woke up with the sun rising in the eastern sky and ran up to the flying bridge to snap these photos of Kodiak Island as we entered the harbor at the Coast Guard Station. We stayed at the station for about four hours and had the opportunity to go on shore to the Station’s store. The RAINIER took on 17,000 gallons of diesel fuel that cost $ 20,000. This replaced the fuel we used for our travel during the past three weeks. The Coast Guard charged the ship at a rate of $ 1.18 per gallon, but other locations may over $ 2.00 a gallon.
In leaving the Station, we followed navigation buoys out of the harbor. The buoys located the deep water channel the RAINIER follows to avoid grounding. Two main types of buoys help mariners navigate waters: nuns and cans. Nuns are red in color and the tops are triangle shaped (like a nun’s cap). Cans are green with a flat top shaped (like a can): If you are returning to harbor, one keeps the red buoys on the right (starboard) side and the green buoys on the left (port) side of the ship. Leaving harbor you do the opposite, green on the right and red on the left. Everyone on board has memorized the saying “red right returning” to remember the proper side to pass buoys.
As we left Kodiak Island and headed into open waters, the bridge spots Orca whales on both sides of the ship. The Orcas traveled in small groups of two to four and surfaced to show their large dorsal fins. I spotted the large fin of a male and several females nearby. Orcas follow their mothers and the males tend to be “mamma’s boys.” The females lead the pods and can live to be over 80 years old.
Personal Log
The seas were calmer last night and the crew got some rest. People’s spirits picked up after the large halibut fishing excursion and in anticipation of a free weekend. We had clear blue skies today without a cloud in sight. We have been lucky to have three weeks without rain in Southwestern Alaska. I spent several hours on the flying bridge watching the scenery pass. Our trip is winding up and will end early tomorrow in Homer, Alaska. I am starting to think about how much I will miss being on the ship, but I’ll be glad to get back home to the Olympia/Tacoma area in Washington State. Tonight we will stop for a few hours to fish near the Barren Islands. Stay tuned for my report and my last log entry.
Question of the Day
We learned about green and red buoys. What other types of buoys do ship’s navigators need to keep them safe? Make up your own buoys and come up with a color code and shape.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Philip Hertzog
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 25 – August 13, 2005
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: Aleutian Islands, AK Date: August 6, 2005
The processing room
Weather Data from Bridge
Latitude: 56˚ 00.3’ N
Longitude: 158˚ 45.7’ W
Visibility: 10 nm
Wind Direction: light
Wind Speed: airs
Sea Wave Height: 0 feet
Sea Water Temperature: 12.2˚ C
Sea Level Pressure: 1006.0 mb
Cloud Cover: 1, cumulus, altocumulus
Science and Technology Log
I spent the afternoon in the plot room behind the bridge. After collecting data on the launches, the hydrographic technicians need to process and make it usable before sending the information to map makers in Washington, D.C. This processing takes place in the plot room.
The plot room has a large table in the middle with eight work stations crowded around the outer edge of the room. Each work station has two computer screen monitors where the technician can pull up multiple windows. The room has a couple of portholes to provide light, though these can be shaded to make the monitors more visible. I observed the Ensigns and survey technicians concentrating on their work. The plot room impressed me as the quietest location on the RAINIER with people clicking on their computer screens and checking their data for accuracy. Once in a while one of the technicians got up to ask another for clarification on a problem. The four people in the room all wore headphones to listen to CD or mp3 players.
Processing the data
The technicians processed data by first “cleaning” it up. The hydrographers put the sonar data up on the screen and looked for mistakes in the readings. Mistakes can occur by the launch computer skipping measurements or missing a GPS satellite signal. The plot room computers also adjust for the movement of the launches in several directions caused by buffeting seas. After cleaning data, the crew corrected the sonar readings for sound velocity by using the CTD probe readings taken from the launches. As noted previously, the speed of sound in water is affected by conductivity (a measurement of salt content), temperature and density). The CTD data is used to correct the sea bottom depth readings obtained from sonar. The technicians made one final correction to the sonar data by loading in tidal information to adjust for the height of the launch above mean lower low water. With the corrected sonar data, three-dimensional maps can now be generated and the hydrographer gets a picture of the ocean bottom over a wide area. Additional work will be done before the information is sent on to the chart makers off the ship.
After supper I went up to the plot room to get some photographs for this log entry. To my surprise, Ensigns filled every work station and I saw them checking on today’s data. The Ensigns discussed with Lt. Ben Evans the strategy for tomorrow’s mapping. What dedication! It’s Saturday night, yet the work never stops for the hard working crew of the RAINIER. Too bad for them, I’m going fishing now!
The hydrographers highlight the incorrect data and click on it to remove it
Personal Log
I had a very quiet day. The routine on a research vessel like the RAINIER is a mix of excitement and concentrated computer work. The crew averages about one day of cleaning and processing data for each day of collecting data on the launch. Though the computer work may seem tedious at first, think about the sense of accomplishment when you see your data become a three-D map of the ocean bottom and know that other people will use your work.
I hope my own students will recognize that hard work can pay off and provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose. The crew of the RAINIER has provided me with examples to show my middle school students that they can balance exciting work with hard dedication to make a meaningful difference to society.
Question of the Day
Why must the hydrographers carefully check their data for mistakes? What can happen if a mistake is made on a nautical chart?
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Philip Hertzog
Onboard NOAA Ship Rainier July 25 – August 13, 2005
Watching the computers
Mission: Hydrographic Survey Geographical Area: Aleutian Islands, AK Date: August 5, 2005
Weather Data from Bridge
Latitude: 56˚ 00.3’ N
Longitude: 158˚ 45.7’ W
Visibility: 10 nm
Wind Direction: light
Wind Speed: airs
Sea Wave Height: 0 feet
Sea Water Temperature: 12.2˚ C
Sea Level Pressure: 1006.0 mb
Cloud Cover: 1, cumulus, altocumulus
Science and Technology Log
I went out on launch RA 5 today to help survey more transect lines near the east entrance to Sosbee Bay and over by Spitz Island. Ensign Andrew Halbach led our survey with Greg King as the Survey Technician and Steve Foye as our coxswain.
Driving the launch
Greg King, in his late twenties, has been on board the RAINIER for about a year and graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma with a degree in geology. Prior to NOAA, Greg worked for consulting firms conducting a variety of work including environmental assessment, mining geology and hazardous waste site investigations. Greg and I know a lot of the same people from my own professional experiences prior to teaching. Greg became disillusioned with consulting and wanted to have a career where he could make a difference, help the environment and feel good about his work. A friend told Greg about NOAA so he applied, got hired, and has been happy with the work he does. Greg plans to make a career with NOAA and the federal government. Greg says most of the Survey Technicians tend to stay on the ships for a few years and then advance up into other jobs with NOAA onshore. Greg will become a father in October and NOAA will grant him several weeks of leave to spend with his new child and wife.
In the survival suit
Greg’s duties on the RAINIER include running the sonar and data recording equipment on the launches. He also puts data into the mainframe computer on board the RAINIER and looks for errors that need correction. The Survey Technicians tend to spend a few days in on the launches and then work on board the ship for a day or two processing data before going out on the water again. Above is a photo of Greg at work on the RA 5 launch. Steve Foye, our coxswain, has been on the RAINIER for about 15 years and on NOAA ships for a total of twenty years. Mr. Foye is a crusty sailor with an earthy sense of humor. Foye served in the Navy and became a meat cutter in south Seattle after finishing military service and getting married. However, Mr. Foye missed the sea and the outdoors. NOAA gave him the opportunity to travel and see Alaska. Foye particularly enjoys driving a launch all day and watching the scenery while the technicians run the sonar. All of the crewmembers speak highly of Mr. Foye and he mentors the younger deck hands. Steve Foye serves as the RAINIER’s Boatswain’s Group Leader and is responsible for ensuring the proper handling and maintenance of all the launches. Foye has a merchant marine seaman’s card, which he renews every five years. Steve takes classes and documents his sea time to renew his card. Even sailors need to continually educate themselves and keep current on the latest technologies. Many of my middle school students don’t realize that the skills they learn in school will serve them for a lifetime and they must continue to educate themselves. Above is a photo of Mr. Foye handling launch RA 5.
The control screen on the computer.
After getting underway, Mr. Foye threw a buoy overboard and yelled “man overboard.” Ensign Andrew Halbach quickly took over the helm and Greg grabbed a boat hook while I pointed at and kept my eyes on the buoy to make sure we don’t lose site of it in the rolling waves. The Ensign skillfully brought the launch around and as he approached the “victim,” turned the launch a hard left and reversed the engine. The stern of the launch swerved to the right and the starboard side ended up next to the buoy where Greg scooped it out of the water with the boat hook. Mr. Foye repeated the “man overboard” two more times with Greg and I taking a turn at the helm. Mr. Foye guided me in maneuvering the launch to the buoy, though it took me more than one try to reach our “victim.” Everyone on board the RAINIER needs these important rescue skills to ensure the safety of all crewmembers. Even the coxswain can fall over board and one needs to be prepared to take over the helm in an emergency.
After the over board drill, I practiced putting on my bright orange survival suit. I had donned it once on board the steady Rainier, but it proved challenging while rocking back and forth on the launch in the open ocean. Though the survival suit won’t keep me dry, it will allow me to live for many hours instead of a few minutes if we abandoned ship in the 50-degree waters of the Gulf of Alaska. We spent a productive day running transects and collecting bottom depth data. Ensign Halbach and Survey Tech Greg King showed me how the equipment works. They even let me run the two computers. I selected lines (transects) that we followed and then hit control “S” (for start) on the key board to write the sonar data to a computer file. When we finished a transect, I hit control “E” for end and the computer stopped logging (writing) information. We then repeated the process and the computer generated a separate file for each transect.
Catch of the day
The Ensign and Greg also showed me how to control and fine-tune the sonar. A master window on the computer controls the sonar and allows you to set power, gain and depth. The power controls the strength of the sound wave sent to the bottom. The deeper the bottom, the stronger the signal required. The gain controls how sensitive the sonar receiver picks up the sound waves bounced off the bottom. It’s like a volume control on your radio. You want to set it so you eliminate static and “hear” the music at the right loudness and quality. The depth control determines how far down the signal will go. The survey technician adjusts all three controls to account for bottom type (sandy, rocky, hard) and other factors that affect the quality of the sonar signal.
After a long day, the swell of the ocean increased and our ride on the launch became bumpy. The RAINIER has moved a few miles to the west in Sosbee Bay to seek protection from the increasing north winds. We returned to the RAINIER in time for supper and I fished out on the fantail (stern) without any luck. The steady wind from the north made it one of the coldest evenings of the trip and I put on a jacket. Around 9:30 pm a group of crewmembers returned from fishing in the launch with a catch of lingcod and rockfish (red snapper) to finish the evening.
Matt Boles, survey tech, lands the big fish of the day
Personal Log
I really enjoyed today. Steve Foye gave me a great education on how to operate the launch. I also appreciated the way Ensign Andrew Halbach and Greg King patiently taught me how to run the sonar. Using the technology gave me greater understanding about how all this works.
For supper, we had a cookout on the fantail. The stewards (cooks) had the propane barbeque grills fired up and made ribs, chicken, corn and an assortment of salads. We all sat out on the deck, talked and ate.
Question of the Day
If I wanted to pick an object out of the water to the right side of my boat, why would I turn the launch a hard left and put the motor in reverse? Explain your answer in words and include a diagram.
