Texas – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 3, 2024July 3, 2024

Hello…Houston? And an unexpected end… 3F’s! June 21, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Ryan Johnson

Aboard NOAA Ship: Oregon II

June 18 – July 2, 2024

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: June 21, 2024

While we do get some extreme weather in the Midwest (2011 Snowmageddon is a personal favorite), phenomena like tropical depressions, storm surges, and ‘named’ storms are merely words to me; they’re weather events that I know exist, but have never had to deal with, or imagined I ever would. Turns out, I was wrong, and I had to learn about all of these terms pretty quickly as they were imminently impacting where I was staying on Oregon II. Per NOAA: “Tropical Storm Alberto is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches across northeast Mexico into South Texas. Maximum totals around 20 inches are possible [and] this rainfall will likely produce considerable flash and urban flooding along with new and renewed river flooding” with flooding in Galveston predicted to be between 2-4 feet.

photo of a television screen showing a weather forecaster pointing to a digital map of the Gulf Coast. the map uses shades of green to indicate amounts of predicted rainfall, and the area around Houston and Galveston is dark green. the map is labeled "Excessive Rainfall This Week." The chryon reads: Tropical Showers Aim for Gulf — Tropical Storm Alberto made national news and *Oregon II* was predicted to be right in line of direct impact. Picture taken of a WeatherNation morning newscast on local television.

The expedition was delayed and the decision was made to move me off the vessel and head to Houston and hopefully avoid the most serious effects of the storm. I knew I didn’t want to spend all of my time holed up in a hotel room, so I did a bit of digging as to what Houston had to offer. Houston and Chicago are often compared (and I’ll discuss some similarities/differences in this blog), so for my first stop, I wanted to explore a place that I couldn’t find at home… and it was amazing.

photo of a backlit sign that reads Space Center Houston — Chicago might have (in my biased option) a superior skyline/downtown…but it doesn’t have NASA!

Tuesday

My first stop was Space Center Houston (SCH), a museum dedicated to science, which functions as the primary place for visitors to NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. An affiliate museum of the Smithsonian, SCH is a top-notch destination full of science, discovery, inspiration, and wonder, dedicated to the power of human ingenuity. I got choked up in a few exhibits, found my jaw on the floor in others, and left with the same feeling of awe I would have experienced as a 10 year old.

photo of the museum display about Space Crops — Can’t wait to share this to go with our hydroponic work!

an an exhibit labeled Touch Mars; we can see other visitors standing in line — Can’t wait to share this to go with our hydroponic work!

Due to hazardous conditions brought on by Tropical Storm Alberto, my expedition was eventually postponed from the initial Tuesday departure until Saturday. This was incredibly disappointing, but I had such an incredible time at SCH, I decided to spend my remaining days until departure exploring the area to its fullest (well, at least inside due to ongoing rain/heat).

Wednesday

Next, I went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. It reminded me a lot of the Field Museum in Chicago in theme and content, but it was cool to see how different exhibits were approached and experience different histories, objects, and phenomena. One major observation about this museum (and all around the Houston area from what I had seen so far) was the presence of oil and gas companies. It seemed like every other exhibit was ‘Brought to you by…’ or ‘Presented in sponsorship with…’ Shell, BP, Exxon Mobile, Chevron, and others, while the entire fourth floor, Wiess Energy Hall, was seemingly devoted to oil and drilling. It was interesting to see how messages were communicated compared to Chicago, and how events like the Exxon Valdez disaster were handled. Overall, it was an exceptional museum and I learned a lot. Like the Field Museum, it is HUGE and if I ever return in the future, I’ll make a plan before jumping in.

an arm reaching down into a tank to pet a small spotted shark — There was a shark and ray touch pool!

plants in pots and tanks, with lights mounted a couple feet above the tanks, and interpretive signage behind — There was a shark and ray touch pool!

Thursday

The next journey was to the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, which was a free day thanks to Shell. Free museum days in Chicago tend to be a bit crowded in my experience, so I was pleasantly surprised at how empty the museum felt. The campus itself is really interesting in that the art is displayed in different buildings which are all interconnected through a series of subterranean tunnels. The maps were very clear and it was easy to move from gallery to gallery and see what looked interesting. Much like the Art Institute of Chicago, you probably can see everything in one day, but you don’t really get the full experience or get to see things in detail. I appreciated the focus on modern, contemporary, and Houston-based artists, as well as local underrepresented and/or marginalized communities. Like many art museums I’ve been to, most patrons gravitated to the historical paintings, but I found some of the sculpture and mixed-media pieces to be the most interesting.

photo of a mixed-media piece by Berni of a boy walking to town with a sack on his back — Berni – Juanito va a la ciudad

elaborately framed painting of fishermen on a ship under sail — Berni – Juanito va a la ciudad

Friday

With Oregon II set to sail the following day, I headed back to Galveston. I was due on the ship at 10:30 the next day so I decided to make the most of my final ‘off’ day and visit Moody Gardens. The flooding in Galveston was noticeable, but not devastating, and most of the roads were open and only some rail traffic was still impacted by receding floodwaters. Moody Gardens is like nothing I’ve quite seen before. Dominated by three themed pyramids, there is also a hotel, golf course, pool, restaurant, and more. I planned on visiting all three pyramids with my day: the aquarium, the rainforest, and the discovery (science themed), in that order. The aquarium pyramid took me by surprise. Whereas the Shedd in Chicago follows a traditional floorplan, Moody maximizes vertical space, taking visitors up, down, and around the area which is dominated by an enormous cylindrical tank. Penguins are front-and-center and there was quite a bit of space dedicated to FGBNMS, which was great to see. While I know TAS is a nautical adventure, the rainforest pyramid stole my heart. While there were traditional zoo-ish elements, the open-air free range section was remarkable. Brookfield Zoo in has some similar aspects, but doesn’t come close to the interactive nature of Moody. It was really amazing to looks, smell, and feel like I was IN a South American rainforest… in Texas!

view through a window of coral laboratories — Coral Labs in partnership with FGBNMS

penguins in their exhibit — Coral Labs in partnership with FGBNMS

During the aquarium pyramid I started feeling a bit unwell, which was (I thought) exasperated in the rainforest pyramid due to the heat/humidity/all of the days finally catching up to me. I sat down for lunch with little appetite, developing a sore throat that no amount of hydration could seem to slake. I decided it would be best to skip the discovery pyramid and take it easy for the rest of the afternoon. I headed back to the Strand (the main hub of town) to just relax and see if I felt any better.

In the car, I started to feel REALLY unwell and, after what happened to fellow TAS Jaqueline Omania, I decided to take a Covid test. It was positive. I went to a hotel and took another test. Positive again, which I knew meant I couldn’t sail out on Oregon II. I was devastated. After being delayed so long, moving back and forth, and then finally getting to the cusp of departure only to be delayed indefinitely. I’m so glad that I was able to live and learn so much in Texas, but to not be able to go out on groundfish survey was heartbreaking. Ah well, as always, follow the three F’s!

May 13, 2022July 17, 2022

George Hademenos: I am (George Hademenos, NOAA Teacher at Sea), I Said, May 13, 2022

NOAA Teacher at Sea

George Hademenos

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

June 20 – July 3, 2022

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: May 13, 2022

Welcome to my blog!

Welcome to the inaugural post of my blog, describing my observations and reflections as a NOAA Teacher at Sea on my upcoming expedition in June 2022. My name is George Hademenos and I am excited to invite you along on this field trip of a lifetime to learn about marine science and the research that will be conducted during the research cruise. This is a particularly momentous occasion as this experience has been two years in the making (Dang that COVID!) – more on the application process, the NOAA Teacher at Sea program, and the instructional possibilities that this program presents will follow in upcoming posts.

Before I go any further, I want to take this opportunity to address the 800-lb sea lion in the room. The “sea lion” I am referring to is the title of the blog. “I am (George Hademenos, NOAA Teacher at Sea), I Said.” is a rather peculiar title for a blog entry and I did want to take this opportunity to explain the rationale for this title and set the stage for the blog entries to follow.

I have always loved music not only for the melodies but also for the lyrics that draw the listener into a story. Music has played an important part of my life not only as a hobby but also as a job. Beginning in high school and continuing through college, I was an announcer at radio stations in my hometown of San Angelo, Texas, the West Texas city that I grew up in. My love of music combined with my love of talking (which greatly prepared me for the classroom) made this an ideal job for me. Below is a picture of me at one of these radio stations that I worked at, KGKL.

A close-up view of high-school-aged George sitting at a microphone, wearing headphones — My job through high school and college was a radio announcer.

In any event, returning to the blog title discussion, I decided to incorporate this time in my life into my current experience by titling this blog entry (as well as every other blog title that follows) with the exact title (or a modified title) of a recorded song. What better way to begin a blog than with Neil Diamond!

Introducing…me!

With that explanation out of the way, I would like to use this first blog entry to introduce myself, explain why a high school physics teacher in Texas is interested in marine science and, most importantly, provide details about my cruise assignment as well as ways you can learn more about my expedition and marine science, in general. I am currently in my 21^st year of teaching physics at Richardson High School in Richardson, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas.

A screenshot of the homepage of Richardson High School's website — Welcome to Richardson High School, my classroom home for 21 years!

I know that physics often gets a bad reputation among high school students as being hard, involving math, and quite frankly a class that they are forced to take. And these students would be correct on all counts. However, I often tell my classes at the beginning of each school year, “the reason I love teaching physics is that each of you experience physics on a daily basis and I do not have to think long and hard to come up with examples and applications of every topic and concept covered in class that directly impact your life.” I know that if I am successful in this regard, then perhaps my students might actually grow to tolerate and some maybe to even enjoy physics.

How did I end up in the classroom?

When I graduated from high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to be but I knew what I didn’t want to be… a teacher. I did not want or even entertain the notion of a career as a teacher. What makes this even more astounding is that everyone in my family were teachers, except me. My dad was the Education Department chair at the university I attended but I still was not interested. I wanted to pursue a career in medical research. Following my pursuit of advanced degrees in physics, two postdoctoral fellowships (one in nuclear medicine and another in neuroradiology), and a career as a staff scientist for stroke at the American Heart Association, I lived my dream but realized it was impacting my reality. My wife, Kelly, and I have a daughter, Alexandra, who always loved school and invested her time in any and all extracurricular activities she could possibly handle. My time was invested in activities that required my direct attention such as meetings, conferences, grants and drafting manuscripts for publication and not activities that I wanted to focus on such as attending recitals, performances, parent-teacher conferences and help with homework.

I understand that there are priorities in life and for me, they finally came into focus. I decided to change careers – change into the one career I thought I would never pursue – teaching. Twenty years later, I still have not regretted the move. So, what am I like in the classroom? The video below gives you a snapshot of what it is like to have me as a teacher.

A video summary of me as a classroom teacher.

Why marine science?

One thing you will come to learn about me through my blog postings is that I am a teacher who not only loves to teach but also, first and foremost, loves to learn. I am always looking for novel, innovative, and creative approaches to instructional activities, experiences, and projects that I can engage my students with, as well as share these approaches with other teachers. When a program such as NOAA Teacher at Sea comes about with opportunities for teachers to learn about marine science and “walk a mile in the shoes” of researchers, teachers like me jump at the chance to apply and hopefully are selected for such an honor.

I will be a participant on NOAAS Oregon II for Leg 2 of the SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey where I will be working with and learning from Andre J. Debose, Chief Scientist with NOAA Fisheries Service and his research team based in Pascagoula, MS. I am beyond ready for my Teacher at Sea cruise where I plan to pursue the following two objectives: (1) to share my knowledge and experiences of this journey with you through a blog and a Google Site and (2) initiate and contribute to a dialogue about the importance of planning, collecting, and evaluating surveys of shrimp, groundfish, plankton, and reef fish, conducted in the Gulf of Mexico, that you in turn can share with your students and colleagues.

More information regarding the cruise will follow in subsequent blog posts prior to and during the cruise (if the internet is behaving). I hope that you will not only read the blog posts but ask questions ranging from the Teacher at Sea program to the cruise details to the ship NOAAS Oregon II to the research conducted aboard the vessel to ways you can learn more marine science (or if you are a teacher, to design instructional activities to engage your students in marine science). I may not know the answers to all of your questions but rest assured that, if I do not know how to respond to a particular question, I will let you know and take steps to find a prompt and factual response. I would like to make this journey a positive learning experience for everyone!

July 3, 2018July 3, 2018

Angela Hung: “Don’t Give it A Knife!”, June 30, 2018

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Angela Hung

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

June 27-July 5, 2018

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico

Date: June 30, 2018

Weather Data from the Bridge

Conditions at 2112

Latitude: 28° 40’ N

Longitude: 95° 43’ W

Relative Humidity: 76%

Temperature: 28.4° C

Wind Speed: 18 knots

Science and Technology Log

What are groundfish? They are basically what they sound like, the fish that live in, on or near the bottom of a body of water. NOAA Ship Oregon II samples waters in coastal Gulf regions from Florida to Texas using an otter trawl net. Our net includes a “tickler chain” that moves just ahead of the opening to disturb the bottom sediment so that organisms swim up to be scooped up.

Diagram of an otter trawl net used collect groundfish. Photo credit: http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/y7135e/y7135e06.htm

We tow for a short half hour at each station to get an idea of what species can be found at different locations. Fishing boats tow for much longer, hours at a time with larger nets. The cod end where the fish collect, is created by a knot beautifully tied by Chief Boatswain Tim Martin that holds during the tow but easily pulls open to release the catch which drops into large baskets. Tim works on the deck to launch the CTD (conductivity-temperature-dissolved oxygen probe) and the trawl net. The baskets are weighed and then dumped onto a conveyor belt to be sorted.

This knot closes the net during a trawl but pulls open to release a catch.

A look at what we caught at a station on June 30.

Another look at what we caught at a station on June 30.

This was one of the larger samples, filling up the entire conveyor belt!

We start by putting whatever looks alike together, which is much easier said than done. If it turns out to be tricky, the wet lab is equipped with a range of resource guides to reference. Once everything is sorted out, each species is individually sampled: the count of individuals, the total weight of that species, the lengths of up to 20 individuals, and the weight and sex of every fifth individual. This information is entered into Fisheries Scientific Computer Systems (FSCS) and added into a database that gets uploaded for public knowledge.

Everyone is lined up and sorting through fish. It's the first trawl of the cruise so the night shift got excited and joined us. — Everyone is lined up and sorting through fish. It’s the first trawl of the cruise so the night shift got excited and joined us.

"Flatfish" is not descriptive enough. Andy Millett checks the keys on a computer loaded with identification keys. — “Flatfish” is not descriptive enough. Andy Millett checks the keys on a computer loaded with identification keys.

How the catch looks once everything that looks alike is put together.

Counts and weights of each species are taken and entered into a computer workstation.

I take a crack at entering individual lengths and weights. Then I do this many more times.

For commercial species, such as shrimp and red snapper, every individual is measured and sexed; up to 200 for shrimp and up to 20 red snapper.

Shrimp and more shrimp. Brown shrimp, Farfantepenaeus aztecus to be specific! NOAA’s FishWatch recommends them as a “smart seafood choice”. https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/brown-shrimp

It’s a lot of work, but data entry is relatively easy using a magnetic board. You line the specimen up at the end of the board and simply press the magnet at the end of the animal’s body. The board is connected to a computer and automatically sends the measurement when the magnet is pressed. The scale is also connected to a computer and sends that information directly. However, every species’ scientific name is manually entered into a list for each station before measurements are taken.

"Deck lab", Fish from the trawl nets are dumped before moving into the wet lab

Fish are sorted and measured in the wet lab in Oregon II

The red handle contains a magnet. The length is recorded when the magnet touches the board. The fish is aAtlantic moonfish, Selene setapinnis.

The red handle contains a magnet. The length is recorded when the magnet touches the board. The fish is an Atlantic moonfish, Selene setapinnis.

Measuring butterfish, Peprilus triacanthus

So many kinds of fish, but color is not a way to sort!

These data are primarily used by NOAA for stock assessments. By documenting species abundances, size and distribution, fishery managers can calculate catch quotas for the year that maintains healthy stocks. These data are also used by NOAA for their database to help you make sustainable seafood choices: https://www.fishwatch.gov/ . It is also part of NOAA’s mission to be “Dedicated to the understanding and stewardship of the environment,” which is why everything that is captured is counted. Federal data are publicly available, so these surveys might be used by scientists to study a range of questions about any species that we counted, including the ecology of non-commercial species.

It’s really interesting to see exactly where seafood comes from. In the 10 miles or so between stations, the communities change drastically. Shrimp are abundant in east Texas, but not where blue crab start to appear in west Texas. It’s also interesting to see the different sizes (ages) of fish change between stations. One station brought in snapper over 10” long, while the next two stations delivered their 5-6” juveniles. Aside from that, I got the chance to handle so many species I’ve only seen on TV and never imagined that I would get to hold in my hand!

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Blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. The two upturned crabs are females carrying eggs.

“Don’t give it a knife!”

“Stop giving it things!”

-things you say when trying to separate blue crabs that are latched onto each other

It’s reassuring to see the Gulf teeming with gorgeous biological diversity as evidence that U.S. fisheries are responsibly managed and that we have a strong model of stewardship in our seas—SEAMAP Groundfish Survey literally only scratches the surface of the coastline.

Personal Log

The meals in the galley are great. Valerie McCaskill of Naples, FL and Arlene Beahm from Connecticut are the Stewards onboard and they work diligently to feed us delicious home cooked meals. I’ll be a few pounds heavier when you see me after this trip. “Arlene’s trying to kill you with food!” Tim observed. These two ladies are stand-in moms, making sure we have heaping plates at meal times and snack times and anytime in between.

Lunchtime — Finally got to eat some of the white shrimp we caught. And a whole steak for good measure. (Only the galley is allowed to take a part of the catch cook it for the ship.)

That’s a great thing because the 12 hour shifts work up an appetite. NOAA Ship Oregon II sails from one sampling station to the next, ranging from 5-12 miles in between, but as many as 20+ miles. On short runs, the next station comes up pretty quickly and we find ourselves finishing one just in time to start the next. We process four to five stations each shift with only short breaks during trawls.

It’s hugely humbling and an exercise in insecurity to watch the scientists work. At a glance they can recite the full scientific name of the hundreds of species that pour out of the net. I’ll be happy if I can come back with ten new species in my memory bank.

C. similis — Baby blue crabs? Nope, these are adult Callinectes similis, blue crabs are C. sapidus.

The researchers onboard have been doing this for years. Identifying species takes time and practice to learn like any other skill, and it showcases the dedication and fulfillment they find in this kind of work.

Alonzo Hamilton, left, and Taniya Wallace, right, enter species into FSCS.

It’s hot, dirty work. There’s no air conditioning in the wet lab and around 1000+ fish can be brought aboard at a station. I, and probably everybody else within smelling range, am grateful to have hot showers and laundry onboard. Kristin Hannan emphasizes that “field work isn’t for everyone, but you don’t have to work in the field to study marine science.” But, the wet lab is where you witness the enthusiasm that brings the crew and the scientists back day after day in the heat of July, year after year. Squeals of excitement and giant grins appear with favorite species: Calappa crabs (I learned a name!), triggerfish, beautiful snail and clam shells, the infamous mantis shrimp, a chance sea anemone and of course sharks to name a few. Fisherman James Rhue, a crewman who works with Tim and operates the winches, comes to check out (as in play with) the catch a couple times a day; the fishing crew must be as skilled with identifications as the researchers—they do it during their off hours. During the half hour of the tow, we are often talking about plankton diversity in the dry lab.

Kristin Hannan, a shark researcher, pauses to examine a young hammerhead.

As satisfying as the work can be for some, the challenges certainly come with living on a relatively small boat built in a different time. While long overnight shifts sound tough, seasickness jumps to mind more readily when you say “boat”. When you’re seasick, everyone volunteers a range of interesting remedies, from watching the horizon, which is qualified as BS; lying down; sleeping, which isn’t easy when you’re sick; eating to keep your stomach full, counterintuitive but actually a useful one; ginger candy; staying cool, which does not describe the wet lab; to just chewing on a chunk of raw ginger, distracting, I’m sure! The Teacher at Sea organizers recommend working to keep your mind off of the nausea. Arlene was also very kind and donated a couple of her seasickness patches to my cause. For me, standing outside and watching the waves for flying fish helped immensely in the few minutes between processing catches. And there is far too much work and creatures to see to think about my stomach.

The blue dots are sampling stations along the Texas coastline. The red line shows where we've been. Thankfully, we're not trying to hit every station, but there's plenty to do! — The blue dots are sampling stations along the Texas coastline. The red line shows where we’ve been. Thankfully, we’re not trying to hit every station, but there’s plenty to do!

Did You Know?

Although scientific names sound like gibberish, they are in Latin and often physical descriptions of the species. Portunus spinicarpus for example is a crab named for the long spike (spini) on its wrist (carpus).

Lagocephalus translates to “rabbit head”, the name given to the group of puffer fishes, but you might have to squint to see it.