steward – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

August 19, 2025August 19, 2025

Cheryl Milliken: It’s about the People (and the Sharks!), August 15, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Cheryl Milliken

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 25 – August 10, 2025

Mission: Bottom Longline Survey, Leg 1

Geographic Area of Cruise: Atlantic Coast of Florida

Date: August 15, 2025

Weather Data from the Bridge (on our Boston Whaler)

Latitude: 41° 42.48’ N

Longitude: 070° 38.34’ W

Wind speed: 0-1 kts

Wave height: 1-2 ft

Air temp.: 26.7° C

Sky: Clouds

Science and Technology Log

The end of the trip wrapped up rather quickly, requiring us to steam for a while between stations and from the last station to the port of Miami Beach, FL, by noon on August 10. During this leg we were able to sample 45 stations between Miami and Cape Hatteras, NC.

Cheryl, wearing a Teacher at Sea hat, life vest, and work gloves, holds up a sharpnose shark for a photo on the deck of NOAA Ship Oregon II. behind her we see cloudy gray sky and blue-gray water. — NOAA Teacher at Sea Cheryl Milliken holding an Atlantic sharpnose shark that she tagged with an external button tag prior to releasing over the side.

While on my trip, I wanted to highlight some of the many careers on the ship. I interviewed someone from NOAA Corps, a scientist, a survey technician, two fishermen, and an engineer to get a range of job prospects on this ship. Today I have two people who have great influence on the culture of the ship: the chief steward and the commanding officer. Each of these people took a different path to get to Oregon II, and each person had a common goal: to support and conduct solid science.

Interview with Celeste Morris

two women smile big for a photo in the galley (kitchen) — *Miss Celeste Morris, Chief Steward, and Kierra Bradley, Second Cook, in the galley. These two women were so personable and thoughtful, adding to the culture of family on NOAA Ship* Oregon II.

Anyone who has been on a vessel at least overnight knows the most important position to maintain positive morale on the ship is the chief steward (head chef!). Our trip was no exception, even though our chief steward was an augmenter. Miss Celeste Morris serves a unique role among NOAA’s vessels: she moves from one ship to another in order to take the place of (augment) the chief steward when they go on vacation. Celeste started out as a teacher in Savannah, Georgia. She volunteered on a cruise, and one of the scientists suggested she apply for a position. “Well, I can’t be an engineer, so I applied for 2^nd Cook.”

She has been on many vessels in the NOAA fleet. When not working, she likes to see her two grown daughters and her granddog. Thank you, Miss Celeste, for greeting us all with a smile and friendly conversation whenever we approached you in the galley. I loved trying all the new-to-me dishes that you made. Shoutout to Kierra Bradley, the 2^nd cook, who kept up with everyone’s dishes and made a to-die-for mac and cheese!

Interview with CO Adam Reed

a man in a NOAA Corps uniform sits across a table with his hands folded, smiling for the photo. a pair of binoculars is on the table in front of him — CO Adam Reed on the Bridge in Miami Beach, FL, on the last day of our trip.

close up view of a coffee mug with a sticker that says "NOAA Ship Fleet" and a manatee-shaped tea infuser hanging its flippers over the edge of the mug — CO Adam Reed on the Bridge in Miami Beach, FL, on the last day of our trip.

The last person on my interview list is the Commanding Officer (CO), CDR Adam Reed. CDR Reed has only a few more months on the ship; he will be transferring command to CDR Jesse Milton in January 2026. CDR Milton has had several very interesting appointments, including time on American Samoa and a 10-month stint as station science leader at the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica! Jesse was on this leg getting a feel for the vessel, and he proved himself to be ready and knowledgeable when that time comes. In the meantime, CDR Reed will stay at the helm to support the Southeast Fisheries Science Center on NOAA Ship Oregon II.

five NOAA Corps officers in blue uniforms at work at different roles on the bridge of NOAA Ship Oregon II — *NOAA Corps Officers on the Bridge following docking in Miami Beach, FL. From L to R: Ensign Vincenzo LeDonne, CO Adam Reed, Cdr Tracy Miller, LT Luke Petzy, XO Pete Gleichauf, and CO Jesse Milton.*

This leg seemed to have an abundance of NOAA Corps officers, but that may be a typical situation. Along with CDR Adam Reed and Jesse Milton, CAPT Tracy Miller, director of training for OMAO (Office of Marine and Aviation Operations) Training, was present to command a shift. LT Luke Petzy was generally at the helm during my watch, and commissioned bridge officer ENS Vincenzo LeDonne was on with the night watch. LCDR Pete Gleichauf, the Executive Officer (XO) of the ship, had to read all my blogs to make sure there were no errors, and for his positive comments I am grateful. Many of these NOAA Corps officers, as well as the crew, had background training in science but ended up on this support path.

CDR Adam Reed has been in the NOAA Corps for nearly 18 years. He is originally from Colorado and graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Engineering Physics. This is his first time as CO on a NOAA vessel, but he has spent time as XO on three other ships: NOAA Ship Rainier (around Alaska), NOAA Ship Fairweather (Rainier’s sister ship in Alaska), and NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler (a coastal mapping vessel that works along the Great Lakes to the Gulf of America [formerly Gulf of Mexico]). NOAA Corps officers generally serve in a rotation of sea assignment lasting 2 years, followed by a 3-year land assignment. CDR Reed was stationed at Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) in Woods Hole, MA, prior to his current appointment on Oregon II. When his duties end here, he will be stationed at Newport, RI.

What do you like most about the job?

“I like traveling to all the different places and ports. I consider myself a foodie, so I like to go out to local restaurants.”

I know you live in Falmouth, MA, with your wife when you’re not at sea. What are your favorite restaurants there?

“I’d have to say Bluefins [Bluefins Sushi & Bar on Main Street in Falmouth], but we go to the Pickle Jar more often [also on Main Street]. We can walk to downtown, which is great.”

What hobbies do you have?

“I like to play video games and Dungeons and Dragons. I play curling in Falmouth. I like to ski in Colorado.” [He also loves puns! Sometimes the daily plan will have a pun from him to lighten the mood.]

If you could invent any tool to make your work more efficient and cost were no object, what would it be and why?

“The one tool [that is already invented] would be dynamic positioning. It’s an integrated system of computer controls that coordinate all engines automatically. Smaller ships can do this, but Oregon II is very analog. O II is single screw, meaning only one propeller. Some ships in NOAA’s fleet, like Okeanos Explorer, have that [technology].”

Drifter update

Here are links to see where our drifters are:

map of the southeastern U.S. coast from North Carolina to Florida (28 to 34 degrees North and roughly 81 to 75 degrees West.) a trackline of colored dots snakes up the east coast and then turns inland at North Carolina. the color scale ranges from 27-32 degrees Celsius. — Drifter 1 movement through Aug 19, 2025

map of the eastern U.S. coast from South Carolina to New Jersey (29 to 35 degrees North and roughly 79 to 72 degrees West.) a trackline of colored dots heads northeast, makes a loop off of South Carolina, and continues east out into the Atlantic. the color scale ranges from 28-30 degrees Celsius. — Drifter 1 movement through Aug 19, 2025

As of today, Drifter #1 is about 20 miles east of Topsail Beach, just north of Wilmington, NC. Drifter #2 made a solid loop in its track but now appears to be back in the Gulf Stream. Although we were nervous that we would not be close enough to the Gulf Stream during our initial plan to launch Drifter #3, it appears to have progressed well in that path.

Personal Log

Now that I am home and have some time to reflect, I appreciate how everyone on NOAA Ship Oregon II welcomed me into their family. Living on the ship for seventeen days requires patience, grace, and courtesy, and my shipmates were well-versed in all of that and more. I have to get back to school on August 26 (students start on September 2), and I know these folks are rooting for me to teach my students all about how I spent my summer.

a group photo of 8 people wearing life vests, standing in a line along the aft deck of NOAA Ship Oregon II. — Day watch

a group photo of five people in a line on the deck of NOAA Ship Oregon II. the city of Miami is visible in the distance across the water. — Day watch

First photo: Day watch, L to R: Evan Winters (volunteer), Tera Winters (contractor), Sean Gronquist (skilled fisherman), Cheryl Milliken (NOAA Teacher at Sea), Mike Fountain (oiler and stand-in crane operator and fisherman), Trey Driggers (chief scientist), Josh Cooper (lead boatswain), and Gretchen Kruizenga (senior survey technician).

Second photo: Night watch, L to R: Lila Xenakis (volunteer), Henry Legett (volunteer), Kristin Hannan (acting Fieldwork Coordinator and lead of night watch), Nick Hopkins (Fisheries Methods and Equipment Specialist at SEFSC), and Noah Harris (volunteer).

Prior to sailing, I was most concerned about seasickness. At my annual physical, I explained my trip to my primary care physician, and she prescribed Scopolamine patches for my time at sea. I was fortunate that when we left Pascagoula, we were in calm seas for a few days, and noticeable waves didn’t hit us until we were heading up the east coast of Florida. At that point, I felt a little queasy, but I chewed on some candied ginger and made sure to drink lots of water! I now know that there is a successful way for me to manage seasickness over a long period of time at sea. That was a game changer!

The meals on the ship were outstanding. We always had a choice of two meat entrees, a side, and fresh vegetables. Lots of people on the ship were focusing on getting enough protein, and Celeste met those needs with healthy portions. We had to sacrifice the large red groupers and red snappers for age and growth measurements (by extracting the ear stones, or otoliths), so people filleted the meat off those individuals, and we all enjoyed some fresh fish. The crew have amassed a huge assortment of condiments (including mayonnaise that doesn’t need refrigeration…!), so it was fun to try new sauces on things like pulled chicken and chicken tenders. My love for roasted vegetables has increased thanks to Celeste offering items I don’t generally eat!

It’s funny to think about the crew out on another leg, while I and several of my colleagues on Leg 1 will only sail once. I think a bunch of the volunteers will go out again, but my perspective of the cruise is the 16-day snapshot of our specific time together. Kristin Hannan is out with Teacher at Sea Robert Markuske, training him and helping to launch more ocean drifters.

I am excited to see what Lila Xenakis does in the future. She is a master’s student in the Daly-Engel Shark Conservation Lab at Florida Tech (Florida Institute of Technology). Students from this lab try to volunteer on the shark bottom longline survey because they get fin clip samples from sharks caught during the survey, which adds to their database of genetic samples. They need hundreds of samples to examine populations of sharks in a meaningful way, and it’s not fair to ask for samples without pitching in. Besides, who doesn’t want to experience sharks up close and personal?

Dr. Toby Daly-Engel and her students examine ecology and reproductive strategies of different shark species by examining patterns in nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Some shark species exhibit philopatry, meaning they go back to their birthplace in order to reproduce. This behavior is also exhibited in turtles and river herring, for example. By looking at the DNA, these scientists can tell if the populations are mixing or if they are inbred. Samples from east of Florida and the southeast can answer these questions. The more questions that are answered, the more there are to answer! Scientific research is a never-ending journey to find the answers.

Did You Know?

Sharks have a unique organ for digestion known as the spiral valve. The microbiome (microorganisms that live) in sharks’ spiral valves differs not only from species to species, but even among the layers of the valve in an individual! The microbiome, or bacteria, must help digest different parts of their meal as it moves through the spiral valve.

Something to think about:

While on our trip, we were targeting large sharks and large reef fishes because of the hook size that was used. Meanwhile, in the waters around Cape Cod this summer people have seen several hammerhead sharks and a juvenile tiger shark: Hammerhead Sightings Increase In Upper Cape Waters; Fisherman Hooks Tiger Shark. In addition, the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, with the help of MA Division of Marine Fisheries shark biologist Greg Skomal, tagged ten great white sharks in Cape Cod Bay this past month. Of course, this is the 50th anniversary of the release of Jaws, so the many events to signify this occasion keep sharks forefront in our minds here on the Cape.

Are the sharks being seen more frequently because people are looking for them? Is more food available to these sharks than in the past? Is the increase in temperature of waters off Cape Cod causing the sharks to stretch their distribution further north, or is it an anomaly? We will have to see, and I am glad NOAA Fisheries is out there collecting data on fishes over a long time frame to be able to make informed decisions about the species that are commercially important to us.

August 20, 2023August 23, 2023

Germaine Thomas: Hurry up and Wait, or What to do when the Weather Sets In, August 16, 2023

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Germaine Thomas (she/her)

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

August 7 – August 21, 2023

Mission: Acoustic Trawl Survey (Leg 3 of 3)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean/ Gulf of Alaska
Date: Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Weather Data
Lat 59.47 N, Lon 144.1 W
Sky condition: Cloudy with Rain
Wind Speed: 22.62 knots
Wind Direction: 125.44°
Air Temp: 14 °C

Science and Technology Lab

While on the third leg of our cruise we have had a lot of weather delays, so when the going gets rough the Oscar Dyson science team calibrates! Plus they do not hesitate to work on a couple special projects. No time is wasted. In a secluded bay, waiting for the storm to pass, lots of work can be done to further science.

As I mentioned, this summer has been cold, dark, rainy, and windy. As a fisher person who works in this environment, I cannot overstate how important the internet has become with weather apps like Windy. They accumulate data from oceanic buoys, local weather stations, and satellite images to create a picture like the one you see below.

a screenshot showing simple political map of the Gulf of Alaska coastline. it has been colored with a scale to indicate wind speed. small white dashes are scattered through the image, showing the wind blowing up from the southwest, into the center of the coastline, curving counterclockwise toward Anchorage. A few major locations are labeled with air temperatures: Anchorage: 59 degrees, Homer: 57 degrees, Kodiak: 55 degrees, Juneau: 55 degrees, Whitehorse: 59 degrees. — This image is from the weather app Windy. The white lines indicate the wind direction and the warmer colors are higher wind speeds.

The crew and scientists were able to be proactive in their decision to find a safe place to harbor and then could set up a work plan through the weather day.

Calibration of the Ships Echosounders

The Oscar Dyson’s echo sounders get calibrated about four times a year, at the start and end of the winter and summer field seasons. Because this is the last leg of the cruise, and we are nearing the end of the summer, a weather day is a good day to make sure they are working well

The first step in calibration is to set up down riggers on the starboard, port and aft decks.

Abigail, Robert, and Matthew pose for a photo in the wet lab, each holding a downrigger. The downriggers look like heavy-duty black fishing poles that can be secured onto the deck railings. Abigail is wearing a red light headlamp. — From left to right Abigail McCarthy, Robert Levine and Matthew Phillips, part of the night crew, head outside to place the down riggers.

Once placed, the downrigger lines are very cleverly connected underneath the boat, so all three lines meet.

a downrigger, which looks like a heavy-duty black fishing pole, attached to a railing of the ship. a fishing line extends down from the end into the water, angled back toward the ship to meet up with the other lines. The water is a calm, gray-blue, with fog-shrouded mountains not far in the distance. — Downrigger mounted on a railing

Where all three lines meet, a single line is suspended directly down underneath the keel of the boat where the echo sounders are located. The down line has a tungsten carbide sphere suspended above a lead weight. The scientists use the known target of the sphere and the known properties of the water column to figure out the difference between expectations and reality in their calibration. The tungsten carbide sphere works extremely well for calibration because it is extremely dense when compared to water, has a known sound reflection, and allows calibration at multiple frequencies.

photo of a computer screen; on the left, many circles (most blue, some white, one red) within a larger circle; on the right, a table full of numbers. — Pictured above is a screen scientists see as they are moving the sphere around for calibration.

The picture is showing a black circle representing the transducer face as observed from above. The blue dots represent individual measurements of the reflected echo of the calibration sphere as it is moved around in the transducer beam. Using this calibration software the scientists can evaluate the measurement sensitivity and the beam characteristics of the echo sounders.

Calibrating the acoustics was not the only event that happened while weathered deep in a fjord arm of Nuka Bay.

The MiniCam

While waiting out the weather, other members of the science team had a chance to work with a new piece of equipment called a minicam.

small underwater camera apparatus sitting on deck — The MiniCam, pictured above, has two stereo cameras which can film marine organisms.

The purpose of this camera is to connect the images it records to the backscatter shown with the Oscar Dyson‘s echo sounders. Again, backscatter, as I mentioned in the previous blog, are images that are produced when the echosounders’ different frequencies are reflected back to the ship. The images created by sound are shown on a computer screen and can be used to identify different species of fish or other marine organisms. The images need to be verified by either the minicam or trawl sampling. Scientists want to make sure that the length and species of what they see in the camera can relate to the scaling of the backscatter. The minicam was deployed by scientists and the crew several times to look at the fish and euphausiids in the water column, while we waited out the bad weather.

Germaine and another crewmember, wearing life vests, hard hats, and boots, stand on deck in the evening. the minicam, attached to cables extending beyond the top of the image, sits on deck near the railing, awaiting deployment. In the background, we can just barely see dark blue water, and a darker blue mountain, hidden in fog. — Getting ready to suspend the MiniCam before it is lifted over the side of the boat from the Hero deck.

Recreational Fish Finders “Little Pingers” Project

This is a project by NOAA oceanographer Robert Levine. The echosounders that are suspended below the Oscar Dyson are extremely precise and expensive. Robert and a colleague want to compare the echosounder’s data/readout for recreational fish finders to the echosounders on the Oscar Dyson. There are situations where scientists would love to monitor fish and marine organisms’ populations, but may not need the accuracy and precision of the scientific Simrad echosounders.

Robert, wearing a life vest, works on a laptop inside a storage area with one door open to an outer deck. he appears to be sitting on an overturned bucket. in front of him, another overturned bucket props up equipment (probably fish finders). Behind Robert, we see other equipment, hoses, life preservers, a fire extinguisher, a ladder. — Robert Levine working with the ” Little Pingers.” Environments on board a ship can be challenging to work in, as seen here.

They also might not be able to recover the fish finders, so having them less expensive is very important.

At this point they are just collecting data and monitoring performance with the recreational fish finders, affectionately called “little pingers.” Later in the project they will do more of a data comparison to the Oscar Dyson‘s echo sounders.

Personal Log

On board a ship, one way to keep the crew’s spirits up in bad weather is excellent food. According to the people I have worked with so far on the cruise, the meals on this leg of the acoustic-trawl survey have been amazing.

Meet The Dream Galley Team

Rodney and Angelo pose for a photo against a wall in the mess. They are standing in front of a coffee machine. Rodney wears an Oscar Dyson trucker cap. Angelo is wearing a black chef's uniform. — From left to right, Rodney Bynum and Angelo Santos

Meet the Dream Galley Team. From left to right, Rodney Bynum and Angelo Santos. These men share a passion for food and see how it brings smiles to the faces of their customers, friends, and family. Both have fathers who worked on ships in the Steward Department. Rodney fondly remembers his father bringing home exotic food from all over the world. His father inspired him to open a Soul Food restaurant in Norfolk, Virginia. Years later, Rodney decided to take his culinary career in a different direction: cooking on a ship. The Oscar Dyson was his first time working on a ship and he has really enjoyed it thus far. The crew loves his congenial personality, mad cooking skills, and awe-inspiring work ethic.

Angelo started cooking at the age of 11, often helping his mom roll lumpia (Filipino egg rolls) and make other traditional Filipino food while religiously watching Giada de Laurentis, Emeril Lagasse, and Ina Garten on Food Network. Angelo grew up in San Francisco and rural Oregon, spent 3 years in San Diego, and is now based in Oregon once again while traveling the world for work. In Oregon, he decided to major in Culinary Arts and graduated with his associate’s degree after going through Linn-Benton Community College’s Culinary program. Angelo mentioned, “culinary school isn’t required, but it helps you gain a fundamental understanding of cooking to prepare you for the real world.” He recommends trying out a restaurant job before spending money on tuition for culinary school.

East Coast meets West Coast aboard the Oscar Dyson. Both men have solid fundamentals in cooking from their years of experience as restaurant chefs. Angelo is the Chief Steward while Rodney is the 2nd Cook. The Chief Steward is in charge of galley operations while the 2nd cook provides breakfast and assists as needed. Chief Steward is like an Executive Chef position on land while 2nd cook is like a breakfast cook/prep cook/dishwasher. Rodney and Angelo often collaborate for menu ideas and feed off each other’s passion for delicious food.

Both of them enjoyed high school and had lots of advice for students looking into a career in Culinary Arts. As I interviewed them, they’d often finish each others’ sentences in agreement.

Rodney: “If you’re looking to become a good chef, don’t be afraid to taste everything, including food that may not be familiar to you. Every job in the kitchen matters, whether it’s the prep cook, dishwasher, or executive chef. Learn every position and never stop learning.”

Angelo attended culinary school shortly after graduating high school, so he found it to be stressful and chaotic, but very rewarding. He mentioned, “Focus as much as possible on having a good work-life balance. Find the joy in simple pleasures, take care of your mental health, and make friends outside of work. Work on networking with peers who share your passion for food as well as people outside of your cohort. Connections can help a lot.” Angelo enjoys cooking on ships because the compensation was very good. The only chef jobs on land that compare to this salary are executive chefs at very high end venues and private/personal chefs. Being able to travel around the world on business was a cool perk of being a chef at sea.

Overall, both men agreed that some of the best moments of pursuing a career in the food industry have been about seeing the joy that good food brings to people. Life is too short to not eat well and this is especially appreciated when one works on a ship. It makes all the difference for the morale of a ship to know that while you’re away from your loved ones, you can still eat well.

Finally, I have to give Angel credit for helping me write the sections about the “Dream Galley Team,” not only is he a great cook but also a fantastic writer.

top down view of a purple mug on a red table containing a latte with foam designs — This beautiful latte was made by Angelo Santos on the *Oscar Dyson*

August 24, 2022August 26, 2022

George Hademenos: (Working) 9 to 5…and Then Some When at Sea, August 24, 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

George Hademenos

Aboard R/V Tommy Munro

July 19 – 27, 2022

Mission: Gulf of Mexico Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Eastern Gulf of Mexico

Date: August 24, 2022

In the prior blog post, I focused my attention on the ship that I would be sailing on during Leg 1 of the Summer SEAMAP Groundfish Survey and then took you on a virtual tour of the various compartments and areas of the R/V Tommy Munro. The ship is an enclosed, confined space and thus I found myself spending much of my time in most of the compartments and areas of the ship during my time on the cruise. In this post, I would like to describe what life was like on the ship as a member of the science team.

Work schedule

My primary role as a Teacher at Sea was to participate in the research process for this cruise – Summer Groundfish Survey. The detailed step-by-step description of the preparation, collecting, measuring, and analysis of sampling specimens of marine life will be covered in the following blog post. However, regarding the work conducted on the ship, research is ongoing continuously on a 24-hour schedule. The science research team was grouped into two teams with each team working a 12-hour shift. The two teams worked either the AM shift (12:00 am Midnight – 12:00 pm Noon) or the PM shift (12:00 pm Noon – 12:00 am Midnight), seven days a week. I was assigned the PM shift, which took a little getting used to but after the first full shift, the schedule became a routine schedule.

Small living quarters

One of things I should have packed prior to the cruise was a football helmet. Why you might ask? In the prior post as I took you on a tour of the R/V Tommy Munro, I showed pictures of my living quarters on the ship and my bed which provided limited space. If you will recall, my bed was the bottom bunk to the left in the photo below.

A collage of two images. On the left, a view of a closed door (simple, wooden, with a knob, could be in a house.) Several pieces of laminated paper are taped to the door. One reads: State Quarters 2. The next are the two pages of the Emergency Station Bill (not close enough to read). On the right, a photo looking inside the stateroom, where we can see four bunks. — My living quarters aboard the R/V *Tommy Munro*.

In fact, as I retired to my bed on the first night, I bumped my head. I then got up to go to the bathroom and I bumped my head. Returning to the bed and positioning myself under the covers, I bumped my head yet again. After bumping my head an additional 1,374 times (not really but it seemed like an accurate enough number), I wish I had thought to pack a football helmet but I was not the only one having trouble moving in my bed without bumping my head. My bunkmates experienced the same thing – apparently a normal occurrence in life at sea.

Meals

One thing to note that while aboard the ship, I never… and I mean never… found myself hungry. There were all sorts of food to accommodate all tastes for all workers at all hours of the day and night. The cook on board the R/V Tommy Munro, John Z., was an amazing cook and continuously worked his magic in the kitchen to prepare three square meals for the crew and research staff. The three meals were breakfast at 5:30 am, lunch at 11:30 am, and dinner at 5:30 pm. One of my many pleasant memories after working one of my shifts and getting to bed by 1:30 am was being awoken by the smell of bacon wafting through the ship. Although I was going on 4 hours of sleep and was dead tired, the bacon was calling… no, scratch that… screaming my name and I was dressed and had a seat at the dining table within 15 minutes. Because of the long shifts often involving hard, strenuous work, many of the crew would sleep through a meal or two. However, leftovers of the prior meal were always available to those sleeping in to be heated up and enjoyed later. Lunch was the one meal that could be enjoyed by the PM crew before starting their shift and be the AM crew as they completed their shift on their way to bed. Some examples of meals that I enjoyed during my time on the R/V Tommy Munro is shown in the collage below.

DO NOT Touch that Fish but… Bon Appétit!

As an educator interested in any and all things science, I would always look forward to the end of the sampling process and the emptying of the nets to survey our catch – a grab bag of a variety of different types of marine life and species. I had seen images of several types of marine life contained within the nets and recognized even fewer numbers by their name, but again this was an opportunity to learn and every sampling increased my library of marine science knowledge. During one such sampling (as shown in the photo below), I noted a multitude of one species of fish that were unique in their presence and I quickly understood them to be a species of lionfish.

a pile of fish on deck next to a stack of empty sorting bins. there are at least four, maybe as many as seven, lionfish visible in the pile. They are easily identifiable by their pink, orange, and white stripes and marbling and their frilly fins. — The collection of fish from a sampling.

I was somewhat familiar with lionfish and knew them to be an invasive species, detrimental to marine ecosystems. For those interested in learning more about lionfish, please review the two graphics below:

a poster about invasive and venomous lionfish. "With their distinctive venomous spines and aggressive nature, this invasive species has thrived in U.S. coastal waters because they have no natural predators--until now. Whole Foods stores in Florida are selling the 'white, buttery meat' of the fish, hoping to take a bite out of the non-native species hurting Florida's offshore reefs." — An infographic describing the features and habitat of the lionfish.
Credit: Hiram Henriquez / H2H Graphics & Design Inc.

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Invasive Lionfish By the Numbers. Biology: 50,000 eggs every 3 days. 1 Year to Maturity. 30 Year Lifespan. 18 venomous spines. Distribution: 17x density in Atlantic vs. native Pacific range. Reach depths of 1,000 feet. 1985: year first found off Miami, FL. 4 U.S. national marine sanctuaries invaded: 1) Monitor, 2) Gray's Reef, 3) Florida Keys, 4) Flower Garden Banks. Map of invaded area (Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, eastern U.S. coast) and area projected for invasion (Brazilian coast.) Control: 164 restaurants serving lionfish. 51,420 lbs of commercial lionfish caught in U.S. 28,770 lionfish removed during REEF sanctioned lionfish derbies. Impacts: Invasive species threaten coral reefs. Before invasion: (illustration of diverse fish assemblage on reef) after invasion: (mostly lionfish.) Over 100 prey fish species. 1,000 lionfish can consume 5 million prey fish in 1 year. 0 known predators. — An infographic depicting invasive lionfish by the numbers. Download full version here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lionfish/invasive-lionfish-by-the-numbers.pdf

and access the Invasive Lionfish Web portal at:

http://lionfish.gcfi.org/education-outreach#front_page_accordion-block-5

Lionfish adversely impact coral reefs by feeding on herbivores which in turn feed on and keep a check of algae growth as well as pose a danger to any organism that comes in direct contact with them. They carry venomous spines which contain a deadly poison that can initiate a severe and painful allergic reaction in humans and can be fatal when in contact with other marine species. This is exactly why I was warned several times to avoid touching the lionfish… orders I followed to a T. When the sampling was brought into the wet lab for analysis, I asked Andre D. and my team members Kyle A. and Jacob G. questions about lionfish to find out more information about this interesting species of fish. We were discussing its detrimental impact to marine ecosystems, and the efforts currently underway to curtail the population of lionfish, when the ship’s cook, John Z., mentioned that they are very delicious and often served in seafood dishes like fish tacos. He went on to explain that one strategy to control the population of lionfish was to see if they could be eaten and if people would find it palatable. It turned out that this was the case for lionfish. I did not know that lionfish could be eaten and expressed surprise. He waited until the analysis of the sampling was over and then took two lionfish to the kitchen, cooked them, and brought the prepared fish to us in the wet lab to taste. I did and John Z. was right – it was very delicious!

a collage of two photos titled, "Lionfish Just Caught... and Just Cooked." on the left, a basket of lionfish sorted out from the sample. on the right, a paper plate with cooked lionfish meat. — Lionfish captured…and consumed!

Seasickness

During the Orientation webinar for all Teacher at Sea educators who would be sailing this season, the topic of seasickness came up and it was strongly suggested to have Dramamine on hand to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of motion sickness. Nawww, I’ll be OK. It would be one less thing to worry about during packing. My wife thought differently and urged me to take some with me…just to have on hand. So, I did pack some Dramamine just in case I need it. Well, on the first night of my cruise, it turned out that I needed it. As much as I thought I would be OK once the ship set sail, my stomach thought otherwise and experienced a mild case of nausea. I did take some Dramamine and allowed me to get some restful sleep and everything was fine. Dramamine did come in handy a couple of other times, particularly when the waters became more choppier than usual, but for the most part, I feel that I adjusted to life at sea quite well. Nevertheless, I was glad I had Dramamine with me.

No Wi-Fi

As a science teacher engaged in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like Teacher at Sea, I am particularly excited about sharing my experiences…as they happen in real time. However, updating blog posts, uploading photos to Facebook, or engaging followers through social media can only happen if Wi-Fi is available. The NOAA fleet of research vessels are equipped with Wi-Fi which as I was reminded on frequent occasions can be weak and intermittent. However, the R/V Tommy Munro was not part of NOAA and had no Wi-Fi. It was not possible for me to communicate my observations, my photos, and my narratives as a Teacher at Sea while it was happening. It just meant I would have to wait until the end of the cruise to begin sharing my experience.

On Deck scenic views

Although many might think that the lack of Wi-Fi would be a major inconvenience, I actually found it to be refreshing, offering me opportunities to simply relax. After a long shift and getting some rest, I would often go up to the top deck and just look gaze all around. At what you are probably wondering? Enjoy a sample of the breathtaking views I enjoyed from my perch atop the deck of the R/V Tommy Munro.

a collage of five photos titled, "Breathtaking Views of the Scenery Aboard the R/V Tommy Munro." Clockwise from top left: 1) the sun shines on water out the fantail of the R/V Tommy Munro. 2) sunsets in an orange sky over the water. 3) the wake of R/V Tommy Munro breaks otherwise smooth waters at daytime. 4) another view over the water at sunset. 5) somewhat choppier conditions and rain visible on the horizon. — Scenic views from aboard the R/V *Tommy Munro*.

In this installment of my exercise of the Ocean Literacy Framework, I would like to ask you to respond to three questions about the fourth essential principle:

The ocean made Earth habitable.

presented in a Padlet accessed by the following link:

https://tinyurl.com/32kdpx3e

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers – the questions serve not as an opportunity to answer yes or no, or to get answers right or wrong; rather, these questions serve as an opportunity not only to assess what you know or think about the scope of the principle but also to learn, explore, and investigate the demonstrated principle. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, please indicate so in the blog and I would be glad to answer your questions and initiate a discussion.

July 18, 2019July 18, 2019

Meg Stewart: What’s it Like to Work on a NOAA Ship? July 18, 2019

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Meg Stewart

Aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather

July 8 – 19, 2019

Mission: Cape Newenham Hydrographic Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: July 18, 2019

Weather Data from the Bridge
Latitude: 54° 09.9 N
Longitude: 161° 46.3 W
Wind: 22 knots NW
Barometer: 1014.2 mb
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Temperature: 55.6° F or 13.1° C
Weather: Partly cloudy, no precipitation

Careers at Sea Log, or Meet the ….

Life at sea on the Ship Fairweather, this past week and a half, with some 42 crew members, has been something I have never experienced. The closest thing that I can think of was when I was in undergraduate geology field camp, living in close quarters for weeks on end, with the same people, working together towards a goal. But I knew all of those field camp students; we were in college together. This is different. Everyone works here on the Fairweather and this is their job and their home. We’re all adults and no one knows anyone when they first come aboard. So, if you are friendly, open to people and welcoming, you can get to know some folks quickly. If you’re shy or try to ease in slowly, it may be a harder adjustment, living on a 231-foot heaving, rolling, pitching and yawing, ice-strengthened, welded steel hydrographic survey vessel. It’s a unique environment. And there are a lot of different but interesting jobs that people do here on the Fairweather. Here are but a few of the mariners on the ship.

NOAA Corps – The first group of ship crew that I’ll talk about are NOAA Corps officers. NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (or NOAA Corps) is one of the nation’s seven uniformed services and they are an integral part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA Corps support nearly all of NOAA’s programs and missions.

XO Sam Greenaway, the Executive Officer on NOAA Ship Fairweather

Commander Greenaway is the Executive Officer onboard Fairweather and that work entails a variety of tasks that all function under the heading “administering the ships business.” Greenaway’s number one job is as the ship’s Safety Officer and he has additional tasks that include purchase requests from the departments, lining up contractors, making sure everyone has their training up-to-date, handling human resource issues, and accounting of the ship’s finances. On the Fairweather, Greenaway is second in command. He loves being at sea and has always liked sailing, which is one of his hobbies when not on the ship. What Greenaway least expected to be doing as a NOAA Corps officer was managing people but he finds that he loves that part of the job. Greenaway has a bachelors of science degree in Physics from Brown University and a masters degree in Ocean Engineering from University in New Hampshire.

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Ensign Jeffrey Calderon is a NOAA Corps Junior Officer and has been on Ship Fairweather for two years. Calderon was previously with the Air Force for eight years and also with the National Guard for about four years. His duties on the ship include driving small boats, doing hydrographic surveys, bridge duty on the ship, and he’s the medical officer on board. Calderon enjoys the challenges he gets with NOAA Corps and likes to manage small teams and decide priorities. He learned about NOAA Corps from his college advisor at the University of Maryland, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics.

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Ensign Iris Ekmanis is also a Junior Officer who recently completed her basic training for the NOAA Corps. She has been on Ship Fairweather for about a month and a half. She chose NOAA Corps because she wanted to utilize her degree in Marine Science (from University of Hawaii, Hilo) and had worked on boats for six years. She likes that she has been learning new things everyday, like how to pilot the ship from the bridge, learning to coxswain a launch, and learning to use the hydrographic software to collect bathymetric data. In fact, when we left the dock in Dutch Harbor at the beginning of the leg, Ekmanis had the conn, which means she maneuvered the ship through her orders to the helm (although she had plenty of people around her in case she needed assistance.)

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Survey team – The hydrographic survey team is involved in all aspects of collecting the data and generating the bathymetric surfaces that will be used to make updated nautical charts. They don’t drive the boats and ships, they run the software, take the casts that determine water salinity and temperature, tell the coxswain where to motor to next and then process the data back on Ship Fairweather. There are six members on the survey team; here are two of them.

Ali Johnson has been a hydrographer on the Ship Fairweather for two and a half years. She told me she always knew she wanted to work in ocean science in some capacity so she earned a degree in Environmental Studies at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. With this job, Johnson enjoys going to places that most people don’t ever get to see and one of the highlights was surveying while dodging icebergs and seeing the interesting bathymetry as a result of glacial deposits, another was seeing an advancing glacier up close. She is the hydrographer who showed me most of the ropes on the ship, the launch surveys and in the plot room.

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Michelle Wiegert has been with NOAA Ship Fairweather since last September. Although she did not lay eyes on the ocean until she was nineteen, she always knew she would do some ocean-based work. Wiegert earned a double major in Biology and Spanish from Metropolitan State University of Denver in Colorado and studied Applied Science Marine Technology at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC. As a Survey team member, she loves that she is working at sea and the fact that every day is different and she is always learning new things.

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Ship Stewards – The stewards are the crew members who make the three square meals a day. The food on Ship Fairweather has been outstanding and every meal seems like two or even three meals in one because the stewards offer so much variety, including vegetarian and vegan options. There are four stewards on the Fairweather and they are all as nice as can be. Here is one of them.

Carrie Mortell has been a steward with the Fairweather for two years and with NOAA for fifteen. She has ten years of commercial fisheries experience in southeast Alaska and she loves the ocean. Mortell told me she feels more comfortable at sea than on land. She likes to keep busy in her downtime by reading, writing letters, crocheting, cooking & baking and drawing.

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Deck Department – The Fairweather’s Deck Department takes care of general ship maintenance, cleaning decks, painting, operating cranes, helming the ship, and coxswaining the launches. There are currently eight members of the Deck Department and I interviewed one for this post.

Eric Chandler has been an Able Seaman with NOAA for one and a half years. He has driven the launches, taught coxswains-in-training, been a ship medic, moved launches with a davit, repaired jammed grab samplers, and many other tasks. Chandler started working on boats in 2016 when he was a deckhand, educator and naturalist on tour boats out of Seward, AK. He has also been a professional photographer and an auto mechanic. Chandler likes being on a ship because he sees remote places, gets to learn new skills all the time, and likes the feeling of being self-sufficient.

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Visitors to NOAA Ship Fairweather – I am a visitor to Ship Fairweather but I am not the only temporary person onboard. Here are two of the four of us who are “just passing through.”

Fernando Ortiz has been a Physical Scientist with NOAA since 2008 and works out of Western Regional Center in Seattle, WA. He was visiting the Fairweather on the same leg is mine. NOAA Physical Scientists normally work in the office but will go on a NOAA ship at least once a year to support field operations. Ortiz will possibly do the quality control check on the data for the Cape Newenham project in the future. Ortiz has a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Washington, Seattle WA. His advice for people looking for a similar career is to take science classes and he emphasized having Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and programming experience.

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Christine Burns, Knauss Fellow through NOAA Sea Grant

Christine Burns is visiting from Washington, DC, where she is a Knauss Fellow through NOAA Sea Grant. She is on a one-year post-graduate marine policy fellowship with NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. She wanted to see what the hydrographic research going on so came out to Dutch Harbor as part of her fellowship. Burns has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, and a masters in Marine Science from the University of Georgia in Savannah, GA. As she was visiting like I was and we were both very much observers, Burns filled me in on some scholarship and internship ideas she has for high school students and those students thinking of careers and college after high school graduation. By the way, once you’re nearing the end of college or have graduated already, don’t forget that there is usually career advisory office and your alumni network at your institution. You can make connections, seek advice, ask about positions, among other important functions those offices and groups do for you.
Hollings Scholars – for current college sophomores, this is an undergraduate scholarship and internship through NOAA
EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program – this is the Hollings Scholarship for students attending HBCU or Minority Serving Institutions
Student Conservation Association – a good place to get work and volunteer experiences or a gap year opportunity, for people 18-35 interested in land management.
Youth Conservation Corps – a summer youth employment program that engages young people in meaningful work experiences on national parks, forests, and so on.
USAJobs – this link has summer internships for college students or recent graduates.
Rotary Clubs can help students find scholarships and volunteer opportunities
Unions – you can find paid internships or educational opportunities through unions for skills such as pipefitters, electrical, plumbing, etc.

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Next post: the Engineering Department of the Ship Fairweather

Personal Log

I am impressed and awed by the people who have chosen living and working on a ship. When I first came aboard the Fairweather, I felt everything was a little cramped and the space was confined. I couldn’t figure out how to get around very well. Now, I don’t get lost as often. It isn’t easy to live and work on a ship, but there are plenty of folks on the Fairweather who happily chose it.

I’ve enjoyed looking out at sea as we are underway. I try to spot whales and other flying and leaping sea critters. We have one more long transit before arriving back to Dutch Harbor so I am going to head up to the flying bridge and see what I can see.

Did You Know?

The Fairweather makes its own potable water. When I was shown the engine room, I was also shown the reverse osmosis water making machine that turns sea water into fresh water. The ship never runs out!

Quote of the Day

“It is not that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better.” – Sir Francis Drake

September 11, 2018

Justin Garritt: Paired Trawling, X-raying, and The Galley Master: September 11, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Justin Garritt

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

September 1-14, 2018

Mission: Hake Research

Geographical area of cruise: Seattle, Washington to Newport, Oregon

Date: September 9-11, 2018: Day 7-9

Location: West of the Columbia River and Astoria, Oregon

Where Are We? After fishing off of the Straits of Juan de Fuca on Friday and Saturday, we headed south. We ended up west of the Columbia River off the coast of Astoria, Oregon and continued to fish for a few days.

Heather and I with a large hake

A canary rock fish

Hello Sunday morning!

A chilly morning aboard the Shimada outside the Oregon coast

Beautiful cloudy evening

Cruise ship

Lots of krill

The fishing and sampling continues: A typical day consists of the scientists waking up before sunrise to begin scouting for fish. We use the information from the acoustic transducer to find fish.

Chief Scientist Rebecca Thomas spots signs of fish on the sonar

The sonar from the acoustic transducer showing signs of fish

Paired Trawling: Last week I wrote about our goals of the cruise. One of them was to perform paired trawls to determine net size impact to evaluate the differences between the US 32mm net liners and the Canadian 7mm net liners. A paired trawl is when we fish approximately the same location and depth two times using two different size liners. Data is collected on the size, characteristics, and species of fish being caught to eliminate the possibility that there is bias in the data between the two liners. Below are pictures of the nets being sent in and brought back based on information from the sonars. This typically happened 2-4 times per day (1-2 paired trawls).

The net out

The net getting pulled back in

The catch

The catch being dumped in the hopper

The catch in the hopper

Sorting the Fish Aboard:

The fish coming down from the hopper

The fish coming down from the hopper

The fish coming down the conveyor belt

Rebecca sorting the fish by species

A yellow rock fish is sorted

The hake continues down the belt

Dr. Dezhang Chu inspects the different species

A rockfish covered with krill

Jellyfish covered in krill

A small squid

Sorting the rockfish

One of numerous hake baskets

Lampreys

Rockfish

Charlie and Heather sorting the catch

How We Collect Data:

When fish come aboard we follow this flow chart to determine what analysis needs to be done on the catch.

Our instructional chart for how we analyze the hake and other species

Hake is the majority of the fish we catch. It is also the main species we are researching this cruise.

A random sample of 250 are set aside and the rest are sent back in to the ocean. Of the approximately 250 random hake, 30 are dissected for enhanced sampling (length, weight, sex, maturity, and other projects).

220 are set aside for sex/length analysis. All other species of fish must be logged into the computer and some are kept for special research projects. See pictures below:

Male vs. female hake distinction:

A Pacific hake

Determining the sex of the hake

A male hake

A female hake

Determining the length of the hake:

Determining the length of rockfish

Determining the length of each hake

Determining the length of hake

Enhanced sampling (length, weight, sex, maturity, and other projects):

Dr. Melanie Johnson dissects a hake

Scientist Steve de Blois measuring hake

Scientist Steve de Blois plus in data from his station

Special Projects: There are also a number of special projects going on aboard:

Fish X-ray: Scientist Dezhang Chu x-rays samples of fish occasionally. The x-ray is used to determine the volume of the swim bladders in certain species of fish (see picture below). The volume of different species’ swim bladders affects the observed acoustics. I spoke to him about the purpose of this study. He said that the present acoustic transducers are great to capture whether fish are present below the ship’s surface but are still not able to classify the type of species being observed. He is working on a team that is trying to use x-ray’s from multiple species to solve that problem. When asked how long he thought it may take for there to be an acoustic system advanced enough to better predict the species onscreen, he said, “People have and will continue to spend their entire careers on improving the system.” If we have more scientists like Dr. Chu on this project, I predict it will be much sooner than he leads on.

X-ray of a rock fish

Dr. Dezhang Chu teaching me about the x-ray project

Dr. Dezhang Chu x-raying a rockfish

Dr. Dezhang Chu x-raying another rockfish

"Super Chu" — “Super Chu” and I with his new apron I made him for x-raying

Filming the Catch: Melanie Johnson leads the science team’s visual analysis. During each trawl a camera is placed securely on the net. The purpose of the net is to analyze approximately which depth and time certain fish enter the net.

Cameras being detached from the net for analysis

Scientist Melanie Johnson collects data from the camera that was in the fishing net

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Getting to know the crew: As promised in other blog posts, here is another interview from the incredible crew aboard NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada who continue to make my journey such a rich experience:

Mr. Arnold Dones, Head Chef

Arnold Dones is our head chef or what I like to call him, “Master Chef.” Since the minute I’ve been aboard I quickly noticed the incredible work ethic and talent of our chef. To be clear, every meal has incredible! When I spoke to my mom a few days into the cruise my exact words were, “The food aboard is better than a buffet on a cruise ship. I expected to come aboard for two weeks and lose a few pounds. Well that’s not going to happen!”

Chef Arnold and his incredible food artwork

Arnold was born in the Philippines and his family migrated here when he was twenty. When he first got here he knew very little English and worked hard to learn the language and the American culture. He worked a few odd and end jobs until he joined the United States military as a chef. During his first years in the military, he showed so much promise as a chef that he enrolled in “A School” which allowed him to learn how to be a master chef in the military. He spent more than a decade working on military vessels. His last ship placement was aboard the USS Ronald Reagan where he and his team prepared meals for 6,000 soldiers per meal. Two months ago he joined the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada family as head chef. Arnold has two children and a wife who live back in San Diego.

After a tour of the galley with Arnold, I learned how much work it takes to pull 42 meals in 14 days for over 40 crew members without a supermarket nearby. A few weeks out, Arnold has to create his menu for the next cruise leg (typically two weeks). He then has to order the food required to make the meals and do so by staying under a strict budget. When the ship ends a leg and pulls in to port, a large truck pulls up and unloads all his ordered food in large boxes. He then organizes it in the order he plans to prepare it in his large freezer, refrigerator, and store rooms. The trick is to be sure his menu is organized so nothing spoils before it is used. Arnold’s day begins at 05:00 (5am) and goes until 19:00 (7pm) with a short break after lunch. The only days off he has is a day or two once every two weeks when the boat is in port.

Master Chef Arnold showing me his organized refrigerator

The mess hall

The menu is posted for every meal

An amazing buffet is served three times a day at 7am, 11am, and 5pm.

Salad is available 24 hours a day

Arnold’s art work

Lunch one day

Dinner one night

Here is a sample menu for the day:

Breakfast (7-8am)- Eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes, french toast, hash browns, scrambled eggs, oat meal, cut fresh fruit, and breakfast danish.

Lunch (11-12pm)- Bacon wrapped rockfish, chicken wings, Chinese noodles, brussel sprouts, bread, a large salad bar, homemade salads, avocado, bean salad, homemade cookies, and ice cream.

Dinner (5-6pm)- Stuffed pork chops with spinach and cheese, fine braised chicken thigh, baked salmon, Spanish rice, oven potatoes, peas, dinner rolls, a large salad bar, homemade salads, homemade apple pie, and ice cream.

Snack (24/7)- Soup, crackers, ice cream, and salad/fruit bar

King crab legs!

Crab legs and t-bones at sea 🙂

We dock in Newport, Oregon on Friday, September 14, 2018. My final post will be on Friday. Thank you for continuing to follow along in this journey. I am grateful for your support and for the amazing people I have met aboard.

Justin