Month: April 2013

Hello all:

It’s day three of the first of two cruises in the North Pacific. The sun is shining and the weather has been good so far. The food on the Thompson has been awesome, with suchi for lunch and dinner that you would find in a find dining resturant. 

Since leaving port, we did CTD casts for the first 24hrs of the cruise. Starting in  the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which seperates Canada and the US. My job was to prepare the CTD by cocking the Niskin bottles which are used to collect water samples at a given depth in the water column. Then we would deploy the CTD, firing the bottles at the depth that the scientists require. Once back on board I assted the scientists in collecting water samples to find the nutrient content of the sample.

Yesterday evening as we recovered an AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle), Grey Whales were spotted off the port bow,water spouts flying high in the sky. Then this morning a pod of Orca’s came very close to the ship as a Sea Lion hugged the Thompson trying to avoid detection from the killer whales.

After breakfest this morning (4/24/2013) we began the search for internal waves. Internal waves are very similar to the waves found on the sea surface, but travel within the water column. To do this we used a combo of a side mounted echosounder along with a towfish called “SWIMS” that is towed from astern. I assisted in the deployment of SWIMS by manning a tag line while it was guided into the water. I shall report again soon, hopefully with a better internet connection so I can include photos. Well, until next time!!

 It’s 80 degrees and sunny in Wilmington, NC and I’m soaking it up as much as possible. In a day and a half, I will be on a plane heading toward Seattle and the R/V Thomas G Thompson for what promises to be a trip of a lifetime. A five day trip off the Washington Coast, working in the Strait of Juan De Fuca then after a few weeks in port, we are off to the Gulf of Alaska for a three week trip! Warm clothing will be essential because the North Pacifc and Gulf of Alaska are unpredictable places even in the Spring/Summer months. I’m making a list and checking it twice! Well, until next time, Sayonara!!

Well mates let me get you up to speed since my last post. We have left the port of Bermuda and are currently in the middle of the Atlantic on our way to the Rainbow Massif we are studying on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. I have been on a 12hr shift rotation starting from mid-night until Noon. For the first four hours I work on deck with the gunners and marine techs. The next eight I am in the main lab with the science party. Basically we have been trying to get the seismic guns ready for deployment. There is alot of work that has to go into to these huge expensive pieces of equipment. Ok I am going to keep this simple; what you are looking at in the photo below are seismic air cannons or guns (used for multi-channel seismic surveys) that are attached to big floatation devices. The coiled rope (green) are specif lengths that keep all the guns at the desired depth (9 meters). These are towed behind the boat as well as 6 kms of streamers (hydrophones) that recieve the returned signal produced by the air cannons after it has reflected/refracted through the subsurface and back towards the sea surface. We are also running multibeam and …

OK thats enough information for one day, if I tell you everything now there will be no suspense and anticipation for the next one.

Well mates, thanks for tuning in. Today is my third day on-board the Langseth and what a busy three days its been. When I fist got on-board the science party was not scheduled to arrive till the next day. So I quickly offered my services to the crew and techs and was put to work immediately. Unfortunately we are stuck in Bermuda with a rudder malfunction and although the science party is on-board they have nothing to do till we shove off. So I have been spending my days working on deck, splicing rope, cutting chain, testing winches, and preparing for deck operations while at sea. I will put up some pictures some time tonight or tomorrow. So stay tuned for more exciting insights to live on a research vessel