NOAA Teacher at Sea Kiersten Newtoff Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces January 6 – January 29, 2025
Mission: Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS) Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Coast Date: January 17, 2025 Data from the Bridge: Located at N37°23’0″, W75°5’0″, off the coast of Eastern Shore. A bit chilly at 38°F and very gusty at 21kt wind.
A modern take on Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs. Credit: Tolu Aibana
Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs outlines what humans need, arranged in a pyramid. The base of the pyramid starts with physiological needs, including things like food, water, shelter, and sleep. As a general rule, people can’t address needs that are higher in the pyramid until their needs are met lower in the pyramid. It’s been jested that a new level be added to the base of the pyramid: WiFi. Having WiFi or just internet in general can help attain the needs in the pyramid. It is an interesting theory that we have been putting to the test on the Pisces.
Here enters Alex, theChief Electronics Technician (ET). He handles all things related to electronic equipment, including WiFi. There have been some difficulties getting everyone connected to the internet and it’s been eye opening to see just how much we rely on it. I remember growing up that you had to be hard-lined in, using a phone line, and it was so incredibly slow. WiFi didn’t exist and using the internet was limited. Now 30 years later, our society can barely function without it (I say as I write this blog post, online).
Artist: Ian
To the crew, WiFi may seem to be the most important job, but Alex takes care of so much more. He starts every morning checking and testing the SOS system, because “I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t want to be going in that water.” Same Alex, same. After checking the SOS system, he checks in with the crew on the ship to see how they are doing and if they have anything that needs to be updated, changed, fixed, etc. The equipment on a ship takes a beating between wind, waves, and salt. He maintains office hours during the day so that anyone can stop on by and ask him for help with an issue.
This is Alex’s first solo NOAA cruise, but he has been working in the field for quite a long time. He was in the Navy for 4 years, went to community college, completed his bachelors in Neuroscience and Electrical Engineering, and worked in private sector electronics positions. He’s excited for this new role as he is passionate about science and how NOAA does research to benefit people and the environment.
How Can I Become an ET?
The most common pathway to this role is serving in the Navy as either an AET (Advanced Electronics Technician) or an EM (Electrician’s Mate), which is what Alex did as well as some private sector jobs. In these roles you gain valuable experience that directly transfers to the ET role at NOAA. If you don’t want to do military service, here’s some other things you can do to get your foot in the door:
Go to trade school for electrician training (make sure to pay attention to all the electrical theory!)
Go through certification pathways
Find an electrical apprenticeship
Join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union
Pursue IT positions
Take classes on Radio Frequency (RF) theory
Meckie = Meclizine, medicine for motion sickness. Artist: Ian
While Alex makes sure that everything is up and running, Ian the Survey Technician will use the equipment for water monitoring, ocean floor mapping, and helping to facilitate the science however he can. He works with a lot of different systems, such as the:
TSG (thermosalinograph): Water is pumped through the TSG which measures temperature and salinity. Using these variables, we can calculate how fast sound waves are traveling through water.
EK-80: This echosounder uses a single beam of sound and listens for the echo which provides information on how deep the water is and things that may be below the ship, such as fish.
EM2040: Similar to the EK-80, but instead uses multiple beams. This is used in mapping the seafloor since it has a wider swath and a higher resolution.
SIS: The Seafloor Information System visualizes what the EM2040 is gathering.
SCS: The Scientific Computing System allows for the real-time conveyance of oceanographic variables to the science team and other crews.
When the bioacoustics array is out, Ian puts many of the systems in passive mode so that they don’t emit any sound waves. Otherwise, the sound would make it difficult for the bioacoustics team to hear marine mammals through the hydrophones.
Ian’s other job on board is making memes. I’m not even joking. There is a screen in the galley that he updates every morning with information about the day plan, food menu, riddles, and memes. What is great about the memes though is that they reflect something that is going on with the ship and this applicability makes all of them so much funnier. He also helps manage the morale fund, which NOAA supplies for making t-shirts, organizing outings, and more. When you are on a ship with the same people for long periods of time, especially in rough weather, morale is mission critical.
Tips on Becoming a Survey Technician
Ian, Survey Technician aboard NOAA Ship Pisces
The military route isn’t as common for survey techs versus ET but can still be helpful getting sea time and experience in rough weather, particularly the Navy. (Ian served in the Marine Corps Reserve for 6 years).
Get an undergraduate degree in marine biology, hydrography, or geology
College of Charleston has a BEAMS program which teaches students nearly every aspect of a Survey Technician; this is where Ian went. There are also programs in Mississippi and New Hampshire.
Try out a lot of different positions and apply for everything
Make sure that you are okay being away from family and friends >8 months of the year. Develop good communication plans with your loved ones.
Be good at making memes.
Keeping the Crew Happy, a haiku
WiFi and good memes, Do we need anything else? Snopes, morale is high.
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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ENS Jeffery Calderon, Junior Officer
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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ENS Iris Ekmanis, Junior Officer
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.)
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, Hydrographic Senior Survey Technician
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.
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.
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, Acting Chief Cook
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.
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, Able Seaman
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.
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, Physical Scientist at NOAA
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.
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.
On the flying bridge near Cape Newenham
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
Latitude: 60°05.1022’ N Longitude: 149°21.2954’ W Wind Speed: 5 knots Wind Direction: E/SE (114 degrees) Air Temperature: 12.12° Celsius
Enjoying the fresh air
Science and Technology Log
While at port in Seward, it has already been my pleasure to meet some of the people that make up the team of NOAA Ship Rainier. My mission so far has been to learn about the different capacities in which individuals serve on board the ship and how each person’s distinct responsibilities combine together to create a single, well-oiled machine.
The five main departments represented are the NOAA Commissioned Officers Corps, the Hydrographic Survey Technician team, the Engineering team, the Deck department, and the Stewards. There are also a few visitors (like me) who are here to observe, ask questions, and participate in daily operations, as possible.
Career Focus – Hydrographic Survey Technician
Today I spent some time with Survey Technician, Amanda Finn. Amanda is one of nine Survey Techs aboard NOAA Ship Rainier.
Amanda Finn, Hydrographic Survey Technician
What is hydrography?
According to the NOAA website, hydrography is the “science that measures and describes the physical features of the navigable portion of the Earth’s surface and adjoining coastal areas.” Essentially, hydrographers create and improve maps of the ocean floor, both deep at sea and along the shoreline. The maps, or charts, allow for safer navigation and travel at sea and are therefore very important.
(Click here to see the chart for Resurrection Bay, where the ship is currently docked.)
What does a Hydrographic Survey Technician do?
Technicians like Amanda are in charge of preparing systems for collecting hydrographic data, actually collecting and processing the data, monitoring it for quality, and then writing reports about their findings. They work part of the time on the ship as well as on the smaller launch boats.
What kind of data do Survey Techs use?
Both the main ship and the small launches are equipped with multibeam sonar systems. SONAR is an acronym for Sound Navigation and Ranging. This fascinating technology uses sound waves to “see” whatever exists below the water. Instead of sending out one sound wave at a time, the multibeam sonar sends out a fan-shaped collection, or swath, of sound waves below and to the sides of the boat’s hull. When the sound waves hit something solid, like a rock, a sunken ship, or simply the sea floor, they bounce back. The speed and strength at which the sound waves return tell the technicians the depth and hardness of what lies beneath the ocean surface at a given location.
Small launch for near shore survey
Personal Log
It is possible to be overwhelmed in a good way. That has been my experience so far traveling from my home in Georgia to Alaska. The ship is currently docked at the Seward shipyard in Resurrection Bay. When you hear the word “shipyard”, you might not expect much in the way of scenery, but in this case you would be absolutely wrong! All around us we can see the bright white peaks of the Kenai Mountains. Yesterday I stood in one place for a while watching a sea otter to my left and a bald eagle to my right. Local fishermen were not as enchanted as I was, but rather were focused on the task at hand: pulling in their bounties of enormous fish!
Out for a walk near the shipyard
I am similarly impressed with the order and organization aboard the ship. With over fifty people who need to sleep, eat, and get things done each and every day, it might seem like an impossible task to organize it all. By regular coordination between the departments, as well as the oversight and planning of the ship’s Commanding Officer and Executive Officer, everything flows smoothly.
I think that it is worth noting here how the level of organization that it takes to run a ship like NOAA Ship Rainier should not be taken for granted. Every individual must do their part in order to ensure the productivity, efficiency, and safety of everyone else. As a teacher, we often discuss how teamwork is one of life’s most important skills. What a terrific real-world example this has turned out to be!
NOAA Ship Rainier
Did you know?
Seward is located on the Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska. The name Kenai (key-nye) comes from the English word (Kenaitze) for the Kahtnuht’ana Dena’ina tribe. The name of this tribe translates to “people along the Kahtnu river.” Click here for more information about the Kenaitze Indian Tribe.
Word of the Day
fathom: a unit of length equal to 6 feet, commonly used to measure the depth of water
Geographic Area of Cruise: Point Hope, northwest Alaska
Date: August 14, 2018
Weather Data from the Bridge
Air temperature: 8.8
Dry bulb 8.8 C
Wet bulb 7 C
Visibility: 10 Nautical Miles (10.5 miles)
Wind speed: 23 knots
Wind direction: east
Barometer: 999 millibars
Cloud Height: 10K feet
Waves: 2 foot
Meet the Crew
It takes a lot of personnel to ensure a successful mission. There are over forty personnel onboard this ship. During the past week, I have had opportunities to get to know them.
LT Stephen Moulton at the helm
Stephen Moulton Operations Officer (in training) LT – NOAA
How did you first get involved in NOAA?
I was in the Coast Guard Reserves for eight years with some active time and trying to go back for active duty.
While working in Silver Spring, MD working as an industrial hygienist for an engineering company, I walked by NOAA Administration and inquired about jobs, applied for NOAA Corps and was accepted into training at the Coast Guard academy in 2012. Processed out of Coast Guard into NOAA Corps as an Officer in Training.
What is your job on board the Fairweather?
Operations Officer (in training). My job is to setup ships daily plan. This includes making sure we have the equipment, personnel and a good idea as to what the weather conditions will be for successful operation. Once we collect the data at sea, my job is to ensure the data is processed and meets NOAA’s standards and that it gets compiled into the correct format for distribution to our NOAA Pacific Hydrographic Branch. This data primarily gets converted into nautical charts which is used by mariners such as cargo ships, the US Coast Guard and recreational cruise passenger ships
What do you enjoy the most about your work?
I love being on the water and love driving the ship, making a 200-ton vessel do what you want by using the wind and seas, and navigating around other ships.
Where do you spend most of your time?
Most time is now spent in operations, training for what the ship needs to being doing with its time and funding, keeping us on the ship’s mission, which is surveying.
How long have you been on board?
3 months
When you were in high school did you have any vision of working at sea?
No, I attended Assumption College and graduated with degree in global and environmental studies. It was tough finding a job with that degree, the only types of jobs with that degree is being a foreign officer .
What do you enjoy most abut living on board?
It makes a lot things convenient, commute to work is a walk upstairs, gym is down the stairs and meals are cooked and you have no dishes to clean. Everything you need is on board. Being able to explore the mountains and wild life in Juneau while the ship was under repair is another bonus.
What is the most challenging?
Being far from my family who are in Rhode Island with two adopted kids.
Which other NOAA ships have your served?
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, an east coast hydrographic survey from 2013 -2015 as an ensign. Spent 3 years on land as a CO-OPS handled tide gauge stations and operated small boats and traveled 4 weeks at a time for tide gauge maintenance along east coast team. Locations included Great Lakes and Puerto Rico.
Where do you see yourself in NOAA in the future?
Finishing up land assignment in Silver Spring Maryland and going out as an XO on a fisheries vessel in the Northeast such as NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow.
Hydrographic Assistant Survey Technician Simon Swart in the plot room
Simon Swart – Hydrographic Assistant Survey Technician
Where did you attend college and what was your degree in?
Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. BA in Environmental Science. Originally from the Cayman Islands and lived in San Francisco for ten years.
How did you get involved with NOAA?
Found out through scientific papers and knew I wanted to work with maps and applied science. I have been working aboard the Fairweather for five months.
Where is home?
San Francisco where my dad resides.
Describe your job?
It changes a lot depending on what is currently occurring. Six hour shifts on six hours off it simply depends on what is occurring in a day. While the boat launches are collecting data you are reviewing information and then process the data when it returns.
What do you enjoy most about being at sea?
Everything, love being on the water, that has a lot to do with growing up near the ocean. Every time I step outside on deck, it never ceases to amaze me with the beauty.
What are some challenges with ship life?
Living in close proximity with forty people living in close quarters.
What is your favorite place you have visited while working for NOAA?
Traveling through the Aleutian Islands. I still felt we were out far in the ocean with these beautiful islands.
Do you want to stay in the Alaskan region?
Yes, I have been wanting to traveling around Alaska since I was in high school. When I originally applied for NOAA, it did not specify Alaska.
What do you enjoy doing while you are off the ship, off duty?
It depends where the ship is located, hiking and fishing is what I enjoy most. Enjoy meeting and getting to know the local people at different ports. When returning to these ports, it is nice to get together with them and go hiking.
Chief Hydrographic Survey Technician Sam Candio
Sam Candio- Chief Hydrographic Survey Technician
What is your primary role?
Oversight of all the data, including the quality control and training new personnel.
Where are from?
New Jersey and attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington. And majored in BS Marine Biology. Cape Fear Community College associates degree Marine technology. This program is very good and this program has 95% job placement success. Got a job almost immediately after graduation
How did you get involved with NOAA?
I saw a job online and applied for it, always wanted to work for NOAA.
How many ships have you worked?
Have worked on board the Fairweather for three years.
What is your favorite place you have visited while on board?
Yakutat, near Juneau. There is an incredible glacier there, one of the only advancing glaciers in south east Alaska. There are eighteen thousand foot mountains in this region. It is also home to the northern most surf shop. You enjoy surfing in Alaska.
What do you enjoy the most about living on a ship?
I enjoy visiting all these remote places that few people get to see. For instance seeing the sun never setting and going to remote islands to set up remote GPS base stations.
What is your advice for anyone interested in cartography or marine biology?
Attend Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, North Carolina. As mentioned earlier, they have a great employment success rate of 95%. Start interning / volunteering as soon as you can. The community college also has a good research vessel with lots of hands on training. I traveled on two cruises, one to Baltimore and one to Bahamas. Each cruise has a different focus such as fish identification, mapping, bottom profiling and navigation.
Oiler Kyle Mosier in the Engine Room
Kyle Mosier – Oiler
Where are you from?
Grew up in Federal Way, Washington and moved to Gig Harbor, Washington, after high school to attend college.
What is your degree in?
AA degree from Pierce College, Lakewood, Washington. Then attended Seattle Maritime Academy with a focus of Engineering.
What is your primary role on the ship?
Maintain and repair equipment on engines and clean air filters for ships air supply and staterooms, and oil changes on our generators. Also, work on a lot of special projects on board with the engineering team.
How did you you get involved with NOAA?
I heard about it during maritime school and my Port Captain had worked for NOAA and heard good things about it and then applied. They called me back for an interview over the phone and then sent me to Newport Oregon for a pre-employment physical. Then traveled to Norfolk Virginia for orientation.
What do you do while you are off duty?
I love to write and passionate about stories and writing books. First I start by brainstorming ideas from the places I have gone to and the experiences I have and the people I meet. It helps for plot and settings. This job helps me with that as we travel all over the northwest region. In one of my books I used my experience seeing glaciers and used that as an awesome setting. The types of books I write are science fiction, mystery and adventure. I have over twenty books that have been published and a series of books entitled Katrina the Angel. My newest one, Natalie and the Search for Atlantis, is a Science Fiction which is the ninth one in the “Katrina the Angel” series. It is my most proud book that I have written and the longest. Writing makes me happy and hope one day to make it a career.
What do you enjoy the most about being at sea?
What I like most is the places we have gone to such as traveling around Alaska with a great crew. Juneau, Alaska, is my favorite. It has great people and everything is within walking distance. There are many places to go hiking and places that have Karaoke.
If someone wants to go out and buy one of your novels where can they purchase one?
Kindle device or Amazon.
What do you find most challenging about being on board the ship?
Unable to go home often
Do you have any plans as to working on another NOAA ship?
No, I enjoy it on the Fairweather
JO Cabot Zucker pilots a launch vessel
Cabot Zucker – Junior Officer
Where are you from?
Coastal town called Jupiter, Florida
Where did you attend College?
Went to the University of Florida and studied Wildlife Ecology and Sustainable Development
How did you first get involved in the NOAA Corps?
I was on vacation in North Carolina and saw a job posting regarding the NOAA Corps.
What are the requirements for getting accepted into the NOAA Corps?
You need a four year degree and they like to see experience in marine science or physical science preferably and being well rounded. There is a physical and medical screening pretty much the same as the military.
What are your responsibilities?
My main responsibility is to drive and safely navigate the ship and support its mission. Other collateral duties include, damage control, small boat officer assist with ship fleet inspection and inventory management on the ship. Included with this is other administrative paper work and tasks.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I really like how dynamic, challenging and a lot of responsibility. and I love the challenging work environment and how I continually learn new skills. I have been on this ship for two months.
During these two months, what is the most amazing view you have seen?
The transition through the Aleutian Islands, the scenery there includes snow covered volcanoes, intense scenery of jagged cliffs. Saw lots of whales, puffins and other sea birds.
What is some of the challenges with working on a ship?
There is constant distractions and its such a dynamic environment. Plans are constantly changing and you have to adapt and get the work done. Being away from my wife has been challenging and I will see her in December for three weeks.
What place have you visited while serving the ship that you enjoyed the most?
I enjoyed Juneau, hiking the mountain and snow fields. Visited the Mendenhall Glacier and enjoyed fishing. We caught Pinks and Chum which are both types of Salmon.
Personal Log
I have now been at sea for over one week. The weather for the most part has been remarkable, sunshine. Last night we sailed into a sheltered area south of Point Hope, Kotzebue Sound, as the remnants of a tropical storm spun by. The wind gusts were recorded at 30 knots and the seas peaked around 8 feet. The Fairweather handled the rough seas well and rocked me to sleep. We are sailing back to the Point Hope area to conduct more surveying during this remainder of this week. At Point Hope, the sun rises at 6:20 am and sets at 12:04 am. As each day passes, the daylight is getting shorter by 10 minutes as we head into fall. On December 21st, the sun will be directly overhead at 21 degrees south Latitude and marks is the winter solstice. Using the image below, notice that the sun is shining a 90 degree angle directly above the Earth at 21 degrees south latitude. Locate the Arctic Circle and imagine the globe spinning, what do you see or not see at the Arctic Circle during the Winter Solstice?
Diagram of Earth at Winter Solstice. Image from thenorthwestforager.com.
Question of the Day How much sunlight will Point Hope receive December 21st during the Winter Solstice?
Answer from yesterday Answer is 74% relative humidity.
Relative humidity measures how much water vapor the atmosphere can hold at a specific temperature. Relative humidity is really a measurement of comfort and that is why meteorologist use this especially during the summer months. At warmer temperatures, the atmosphere can hold large amounts of water vapor. In the south, we always relate high humidity with hot temperatures. As the atmosphere becomes saturated with water vapor, water will cling to the nearest object, you; thus it becomes uncomfortable. However, at cooler temperatures, the atmosphere cannot hold that much water vapor, so the atmosphere can reach 100%, but it is comfortable as there simply is not a lot of water in the atmosphere.
Geographic Area of Cruise: Seattle, Washington to Southeast Alaska
Date: June 6, 2018
Weather Data from the Bridge
Seattle weather is sunny, with a high near 75 with South Southwest wind 5 to 7 miles per hour and becoming calm.
Science and Technology Log
There are five different ways to steer NOAA Ship Rainier using the rudders, or vertical blades submerged in the water. All methods rely on a steering pump to activate hydraulic fluid to move the rudders.Three different methods can be done with electricity from the Bridge, or the front windowed area of the ship. The first electrical method is autopilot which simply sets the course of the ship. The second method is hand and helm which uses a wheel to steer the ship. The third method from the bridge is called non follow up and uses a dial to mark the course. The other two methods utilized occur from back of the ship, or the aft, and include the electrical powered trick wheel and manually operated hand pump steering.
Junior Officer Airlie Pickett steering the ship using hand and helm
Steering allows you to follow a course and can efficiently be done by using the two rudders which are located behind the fifteen foot propellers on either side of ship Rainier. The left-hand, or port side, rudder and starboard, or right side, rudder steer the ship using water pressure. When the rudders are straight the water moving from the propeller to the rudder will keep the boat moving directly forward. When the rudder moves to the right, the back of the boat moves to the left which moves the bow of the boat to move towards the right. The rudder moves in the direction of less pressure, causing the stern and boat to move in that direction.
Trick wheel steering uses electricity to power the steering pump when steering cannot be done from the Bridge. It uses hydraulics which creates power from oil pressure to move the rudders. Rainier is a 50 year old ship that still functions on hydraulics, while most modern ships use low initial cost, simple design pneumatic which uses a compressed gas to create the fluid pressure. In order to activate trick wheel steering at the aft, a toggle pin must be removed to disconnect steering from the bridge and a gear must be put onto its thread. A sound powered phone that doesn’t require electricity operates by using the sound pressure from a person’s voice to create an electrical current which is then converted back to sound by the receiver. This allows for communication of the course to steer between the bridge and the steering aft. The instructions include a degree and a left or right rudder command.
The steering system on the ship is run on hydraulics, whether the steering originates from the bridge or the aft. There are three solenoids at the controller which change electrical power to hydraulic signals in the aft. Solenoids are also in the transmissions of cars and are coils of metal in a helix shape that act as electromagnets. The energy generated from the solenoid moves a shaft with gears that is connected to two pumps. The fulcrum connected to the navigation bar moves from the power generated by the change in pressure from the liquid. The one pump activated pushes hydraulic fluid to the rudder pumps which then move the rudders and steer the ship. Each pump has cylinders and pistons inside of it with the hydraulic fluid, or oil, that creates the change in pressure for the closed system to work.
Hydraulic steering system in the aft of the boat
Personal Log
Amanda Flinn, hydrographic survey technician, has a smile and laugh that makes you feel readily welcomed. When I first met her on Saturday in the mess room watching Game of Thrones, her friendly demeanor immediately put me at ease. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her on our walk to Pike’s Marketplace which was filled with moments of genuine laughter. Amanda is a sincere individual with a vast understanding of hydrography.
Amanda’s knowledge about surveying has been accumulated over the past eight months that she has worked on Rainier. Her passion for data processing and map generation became apparent after chatting with her in the Holodeck, the annex survey space behind the plot room on the F deck of Rainier. She shared several maps that were generated from the Channel Islands’ project that was conducted over a six to eight week time period. A highlight of her first survey in the Southern islands of California, included observing the island of basalt rock columns at Castle Rock.
Amanda in front of a launch boat on ship Rainier
Amanda’s passion for rocks led her to study Geoscience with a minor in Oceanography at University of Connecticut. Her college experience in the state where she grew up prepared her for her current surveying position. Her responsibilities during surveys include collecting data in launches and processing data in the evenings. Amanda’s recent promotion from assistant survey technician to an H.S.T, or hydrographic survey technician, proves her competency.
Amanda learned about a job opening with NOAA after her first harp performance last June while living in New Hampshire. She serendipitously met a woman married to a survey technician on the Thomas Jefferson, another NOAA vessel that had a position opening. Since Amanda was looking for hydrographic work, she took a bus into Boston to explore the survey vessel and liked what she saw. She eagerly applied to NOAA and soon had a phone interview and was asked her ship preference. Since Amanda wanted to explore the West coast and travel to Alaska, she chose S-221, survey ship Rainier.
Amanda was hired in October and has loved her experience of sailing on a ship and being on the ocean. One of her favorite parts about surveying includes getting up close to rocks on the launches, or small boats when surveying. While some people find it challenging to be away from family, Amanda appreciates the sea exploration that takes her to natural scenery along the West coast with beautiful sunsets daily. Since she loves it so much, she can see herself continuing to call Rainier home for several more years before returning to live on land someday.
Amanda became qualified in data acquisition last October and began her first round of surveying at the Channel Island Marine Sanctuary in November. A typical day out at sea when surveying includes waking up, eating breakfast, meeting on the fantail, surveying on launches all day with a break for a soup and sandwich lunch. This is followed by eating dinner and beginning evening processing. The sheet manager assigns different sections and prepares all data for the next day.
While being out in the launches and collecting data is her favorite part, Amanda also enjoys processing data. She utilizes Caris and Pydro-Explorer, software Pacific Hydrographic branch has developed for NOAA ships to remove noise from the pixelated images of the two and three dimensional maps generated from the surveys. For quality control, she completes cross lines tests and junction analysis to ensure that new and old surveys match up. Amanda worked on data processing in Newport, Oregon while the ship was dry docked in Portland for the winter season and hopes to complete the report for the Channel Island survey soon.
