Teacher at Sea Bell

2008-08-26T12:04:00.009-04:00

2008-08-26T12:02:00.001-04:00

It is windy today.And cold. Here we are near the coast of Maine on Tuesday morning (with my borrowed hard hat)..

Mola mola

2008-08-24T12:52:00.005-04:00

It's been a quiet couple of days. The weather is incredible. The sea has barely a ripple on it. This morning, Jimmy spotted the first Mola. I was too late to see it, but fortunately another came along a while later. Then another. Then another! Molas are also called basking sunfish. I had no idea they lived this far north, but it turns out they live all over the world. They like to float around on their sides, flapping their fin tips into and out of the water. At first you think the fin is a shark, but then you see it move left, then right, then left, then right, then... as it lolls around in the water. They eat jellyfish. Here is a photo of one from Google. You can see it is all head, connected to a teeny tail. Here is a second photo (NOAA) showing how it floats around in the water. I saw one in the Monterrey Bay Aquarium a number of years ago. Never thought I would see one in the wild.

I was standing at the edge of the boat, looking in the water when a long red line floated by, about 2 or 3 ft below the surface- very weird. It turns out they were siphonophores- a relative of the Portuguese Man O' War.

Siphonophorae or Siphonophora, the siphonophores, are an order of the Hydrozoa, a class of marine invertebrates belonging to the phylum Cnidaria. They are colonial, but the colonies can superficially resemble jellyfish; although they appear to be a single organism, each specimen is actually a colony of Siphonophora. The best known species is the dangerous Portuguese Man o' War (Physalia physalis).

Photo and text from Siphonophores.org

It's a buoy!

2008-08-22T12:24:00.006-04:00

Today has been busy. We actually did some work- a vertical cast, baby bongos and the big bongos. But let me tell you about the other things. First of all, Alison and I deployed my very own buoy. NOAA has an Adopt-A-Drifter (buoy) program. Jerry, our Chief Scientist, thoughtfully signed me up for it before we sailed. We deployed it today at George's Bank, the deepest station we will reach. Here are pictures of the deployment, which consisted of picking it up and throwing it over the side. There is a transmitter in the black float which will allow us to track the buoy's motion for years. NOAA uses these buoys to assemble weather reports, monitor climate changes, etc. The buoy consists of the round ball with the transmiter and a "drogue" a long "tube" of cloth that fills with water. The purpose of the tube is to make sure it is the ocean current that moves the buoy, not wind. There is a diagram on the Adopt-A-Drifter site http://www.adp.noaa.gov/. The ball and drogue (sounds like an English pub) are attached to a metal ring which anchors the drogue and the ball. Here I am with the MSDE-decorated buoy. You can barely see the metal ring. The drogue is the green thing- folded up. You throw the whole thing overboard. The paper and tape dissolve and the drogue unfurls. It has to be kept tied up so you don't go overboard with the drifter.

Deployment Floating away

Look closely! Further still! There is a sea bird (Shearwater) to the buoy's left- the little white dot.

2008-08-21T08:41:00.005-04:00

Phylosoma x10 Lobster larvae

The body is flat and transparent .

Head is at bottom of photo. (right)

See the eyes at the ends of the stalks? (Above left and below) x10

More critters from 40 degrees North

2008-08-21T08:38:00.002-04:00

Phronima x10

Critters from 40 degrees North

2008-08-21T08:29:00.010-04:00

We took these photos with an Intel play microscope. Not bad!

2008-08-21T08:22:00.004-04:00

Many of you have asked to see shots of my bunk and quarters. Here you go.

NOT! Here is my real bunk. Mine is on the bottom- no, I didn't make the bed.

See the little blue curtains?

2008-08-20T09:19:00.003-04:00

This morning we started our first sample cast aroumd 4:40 a.m. The stars were visible for the first time. I could clearly see the constellation Orion, with Gemini close behind. Casseopeia was visible overhead, but I could not see the Dippers. A bit later, Sirius, Orion's hunting dog, rose over the horizon. The moon is in a waning gibbous phase- about 87% of the disc is visible now. I saw 2 meteorites burn overhead. They are probably at the tail end of the Persieds meteor shower.

The Perseids is a strong meteor shower associated with the comet Swift-Tuttle. Meteor showers occur when Earth moves through a meteor stream. The stream in this case is called the Perseid cloud and it stretches along the orbit of the Comet Swift-Tuttle. The cloud consists of particles ejected by the comet as it passed by the Sun.

The Perseid meteor shower has been observed for about 2000 years, with the first known information on these meteors coming from the Far East. The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the greatest activity between August 8 and 14, peaking about August 12. During the peak, the rate of meteors reaches 60 or more per hour. They can be seen all across the sky, but because of the path of Swift-Tuttle's orbit, Perseids are primarily visible in the northern hemisphere. (Source: StarDome http://www.astronomy.com/asy/stardome/)

Make a NASA starfinder: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/st6starfinder/st6starfinder.shtml

Yesterday afternoon, a sandpiper landed on board the ship. It is supposed to be a beach bird, so clearly it was lost. It wandered around on the back deck, looking perplexed. After a while it flew off again.

Alison netted 2 sea horses the other day near the Jersey shore. She has them in a jar so she can release them back into water of the proper depth when we get nearer to shore. They are doing quite well. She changes their water twice a day to keep up the oxygen and to provide food.

2008-08-19T13:37:00.005-04:00

It is Tuesday after lunch. We've had a quiet day so far. We are heading east out to sea, right now at 4005 N latitude, 6942 W longitude. (Pull out those atlases). We will begin a turn north towards George's Bank.

Georges Bank is a large elevated area of the sea floor which separates the Gulf of Maine from the Atlantic Ocean and is situated between Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia. (Source: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Bank).

George's Bank is (was) one of the most productive North Atlantic fisheries (Grand Banks being the most productive). "Legend has it that the first European sailors found cod so abundant that they could be scooped out of the water in baskets. Until the last decades of this century these banks were one of the world's richest fishing grounds... (Source: AMNH web site below).

Northeastern fishery landings are valued at approximately $800 million dockside, of which a large proportion is produced on Georges Bank. Recently, scientists of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have undertaken an effort to document direct interactions between physical environmental factors and the abundance and distribution of fishery species. (Source: USGS below).

This means that the water chemistry, temperature and other factors affect how many fish there are, how many kinds of fish there are, and where they are. The article from USGS explains that the sea floor sediments that form George's Bank came from the time when glaciers scoured the area. Since that time, sea level has risen, covering the glacial sediments, and tides and currents are eroding the bottom. When this erosion happens, small sediment particles are winnowed out by tides and currents. leaving larger gravel-sized sediments on the floor. This kind of surface is good for scallop larvae and other small animals so they can settle on the bottom and not get buried by sand. Thus, the type of sediment on the ocean floor helps determine what kinds of animals can live there.

Interestingly enough, politics and international relations have affected our trip to George's Bank. We have been waiting for clearance through the State Department (U.S) working with the Canadian government, to get permission to go into Canadian waters. As Wikipedia explains below, part of George's Bank is "owned" by the U.S. and part is "owned" by Canada. Our route is to take us through the eastern part of George's Bank- that part owned by Canada. Unfortunately, due to the speed of processing the request, we just this morning found out we got clearance to go there. If the request had been denied, we would have had to sail around the Exclusive Economic Zone to avoid Canadian waters. Fortunately, we are now good to go.

From Wikipedia:

During the 1960s and 1970s, oil exploration companies determined that the seafloor beneath Georges Bank possesses untold petroleum reserves. However, both Canada and the United States agreed to a moratorium on exploration and production activities in lieu of conservation of its waters for the fisheries.

The decision by Canada and the United States to declare an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles (370 km) in the late 1970s led to overlapping EEZ claims on Georges Bank and resulted in quickly deteriorating relations between fishermen from both countries who claimed the fishery resources for each respective nation. In recognition of the controversy, both nations agreed in 1979 to refer the question of maritime boundary delimitation to the International Court of Justice at The Hague in The Netherlands. Following five years of hearings and consultation, the IJC delivered its decision in 1984, which split the maritime boundary in the Gulf of Maine between both nations out to the 200 NM limit, giving the bulk of Georges Bank to the United States. Canada's portion of the Gulf of Maine now includes the easternmost portion of Georges Bank. (Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Bank")

For video, more information and a discussion of the depletion of the fish population on George's Bank see the references below:

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Bank) (easy to read)

American Museum of Natural History http://www.amnh.org/sciencebulletins/biobulletin/biobulletin/story1208.html (easy to medium to read)

USGS http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/georges-bank/ (more difficult to read)

The map above is also from the USGS website.

2008-08-18T09:44:00.000-04:00

2008-08-18T09:36:00.001-04:00

On the flying bridge to the right is the "smokestack". The ladder goes up to the antennae and electronics. Too dangerous to go up there with all the voltage.

2008-08-18T09:28:00.000-04:00

This is another view from the flying bridge (the area above the bridge room) looking at the rear deck below.

2008-08-18T09:08:00.002-04:00

More wetlab. Our scope and equipment are on the left. Towards the rear is a fume hood where we preserve the samples.

2008-08-18T08:56:00.000-04:00

View from the flying bridge toward the stern. You can see sea gulls flying near us.

2008-08-18T08:52:00.003-04:00

This is the computer station where you control the bongo net drop. There are 3 screens- one is a camera so you can see what is happening on the rear deck. The second gives a constant readout on weather data, depth, and air and sea temps. The third screen holds the computer software for recordning the data brought up by the CTD. You use the walkie-talkie to tell the crew when to drop the net, when to start pulling the net out and the speeds to let it out and in.

2008-08-18T08:48:00.000-04:00

View of rear of bridge from the rear deck

2008-08-18T08:41:00.001-04:00

Hallway from my work station to my cabin down below.

2008-08-18T08:19:00.001-04:00

This is my workstation. I have my laptop and microscope set up here.

2008-08-18T07:39:00.003-04:00

This is the fluorometer. Sea water flows constantly through the meter. Twice a day, a water sample is collected and run through a vacuum flask to extract chlorophyll. The chlorophyll is collected on a piece of filter paper perched atop the vacuum flask. The filter paper is removed and placed in a cuvette (small test tube), stored in acetone, then refrigerated. Back on land, the chlorophll cuvette will be put in a spectrophometer and read.

2008-08-18T07:31:00.000-04:00

Captain's chair and rear view of bridge

2008-08-18T07:24:00.000-04:00

View of the bow from the bridge.

SHIP TOUR

2008-08-18T05:22:00.003-04:00

Wetlab looking out onto rear deck. We process the bongo nets on the right-hand table.

2008-08-16T12:57:00.002-04:00

Finally you rinse the plankton from the sieves into a jar with 5% formalin for preservation. A label is put into the jar as well as on top of the jar, stating station number, date and time.

2008-08-16T12:53:00.003-04:00

You use the hose to wash the plankton down to the bottom of the net. The bottom of the net is put into the sieve. When the net is hosed down to the sieve end, you untie the bottom of the net and let the plankton wash into the sieves. The mesh captures zooplankton, but lets smaller phytoplankton through.

2008-08-16T12:20:00.000-04:00

Andy poses with sieves by the bongos.

2008-08-16T12:18:00.000-04:00

The nets are coming back up.

2008-08-16T12:13:00.002-04:00

The nets are lowered into the water. You cruise for at least 5 minutes. The idea is to get within 5 meters of the bottom, then start bringing the nets back in. The computer operator keeps track of where the bottom is. The idea is to stop the line going out in time so the nets don't hit the bottom and pull up 6 tons of sand.

2008-08-16T12:11:00.000-04:00

The A-frame moves the nets over the side of the ship.

2008-08-16T12:07:00.001-04:00

Now the bongo nets are raised on the A-frame. You see why they are called bongos. You can see the CTD above the bongos and a lead weight beneath and between the nets.

2008-08-16T12:03:00.003-04:00

When the bridge clears you, the computer operator (inside) tells Ritchie to start letting out the line and at what speed to let it out and bring it in. You calculate the amount of time in and out using a chart that is based on changing depth. You have to calculate it so you get at least a 5 minute tow.

2008-08-16T11:59:00.002-04:00

The white thing is the CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) You attach it to the bongo net frame and turn it on. The CTD takes measurements on the way into the water and out of the water.

Question about temps etc

2008-08-16T05:40:00.002-04:00

We actually have TV here in a lounge, but I haven't really been able to watch much. We are now finishing up the last 45 min of a steam to the next sampling station, to arrive a little after 6am. In between steams, a couple of us watched Nims Island (at 4 in the morning). Jodi Foster is awesome.

The evening temps have been really nice, but evening to me is 6pm. I go to bed 6:30 or 7:00. As we've come south, it has gotten warm and muggy. I knew when we were passing MD and DC - recognized the miserable climate. It's been overcast in the mornings and most of the afternoons. This morning was the first time I actually saw a star - and the full moon across the ocean. I could see the horizon in the light of the moon.

Sometimes on the back deck, water splooshes thru the holes that are at water level. You can just lift your feet tli it runs back off the ship. When you take the nets out of the water, you get a little wet, but one wears the bibs so any time you get wet- oh, like having water run down your arm into your clothes- it is mostly your own doing. After we get the nets on board we have to spray the plankton into the bottom of the net, then open the net to release the critters into a sieve. The samples are then put into quart jars and formalin is added to preserve the specimens. I will post some photos after this station. Prada got nothin' on me!

Safety drill

2008-08-15T05:16:00.005-04:00

This is a survival suit, lovingly known as a "gumby suit". We had a fire drill and an "abandon ship" safety drill. If you abandon ship, you have to run to the deck and put on this suit. It is one piece, with inflatble neck rest, whistle and flashing pocket light so you can be spotted. You have to lay the suit out on deck, and sit down in it. Feet go in first, then you stand up and pull the rest over your head, find the arms etc. Look at the look on my face. Not too sure about this! The front flap closes to show only your eyes- on me a little higher. You should try zipping the front zipper with thick rubber gloves that are too big for you. It reminds me of the astronauts trying to fix the space station. I have a new appreciation for how difficult it is too, like, HOLD anything. The best news yet- we get to practice again next week.

August 15 4:00 am.

2008-08-15T04:59:00.003-04:00

I will try to post some photos today as soon as I figure out how. I skipped dinner last night and went to bed. Slept very well. I am learing the computer work this morning. Not hard but it is data entry so can't mess it up. We did one sample about 3:30 am. and now have a 4 hr steam til we hit the next stop. We are off the coast of Delaware now, heading to the Bay. We changed course because the weather was good so headed out to sea instead of going the near shore route which will not be as rough if weather gets bad. Doing my homework now to send to Liz for the Teacher at Sea web site.
Hi Tyler- If you have any questions about the ship or anything, you can ask here.

Thursday August 15

2008-08-14T13:09:00.002-04:00

I finally got my password right. Now I can post something. We left Woods Hole yesterday at 2:00. We headed south instead of north becasue a storm was heading our way. I was hoping to go north to see whales and such, but instead we are headed back to the Chesapeake Bay. We are taking water samples along the way . I will post some photos of how we get the samples and clean out the nets. It's quite a fashion statement. We put the plankton into jars and label them. There are different animals in each jar depending on where we get the sample. There are 400 billion salps- these little oval jelly-like clear things that look like clear glass marbles. They are actual animals. You have never heard of most of these other critters, so I will stick to some we are not catching or counting but can see. So far I saw 2 dolpins which was cool; 4 kinds of sea gull- 1 very far away from land. We caught a MOTH in one of the nets and I released it -still alive- It owes me. In the samples, we can see little fish larvae about as big as 3 of these letters, arrow worms which are related to sea squirts (that helped, didn't it?), amphipods, copepods and ctenophores (comb jellies) which are also cool.

OK, Mom. I know what you are thinking. Yes, the food is excellent. Monday night dinner scallops and shrimp in garlic sauce, steak, yellow squash, fresh green beans, ho-made mashed potatoes. Lunch today tuna wraps or lasagna, salads, blueberries and other fruits etc etc. Yes I am eating well. Yes, I am eating fruits and vegetables. And yes, I ate only 1, count 'em, 1 (one) brownie.

I am going to take a shower and sleep. Whoo- hoo!

Photo of Delaware II

2008-08-10T19:11:00.002-04:00

photo from NOAA website

Where are we today?

2008-08-10T19:08:00.002-04:00

Enter NOAA Ship Tracker site.
Pick A Ship = Delaware II

PreTrip

2008-08-10T18:46:00.002-04:00

The bags are packed!