Category: University of Washington, School of Oceanography Page 6 of 7

During our stop in San Diego, many things on the ship changed. We disembarked the science techs and all their gear, which I must say makes the ship look so much bigger, garnered provisions and got the ship’s winch back. The secondary marine techs were switched out and once under sail, we fired-up all that data acquiring equipment that we run and maintain as SOP (standard operating procedure). So now what? Today has been a day like any other while in transit. We made work lists and knocked out the items on the list. For example, we removed sensors from the CTD that are due for calibration, replacing them with ones from the ship stores, ordering replacements for the store from shore to be brought with the oncoming tech and updating all the logs that pertain to that activity. We trained on CTD terminations, so in the event there is a problem during operations, we will be prepared to make that happen efficiently. We spend our day ensuring that all the details that make operations efficient and smooth are addressed before the heat is turned up. We prepare. We anticipate. We pay close attention to the details, so the details don’t come back to haunt us at a critical moment. In addition, as we are headed for dry dock we have to coordinate with the engineers that power requirements are meet as we have certain equipment that needs to remain online no matter what state the ship is in. And, for me personally, it’s time to start tidying up my internship and personal details, like this final blog and laundry. The party’s over, so turn the lights out. Adios, Thomas G. Thompson.

Since joining the vessel, I have learned how to cast a CTD, deploy ARGO floats and drifters, and what the processes entail to launch and recover TAO buoys; and those lessons, were mostly closely associated with the maintenance aspects specific to this expedition. However, those maintenance tasks were the easier part for me to absorb as I am not a novice sailor, nor do I lack mechanical skills. I also learned a lot about how to operate a plethora of electronic equipment that allows us to collect meteorological and oceanographic data; these are the ones I feared the most and all the while being fully aware that these are the bread and butter of a marine tech’s job description. Working as a marine tech is a lot as I anticipated and really stretched the limits of my knowledge base. See, the one aspect of the internship that gave me the most cause for pause, even while I was applying for the position, was knowing that the depth of my computer skills would be my Achilles; and, it has been. Yet, I have strengthened that weak spot and overcome some of the hesitation that is hallmark to such inadequacies. The picture I’ve chosen to accompany this article is a collage of all the different equipment that minimally, I have learned how to operate and maintain, and some, I have even learned how to troubleshoot and repair. From the multibeam that sends signals to the ocean floor for mapping, to maintaining our internet for communications to shore, which is so important professionally (and for a happy crew), to the SCS (Scientific Computer Systems) which monitors and logs no less than 168 sensors (at the moment), I can walk into the computer lab, and know when something is amiss, what that something is, why and how it is monitoring, how critical it is to operations and sometimes, EXACTLY what to do to fix it! Take that Achilles!

The dynamic fashion of the marine environment makes the idea of placing something like a grid (or a buoy) in a spot and expecting it to be there the next day, let alone a year later, a special task. The buoy, or what’s left of it in the photo, is just one of the issues we encountered that caused our route and plan to be adjusted.  We had set this buoy and did the obligatory checks to ensure it was functioning properly before moving on to out next destination, just to be recalled to it within a day; we had lost all transmissions. In route to another maintenance recovery, we were informed just about a day before scheduled arrival that the buoy had moved 12nmi before losing contact; we didn’t find that one. Add to the fluid nature of the ocean, the corrosive environment and punishing ultra-violence of the sun, it’s little wonder that buoys have been such a reliable source for data at all. For instance, we’ve had to cut the mooring line twice now as the release mechanism did not respond properly to the release code, yet we recovered the buoys and most of the moorings. We cannot say with any certainty why the mechanisms did not release as average depth for these two devices hover around 3500m. The ocean is a world filled with hazards and unknowns. In spite of all these variables and possible derailments, the science team, through triangulation, determined that the last two buoys were located within 3m and 1m respectively of their designated stations, and we have managed to stay on schedule, pretty impressive. I believe these accomplishments speak volumes about the entire team’s ability to communicate, prioritize and function as a unit to fulfill our best laid plan.

While in transit, my mentor has shown me the ropes (no pun intended). The list of responsibilities of a marine technician seem as long as the day, but to button hole the job description, I would say, marine techs are here to serve the mission, which includes the needs of the many as well as the few, professional and personal. In addition, one tries to throw in whenever and wherever possible to get the job done. In general, we are the keeper of data, the link in communication and the glue that holds all the parts as a whole (next to the steward, of course, the food has been AMAZING!). Casting CTD’s has become mostly a night time event as the TAO buoys have to be done in the light of day. The CTD’s can acquire much more than just conductivity, temperature and depth; in fact, they can be outfitted with various sensors or equipment to measure or sample just about any parameter that the science crew requires. The one in the picture is loaded with this vessel’s standard equipment, which includes 24 bottles to sample water and oxygen sensors. Oh, and the catching? When we pull a buoy out the fish follow, and we get out the mitts because they practically jump on the deck! Fresh and local fish are a staple on this ship!

I arrived to the ship on Saturday the 4^th, meet the other two techs, Brandi and Jenny (behind me in the photo) and got the orientation tour. No time to waste as we prep’d the ARGO floats for use. Disappointment of the day? trying to find my cabin again! The next day was Easter, but there’s no rest for the wicked .. or in our case, the Easter Bunny! He found us in spite of our undisclosed location and was very generous, leaving sweets and coins. Easter was our last day to go ashore, so we spent some time relaxing a bit and laughing a lot. Today we pulled out of port, and I am in the umpteenth hour of my watch. I’ve been shown so many aspects of my job already but have many more to learn. My training is interesting and going very well in large part due to my mentor (Brandi) who is organized, patient, relaxed and funny; it’s gonna be awesome!

The stress of knowing that if you forget something you’ll have to do without or rely on the kindness of strangers and the thrill of knowing a new adventure is on the horizon. I am feeling all of this at the moment. Lucky dinosaurs have no idea … but they did miss out no?

Image courtesy of Dan Regan

I have been assigned to work with the Lamont Doherty Observatory of Columbia University for this cruise. After many delays from Navy inspections we finally left port and headed to recover the scientific instruments from the sea. There was overcast throughout the first and half of the second week so it all looks the same whether it is 9AM or 9PM. The sun doesn’t fully until about 10PM so there’s a lot of daylight on the west coast. I was part of a team if 6 charged with retrieving 30 Ocean Bottom Seismometer or OBS for short. More than half of them were TRM which are Trawl Resistant versions of the OBS. Encased in a steel shell weighing about a ton each the TRMs were difficult to get on board. Operations were for 24hrs so we rest whenever we can in between each instrument. We were equipped with a winch which had a heave compensation system allowing it to adjust for the pitch and roll of the ship to maintain the stress of the line when hauling a TRM out of the water. We had the help of JASON from WHOI, a remote under water ROV to help us find some of the instruments that didn’t respond to our radio. The crew of the Thompson was a HUGE help of which I cannot emphasize enough, without them we probably would have taken at least twice as long. And also the student that came along also gave us a hand. Once on board we had to strip and clean the TRM of all its parts leaving but the steel shell to get refurbished for the next deployment. Before the previous deployment they used a lot of Aqua Shield which is some teal colored lithium based grease to help water proof some of the cables. It is terrible to deal with and it never gets off your clothes or your hands. Along with the TRM came many creatures of the deep and a lot of sea mud, which smelled terrible, made from organic waste it’s about the closest thing you can get to manure that isn’t excrement. There were many sea stars and other stranger creatures. On this cruise we were also able to see some whales, dolphins, and even a sunfish. Overall I had a great experience and met a lot of people. The MATE program had presented me the best opportunity I could ever ask for and following this I will continue to work with the Lamont group.

                Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end.  After dropping off the MoorSPICE scientists in New Caledonia, we embarked on my final voyage on the R/V Thomas G. Thompson.  It was a short transit to Auckland, New Zealand.  I had very few marine tech tasks to do as I was mostly planning my six day vacation in New Zealand and tying up some loose ends.

                One of the loose ends was a table I had to build out of basically whatever scraps I could find.  This table was for the next cruise which was a 40 day cruise with the ROV Nereus.  They wanted a table with a sink so they could wash and strain their sediment cores without getting the deck full of silt. 

                The building of this table is actually a pretty funny story.  After spending days scrounging up some sturdy legs and cutting a sink hole in a piece of plywood I went to paint it.  I was painting it outside on the back deck, and it was getting late, so a colleague told me to put it downstairs in the hot winch room because it would dry quicker.  After a few more coats of paint the next day I put all of the pieces together. 

                Then I realized it needed some support in order to withstand heavy use on the back deck, so I enlisted some help from engineers and found some plywood to screw in as supports.  After hours of hard labor in the hot winch room it was time to take it upstairs to the now chilly air blowing hard on the back deck, and… wait. It’s way too big to fit through the door!  Ahhh!

                After taking it all apart and putting it back together on the back deck it was time for bed again.  I finished it the next day with a water-tight caulked sink and furnished a way to bolt it to the deck. The next morning I woke up and the Nereus guys were already onboard and thanked me graciously for building this table out of the very little materials on board.

                So, we had docked in the middle of the night and I spent the morning cleaning my room.  After clearing customs I was whisked away off the ship by my friends Damien, Troy, and Tina who were also at the end of their hitches on the Thompson.  A cab awaited us and we drove to our hostel in downtown Auckland.

                After spending a lifetime total of four and a half months living on the big hunk of steel that they call the R/V Thompson G. Thompson, I was sad to walk away from it. I barely got a chance to give people hugs as I was leaving, but I knew we would all keep in touch via Facebook.  My memories and everything I learned on the Thompson will never be forgotten.

                Nostalgic as I was feeling, I also was extremely drained and practically burnt out.  I had worked 84 hours per week for over 13 weeks straight!  Sometimes I felt ambitious and worked more than 12 hours per day and some days I just felt as though sleep was way more important.  Either way, my mind and body needed a break.

                The wonderful people at MATE were nice enough to give me six days to myself in New Zealand!  I did not waste it.  The very same day I got off the ship, I also jumped off the Auckland Bridge twice with the 3^rd mate Damien.  This was the first time bungy jumping for both of us and we absolutely loved it!  It was the same place where the inventor of bungy jumping first jumped.  Later we cheered on the Iron Man competition that was going on in the streets of Auckland and headed to our hostel for an early restful evening.

                After one night in Auckland, Damien, the third engineer, Troy and I all hopped on a bus and went to a small town south of Auckland where we would start hiking the Tongariro Crossing.  It is involves hiking up and across  Mount Ngauruhoe which is better known as Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings!  This is arguably the most famous hike in New Zealand as it gets over 1500 hikers per day on a 7 mile trail in peak season.  However the day we went was not ideal for hiking, so we saw very few people.  The winds at the top of the mountain were 40-50mph and the wind chill was near freezing.  It was quite a challenge considering I had spent the last few months living on the equator!  Our only hope of things warming up was the volcano erupting beneath us which happened as recently as last year!  Thankfully, it did not erupt and we survived the cold.

                After a long and challenging day of hiking I said goodbye to Damien and Troy and headed back to Auckland alone; they were continuing south on a month-long vacation in New Zealand.  After a crashing for a day in Auckland, I got out and explored the city. 

                Some friends I made at the hostel and I went to Viaduct Harbor to watch Prince William and Princess Kate race each other on authentic “American Cup” sailboats.  These racing sailboats are more expensive than the R/V Thomas G. Thompson, and have a lot of history, but the thousands of people that showed up were not there for the boats.  Everyone went crazy after waiting for hours just to see these people sail by for a few seconds on their way out into the bay.  It was a huge event.

                The following days were lazy for me as I tried to unwind.  However my 3 roommates egged me onto another hike that took us through the giant parks in Auckland and up to Mount Eden which had a fantastic view of the city.  From there we could see the harbor, the surrounding towns, some small islands in the distance, mountain ranges and the skyline of Auckland. Then we spent the evening at Mission Bay swimming under an orange and pink sunset.

                The last night I was in New Zealand, I went to some bars with some people from the hostel and we ran into three crew members from the R/V Thomas G. Thompson!  After dancing and chatting for a while we said our final goodbyes as they were leaving in the morning and so was I.

                The next morning I bid farewell to Auckland and all of my new friends.  Before I knew it, after a short bus ride to the airport, I was asleep on an airplane to Fiji.  After arriving in Fiji, my connecting flight to Hawaii was delayed.  I ended up staying eight hours in a hot Fijian airport, but it gave me ample time to organize the heaps of photos I’ve taken on the Thompson and relive all of the great memories.

                After the plane touched down in Hawaii I gave a quick phone call to my loved ones for the first time in three months and then a short cab ride to Snug Harbor where I meet Scott Ferguson, the manager of the marine technicians at the University of Hawaii.  He gives me a quick tour of the Kilo Moana, shows me my room and lets me get acquainted with my new home.

                My first impression of the Kilo Moana is that it’s 100 feet shorter than the Thompson, but after getting on it, I realized that it was almost twice as wide as my previous ship.  My stateroom is impressive.  It is carpeted, has a small television for viewing deck operations, and most of all: It has a Window! 

                I expect that it will take me some time to get used to this new ship.  Changing ships is like changing families, if you can imagine that.  It has a different atmosphere all together, but nothing to be worried about.  I feel like this ship will spoil me with interesting stories and plenty of smart brains to pick.  My first cruise is the longest cruise I’ve had to date, 43 days.  Let’s hope it doesn’t take me that long to get acclimated to my new home.