Author: Cate McLeod

Week 02 – Survey Central

On June 5, 2026

This week on the Thompson we are finishing up the deployments of the first OBS array. After a final deployment Friday night, we are starting to head to the western array, taking a detour to map more of the seabed that is critical to answering this cruise’s research questions.

The aftermath of deploying the magnetometer (Maggie affectionately) during a downpour

During these long stretches of multi beaming surveys, when deployments are on hold, we have more down time. Trying to take advantage of this time when we aren’t needed for operations, the marine technicians have been showing Avery, Benny, and me the components of being an at-sea technicians and the responsibilities they have during their 12 hour watches.

Sunrise on the fantail. One of the perks of waking up at 0100

On the last few survey/transit days, we have been tackling all things networking and cables. Because of the central role that the ship’s server plays in all of the operations, networking has become a major component of the MarTech role.

So far, Liz and Andy have gone over the basics of networking and how it is applied to the ship and their day to day activities. Once we have an overall concept of how things work, they give us tasks to apply what they taught us in scenarios similar to ones they would be responsible for troubleshooting. Andy started us out with a switchboard troubleshooting assignment where we had to reconfigure a switch and the setup of 2 laptops so that we were about to communicate with them through a management computer. Liz Then had us working with network cables starting out with terminating ethernet cables and splicing and soldering wires together. More recently, we had the task of taking an ethernet cable and terminating one end into a converted DB9 connector.

Successful data stream from converted ethernet to DB9 cable activity

We have been very grateful to the technicians for going out of their way to introduce us to their jobs and keeping us busy, especially during these quiet survey periods.

Bonus! A Booby impeded our Maggie deployment this morning. He was quite irked when we interrupted his feather cleaning

Watch Out

By Cate McLeod

On May 29, 2026

In R/V Thomas G. Thompson

It has been a week since we left port in Lautoka, Fiji and science on board is well underway.

My days starts at 0100 when I wake up to get ready for watch. I head to the computer lab around 0145 to relieve Benny. We go over what happened during his watch and anything to keep an eye on for the next 8 hours. Now that all science operations are underway, watch standing can vary, but typically we monitor the incoming data for the multi beam, the sub-bottom profiler, and the magnetometer. So far, we have mapped over 900km of the seafloor and measured the Earth’s magnetic field over large segments of this track.

The Computer Lab, where we live data streams come in and can be monitored

If you squint, you can see a rainbow lands right on the magnetometer winch. We were very hopeful this was the good omen we needed after a full day of troubleshooting the instrument.

Watch during OBS deployments looks a bit different. A couple hours before the estimated time of deployment, I help the OBS technician on watch set the instrument clock and configuration and ensure the sensors are properly recording. We then tackle the acoustics, checking that communication with the instrument is functional.

45 minutes to half an hour before the ship reaches the deployment site, we assemble and mount the recovery aids and enable the acoustics. Once we are sitting on the site, the OBS is deployed over the side and sinks to the seafloor. We track the drop rate of the instrument from the main lab using the acoustics that were enabled just before the launch and a deck box that communicates with it. This is also how we survey the position of the OBS and determine its final location.

When the OBS surveys are completed, we get to deploy the magnetometer, which get recovered before the OBS deployments, and start monitoring the magnetic field strength. This week, the magnetometer gave us some trouble, but after troubleshooting and relaying our issues back to shore, we were able to get the instrument functioning and recording accurate readings once again.

My watch overlaps with breakfast so my watch mates and I take shifts eating and monitoring the data just in case one of the instruments starts to misbehave.

Breakfast tends to be my second meal of the day as it is served 6 hours after I wake up. My first meal is around 0230 when I raid the leftovers fridge like a raccoon and discover what was for dinner the night before.

Bagged noodles have become a new staple of my diet!

At 0945, I turnover with Avery and give her a rundown of the morning events and any other information that could be helpful while she stands watch.

At 1000, I am set loose and free to wreak havoc on the ship or take a nap. For the most part, I choose sleep.

Cate McLeod – Introduction

By Cate McLeod

On May 22, 2026

In R/V Thomas G. Thompson

Bula from Fiji!

I’m Cate McLeod, one of the 3 MATE Interns aboard the R/V Thompson for the next few weeks. I will be helping out the science party on this upcoming cruise to examine the early phases of subduction along the fault within Ocean Bottom Seismographs (OBS), multibeam surveys, and magnetometer tows!

I’m originally from the Northeast and have spent all of my life around if not on the ocean. I graduated with a B.S. in Geosciences with a concentration in Geophysics from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. During my undergrad, I participated on my first research cruise aboard the R/V Atlantis and since then, have found myself sailing with the science parties on various other cruises and ships. I love being at-sea and getting to know the amazing people who make oceanographic research possible.

We will be in port for another couple of days, mobilizing the oncoming science equipment and I cannot wait to set sail with the rest of the science party aboard cruise TN-453. I’m looking forward to aiding the science party and learning what I can from the marine technicians about their role on the Thompson!

-Cate