This week we had some of the calmest waters one could ask for going right into 5 meter waves! This range gave me lots of practice deploying the CTD in variable weather conditions as well as the knowledge of when it’s just too much to deploy safely.
While the sea was dead calm, an AB and I went up on the flying bridge to assess some railing damage near one of our radars. Going up top means rigging up in climbing gear and using lobster claws to climb the mast. From the top you are able to get the best view of the ship! As some of the radars emit radioactivity, it is necessary to shut these systems down beforehand.
View from flying bridge along with the flying bridge itself.
Our CTD is still experiencing issues so we spent our time transiting between stations and the bad weather days troubleshooting and reading as many manuals as we could to find our potential issue. We replaced the slip ring on our fore winch that serves as the connection between the winch wire and the SBE11 deck box for CTD power and communications while deployed.
Fore winch slip ring replacing and the inside of the winch wire
I spent some time Megger testing our aft winch wire and triple checking it was not suitable for use. We also checked out the SBE11 deck box’s electrical guts to see if a capacitor had fried or a wire had disconnected, but, there was nothing to be found. We decided to switch out the deck boxes anyway and electrically re-terminate the CTD which I got to do in full this time…in the 3-5 meter waves! Our CTD is still having some electrical troubles, not as many as before, but, zero issues are the preferred amount so we will continue to troubleshoot. By the end of this cruise I will have been trained as a decent at-home and ship-based electrician.
Inside of the SBE11 deck box and a CTD electrical termination
In science news, we reached our station that is the deepest point in the Kermadec Trench! Sitting at 10,049 meters in depth, this point is the fourth deepest point on Earth. URI’s DAP (Deep Autonomous Profiler) has already completed two successful deployments to this depth and will continue to for the next couple of days.
The EM124 multibeam mapping the deepest point in the Kermadec Trench
As always, featured are the petrels that have been following us for days along with a rainbow that graced us after the rough seas.
This week we spent the first half transiting to the northern most end of the Kermadec Trench and have been sampling here ever since. This means lots of downtime and lots of repeated operations. This week I added deploying the CTD in addition to A-Frame operations now working the hydroboom and working the communications line between the deck and the winch house. This includes ensuring safety of the deck, people, and the CTD. We watch the winch cable to ensure it doesn’t hit the side of the ship, bring up the CTD in a safe, controlled manner, rinse the CTD once onboard, and secure it safely in the bay for scientists to sample from the niskins.
Following the winch wire up the CTD keeping tension on it as the winch pulls it up to ensure no crossovers or gaps in the wire spool.
During the transit I learned how to make RJ-45 Ethernet cables which we’ll use on the switch boxes connected to the science servers. Electrical work and network management is just as important as deck operations in a marine tech’s role if not more important.
Because this has been a slower week, I wanted to highlight some non work related but very ship related content! Luckily, we have some of the best chefs in the fleet, and I want to showcase some of their offerings. Our chefs have been providing us with a great variety of meals, flavors, foods, and are accommodating to all dietary restrictions and preferences. Outside of meal times we have a plethora of leftovers, breads, cereals, ramen, snacks, cookies, candies, dried fruits, ice cream, sodas, seltzer water, juices, coffee, teas, milks, and coconut water available. Featured below is a standard breakfast for us and a particularly phenomenal dinner we had.
Breakfast: Cold Bar: Array of fresh fruit, greek, fruit, and dairy-free yogurt, granola, orange chia, and cream cheese, onions, and capers for bagels. Hot Bar: Steel Oats, Bagels, English Muffins, Hash Browns, Poached Eggs, Spam, Bacon, Prosciutto and Veggie CrepesDinner: Pictured: Watermelon Feta Mint Salad, Edamame, Passionfruit Panna Cotta with Pineapple Gel
To follow the trend from my previous post I’ll include some fun happenings this week. On a clear night we got to see the Milky Way streak across the sky. I finally saw my first green flash after over 120 days logged at sea! In the downtime I’ve had plenty of time to tend to my hobbies including crocheting.
The first week after pulling of the dock was definitely an eventful one! We are at the base of the Kermadec Trench dropping a lander to the seafloor and running CTD casts to 6,000m. The whole week we experienced one issue after another with the CTD which involved days of troubleshooting. Alas, the CTD is now fully functional, and I have spent a great deal of time helping overhaul it while at sea.
Aside from CTD troubleshooting, I helped train the science party newbies on how to setup the CTD for deployments as well as use SeaBird’s Seasave and communicate with the CTD and winch house for deployments.
Dropping the lander to the seafloor involves using the A-Frame for deployments and recoveries which is the SSSG’s responsibility. Running many deployments a day, I am becoming a pro at operating the A-Frame.
For the CTD overhaul, after experiencing lots of modulo errors (electrical related issues), we opted to re-terminate the wire at least 4 times. I got to take a jab at this one of the times, but, this was unsuccessful (not by my termination likely, but other persisting issues). Calling it quits after this, we changed out some sensors, some wires, and after that didn’t quite do it, we replaced the whole SeaBird unit all together and moved winches. Luckily, as I have used lots of SeaBird products on gliders and in lab, I was able to help in this rebuild.
After our rebuild, no modulo errors! We got down to ~5,000m where the scientists wanted to collect water, and……the bottles wouldn’t fire. Just when we thought we’ve solved it, one more issue. We brought up the CTD and replaced the last electrical component on the CTD, the SBE32 carousel. Now, I can officially say I’ve done a full CTD build, minus the frame and the bottles.
Our CTD is functioning better than ever, and we are en route to the top of the Kermadec Trench ~700nm away (~60h transit).
We have had some lovely Cape Petrels, Wandering Albatrosses, and Common Dolphins following us around which I will showcase below.
After flight cancelations and hours on the phone with United’s customer service, I am in Auckland, New Zealand experiencing the Southern Hemisphere to the fullest aboard the R/V Thomas G. Thompson. We have been in port running pre-cruise preparation, welcoming on the science party, and getting ready to set sail tomorrow.
Following some jet lag napping (8hr time difference from the East Coast!), I have gotten into a groove following around the SSSGs and learning everything I can.
We replaced the slip disk on the winch which will be used for CTD operations and terminated the CTD cable both electronically and mechanically. This was a delicate task that the science party heavily relies on so because of that, Liz (SSSG) did the real termination, and I did my own termination on some spare wire on the side. After running some wire tests, we did a load test on the deck and calibrated the winch readout.
Left: Using a Dremel to cut through the outer layer of steel on the conducting cable used for the CTD. Right: Cross section of the conducting cable.
For the 24 hours before we set sail, I have been aiding the scientists in whatever they need to get going once underway which has consisted of moving tables, lending tools, and acting as an extra hand when needed. On the crew side, I helped unload stores (food for the cruise!) and shadowed the safety meeting.
One of many pallets of food for the cruise. We have roughly 45 people onboard sailing for 45 days making for over 6,000 meals total
Tomorrow we will be out of here at 1000 and on our way for 45 days at sea!
Hey everybody, I’m Jess, and I’m joining the R/V Thomas G. Thompson working with the SSSGs on a 6 week research cruise departing out of Auckland, New Zealand September 28th surveying ventilation in the Kermadec Trench.
This will be my 4th time at sea and my 4th vessel! While I have historically been a member of the science party, I am excited to bring my technical skills crew side and learn from some of the best expanding my skillset and working knowledge.
Writing about my work and experience is nothing new for me as I maintain an Instagram highlighting what it’s like to be in the field and what goes on behind the scenes. For those interested it can be found at: @thatoceanographytech
Aside from work, I enjoy traveling, swimming, cooking, fiber arts, and curating music. While at sea, I hope to use my time off shift to enjoy these hobbies as well.
I’m one of the interns on an upcoming research cruise on the R/V Thomas G. Thompson. In a few days, we’ll be sailing out of Fiji to investigate subduction initiation in the Mathew-Hunter Trench.
I’m a recent graduate from Bowdoin College, where I studied Earth & Oceanographic Science and minored in History. I have some background working on scientific and hydrographic survey vessels, but this will be by far my longest cruise to date. I’m excited to get to know the crew, science party, and learn voraciously in the upcoming month.
Candidly, I hope I can make an appearance on the Thompson’s awesome Instagram account.
I am an upcoming intern onboard the RV Thomas G. Thompson as it transits from Suva, Fiji to Noumea, New Caledonia along the Matthew-Hunter Trench. The research cruise will spend a month study the ongoing subduction initiation processes occurring within the region.
I am a Colorado native who loves both the mountains and the ocean. I moved out east for a bachelors degree in Earth Science (Oceanography) from the University of New Hampshire. During my undergraduate studies, I also completed a minor in marine biology during a semester at James Cook University in Australia, as well as a minor in Ocean Engineering.
Outside of the classroom, I was on the club sailing team at UNH and spent many summers as a boat driver on Catalina Island. I am a big enjoyer of nature, music, and food—follow along for a peak into meals onboard a research cruise!
I’m looking forward to sharing more about this journey, the science onboard, and the experience of working at sea in the South Pacific!
It is hard to believe, but my final day aboard the Thomas G. Thompson makes for a total of 50 days. I am so very grateful, and have been blessed so abundantly to be a part of the awesome crew even for a while. Before we do some reminiscing, lets see how the last week has been.
Oh yeah, monsoon! Thailand can receive around 15 feet of precipitation in a year, which makes for some pretty rainy days at sea. The most important thing I brought with me on this cruise was my foul weather gear, and my great sense of style as you can see. No matter what the latest fashion tips may say, high-vis is always in fashion. The neon colors you may be used to seeing on constructions sites or warning labels have an important purpose- you can’t miss them! Highly visible colors such as neon orange, yellow, green or pink ensures that you are seen. In worst case scenarios, such as falling overboard, you are clearly distinct from the endless waters so you can be rescued quickly. So, you can always catch me on deck, in my glowstick cosplay- also known as my foulies. My rain jacket and pants kept me dry and toasty on all of the misty mornings and downpour afternoons.
AB Brian steadies the CTD rosette with a tagline.Science members Devmi and Selena Pushing through the rain.The VMP is a hand deployed device.
The science team and crew worked tirelessly through the rain. To study monsoons is to endure the storms! Our final days of science consisted of VMP, or the vertical microstructure profiler, CTD, weather balloons, and scanfish operations. The winds and increasingly high seas made for a tumbling time on deck, and made operations run longer than normal. Taking the extra time to practice safe working tactics prevents injuries and accidents. It is better to lose an hour to work through things slower, than to lose days for an injury on deck!
On one sunny afternoon, we were greeted by some playful dolphins bow riding! The glare on the water makes them a bit difficult to see, but there were around 10 of them playing in the wake of the ship. We determined them to be Tursiops aduncus, or Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphins. Though this cruise was focused on meteorology, it was exciting to be visited by a bit of biology during our trip. Biology is my first love, and has been my main focus. Though I am enjoying and learning a lot about the other aspects of marine science, it is lovely to have the comfort of the incredible creatures of the ocean grace us on our journeys! (Advancement unlocked: Echolocation)
Science has officially concluded for this cruise, and we began our transit back into port. The next couple of days involved removing all of the scientific equipment and devices that had been installed around the ship. This is no small task! In the above picture, science requested my help to remove some wires from the MCT. A lot of them, as a matter of fact! Though it looks like a tangled mess of spaghetti, it is a sense of controlled chaos that eventually comes together. We snipped zip ties, unplugged the devices and sorted out the cables with time. Cables have been bundled and stored in their appropriate boxes for shipping or storing, and the MCT sealed up to prevent any water from dripping in.
One of the larger deconstructions was a LIDAR on the forward 02 deck. It had been set into a gyroscopic mount for the duration of the cruise, which meant a more difficult time dropping it back onto deck. The ABs, captain, and the science crew all converged to develop a plan. Using many lines, hands, and some precautionary foam bricks, we were able to lower it onto deck in about 2 hours time. The master rigging skills of AB Brian (pictured above, climbing the frame) were invaluable to the operation. I find careful procedures such as these to be oddly beautiful, almost in a mathematic sense. A well thought out plan and attentive hands make for easy work!
For our final night at sea, God painted the sky with a lovely sunset to send us homewards! Our cruise, though there were many bumps and bruises, has been a success. We have just set our anchor back in the port of Phuket, Thailand, and everyone is busy at work preparing for their journeys home. Laptops packed and memories made, shipping labels slapped on every crate and palette. The data has been collected, and the scientists are eager to return to their labs for processing. The ships crew is cleaning, storing, and readying the vessel for the next science party to come aboard. Science never sleeps, and the R/V Thomas G. Thompson is bound to go to sea again shortly.
A sincere thank you to the crew, captain, and science parties for allowing me to join them on this cruise. I hope that I have been a helpful and optimistic force for their work, and that I can cross paths with them once again in the future. As I make my own way home, I will set out for another adventure in a few short weeks. Thank you so much for reading along, and following my journey across the world. To the other UNOLS interns this season, fair winds and following seas to you! Shout out to Maria and the entire UNOLS team for making my dreams reality!
I want to extend a special thanks to my brilliant educators that inspire me to this day;
Jason Rogers, for sharing his dazzling love of invertebrates and indomitable spirit. (The variety of marine worms truly is inspiring). Jacqui Degan, for never once losing enthusiasm and for pushing us all for greatness. Shawna Rowe, for great kindness and diligence unfailing. Joel Clem, for unwavering faith in our abilities and a patient heart. Nathan Whited, for generosity and constant cheerfulness through tough times. Brian Bradley, for taking the time to teach in every moment, and encouraging our curiosity always. Brian Jeno, for holding us to high standards and working tirelessly. (And for not sinking the R/V MarTech with us aboard when Blue and I ran over the Sidescan Sonar. Sorry again.)Crew and captain of the R/V Cape Hatteras, for putting up with our student shenanigans, and welcoming all of us for incredible cruises. Much love to my Marine Tech Club family and classmates.
Today makes 42 days on the R/V Thomas G. Thompson. As the monsoons close in and the winds pick up, it is safe to say it has been a complete and total whirlwind!
This research cruise is focused on gathering meteorological data. The use of weather balloons allows the science group to record various data through the atmosphere. The giant balloon is filled with helium, and attached to the bottom is a spool of wire with an instrument known as a Radiosonde. The instrument package measures atmospheric parameters such as pressure, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction. This information is sent back to the scientists via radio signals. Our highest balloon yet rose to 27.5 KM! The team releases a new balloon every few hours, for continuous data streams. I was able to release one as well!
As well as atmospheric data, the science group is interested in oceanographic profiles. This device, called a Scanfish, is towed behind the boat for days at a time. It swims up and down through the water column, and collects profiling data. Deploying the device means all hands on the stern, working to get it over the back smoothly.
Another data source is the CTD. This is one of the most used pieces of equipment on board a research vessel! This science group is interested in water samples as well, so the large bottles you see will be full once we retrieve the device. The role of the marine technician in this deployment is mainly to operate the hydroboom, which is a horizontal crane of sorts. It can carry an enormous amount of weight, and carries the payload up to 10 feet off the side of the ship. The marine tech also communicates with the bridge and the winch operator, ensuring that the deployment goes smoothly. The scientists are responsible for the control of the CTD electronically, and triggering the bottles to close at whatever depths they want water samples from.
It has finally come time that the buoy on deck can be deployed! This specific buoy is experimental, meaning it is the first of its exact kind. The configuration of instruments is hopeful to provide insight into the air-sea interface, having both air and water sensors attached. This also means, however, that no one is sure exactly how the buoy will behave, or if it will be successful at all. Deployment was a slow, and very careful process. Once the buoy was in the water, all we could do was wait and see.
Our buoy has proven to be a bit cantankerous! After less than 24 hours in the water, the electrical systems onboard the buoy began to fail. The buoy is equipped with several large batteries that are charged by 3 solar panels, yet all charge had been lost. Either the solar panels were not functioning properly, or the equipment on board was too demanding for the batteries to keep up with. We decided it was the best option to recover the buoy, and see if repairs could be made on board. Every day spent at sea can be very expensive, so there is no time to waste. Science must go on!
The team was able to repair the electrical issues within the buoys system, and redeployed successfully. For several days, we received good data from the buoy with no signs of further electrical issues. In the meantime, we worked on other operations in the area. We continued to tow the Scan fish, with occasional stops for CTDs, and other data collection. Once it was time to revisit the buoy, disaster had struck. As soon as the buoy was in sight, we could see that the mast was broken. Sadly, there is no telling exactly how it happened, but the most likely culprit is simply weather conditions. The seas and winds have been very high, and the aluminium mast was under much stress. Trying to recover any equipment that is broken is unpredictable at best. The captain of the ship gathered the crew and scientists, and preformed a risk assessment of the potential recovery operation. With the uncertainty, and possible loose pieces that could come off at any point, there were concerns and discussions about the safety of such an operation. We were able to find solutions to our concerns, and decided that recovery was possible. We very slowly approached the buoy, and after two attempts and nearly 3 hours, were able to safely recover the equipment.
At sea, there are an infinite amount of problems and solutions you can encounter. It is important to keep an open mind and to think outside of the box when performing research! This week has proven to me that there are always work arounds and more chances to be had. Though the buoy is officially out of commission for this cruise, theres no doubt that it will float again, eventually. The beauty of an experiment such as this, is that it will only improve from here. The scientists now know the weak points, and how to improve it for its next deployment!
The rain here is picking up, so as we all don our foulies and our rain boots, we wish you luck on all of your endeavors! Stay safe and stay dry out there sailors.
Tomorrow marks one month spent aboard the R/V Thomas G Thompson! I am beyond blessed to have such an incredible opportunity to sail through the Bay of Bengal, chasing storms and deploying equipment throughout this warm and ancient ocean. I am always amazed by how things come together with such a vast array of personnel, all coming from different backgrounds, educations, and experiences. I am inspired by their stories, and for the pursuit of knowledge. I am excited to let my ambition go unchecked and see where it can take me!
Leg two of this research cruise has been a bumpy start, in more ways than one. Learning how to navigate complex shipping schedules, crowded dock space, and working with immigration has proven frustrating at times. And then came the rain! Monsoon season here in Thailand is beginning, with some regions getting up to 3 meters of rain annually. Rain introduces new complications, but also brings data along with the low pressure systems. Meteorological information is what we are seeking, after all.
AB Brian donned his foulies to work through the rain, securing down a deck full of instruments.The whole crew comes together when there is work to be done. This giant buoy got assembled and secured down until we are ready to launch it!
Everyone involved is responsible for their part, including the marine technicians on board. The first few days may be our busiest ones, all going according to plans (spoiler alert: it never does!). Techs and ABs are responsible for getting the science crew, and all the gear they bring, settled onto the ship as quickly and smoothly as possible. The decks fill quickly with equipment and instruments.
The Thomas G. Thompson is by far the largest ship I have sailed on. She is outfitted with oceanographic and meteorological sensors in every nook and cranny. On the very top deck, known as the 05 or the flying bridge, we replaced an anemometer, or a ‘wind bird’. It is a lofty feeling to be climbing a ladder so far above the sea, being able to look out on the vast expanse of blues! There’s me on the ladder (Hi me!). Leg one of this scientific mission was smooth sailing, both in terms of the unusually calm seastate, and the workflow. Now, after about 10 days in port, back and forth between dock and anchor, we are underway! We finally received the shipments we were waiting for, and finished our mobilization phase on the dock.
Now, the science can begin! We are deploying weather balloons equipped with radiosondes every 6 hours. The balloon will rise into the stratosphere, and using the attached sensor, measure parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind speed. This information is vital for understanding weather patterns. Look at ’em go!
“toil and turn under the sun,
c’mon Greenhorn! work’s just begun;
heave the anchor, tie the lines,
now sailing feel the winds divine;
a sailors job’s a rotten one,
when waves crash and thunder drums;
make way through twisted course like vines,
’til you again see brave coastlines;
dream not yet of landlocked loves,
lest the days escape and hands be dumb;
barely from the harbors brine,
sail out to sea just one more time”
Each time the ship comes to port, personnel board and disembark from their hitch. Some may spend weeks at sea, while others months. The time away from home can be both adventurous and at the same time draining. With each sea going person I meet, I come more to the understanding of this balance.
We have just about 3 weeks to deploy the buoy, drifters, weather balloons, CTD/UCTD casts, gliders and more! The increasing swell of the sea can make deck operations difficult and unsafe. We work with the captain and the science team to adapt plans that best suit everyone’s needs. So we’ll be here, watching the weather and deploying balloons! Catch you on the next setting sun, scallywags…
