In Search of...Water

"Wish you were here."

Another beautiful morning off the coast of Oregon.  The plan for today: search for water the is high in phytoplankton biomass and low in pH.  To do this, the iron fish was deployed over the starboard side of the R/V Melville.  At this stage in the cruise, deploying equipment over the side has become routine.  Once the fish was deployed, the R/V Melville sailed slowly, allowing the fish to pump water onboard. As the water reaches the lab, it is immediately checked for nutrients, pH, and iron concentration.  We are expecting water that is high in phytoplankton biomass and low in pH.  By analyzing the nutrients in the water, we can determine of the phytoplankton has taken them in.  If the nutrient levels are low, that could possibly mean that they have taken in their "food," and that their early stages of growth have passed.  So as the day carried on, so did the "fishing." When Dr. Wells walks through the lab and says "fish time," we know it's time to grab a life vest and helmet.  We are proud to get dirty and wet.

The iron fish.

To deploy the fish, we need at least five people on deck, and one person (from the R/V Melville, operating the ship's boom). The restech, Keith Shadle, communicates with boom operator and the bridge by using hand signals and a radio.  Dr. Wells and I lower the fish over the side, hand over hand.(which is a difficult task due to the drag caused by the currents).  Dr. Wells enjoys yelling "shoulder workout" as we let out the line. The fish is a hosed-vane, that pumps water back to the ship.  Keeping the fish vertical, is a weight that resembles a torpedo, and hangs below the vane.  It's very heavy and awkward to handle, especially when the ship is tossing.  Two other people on deck serve as our safeties, holding onto the line in case one of us slips, and lose grip of the fish. When the time comes to retrieve the fish, we end up wet and smelling like...fish.  

The fish is towed alongside
the R/V Melville.  The white hose
carries water onto the ship's lab.

As the R/V Melville  searched for the right kind of water, we got caught up on things inside the lab.  I read chlophyll samples in the dark room while Trey filtered samples for Brian Bill's domoic acid experiment.  We also took samples from the "Terminator," a large incubator that allows us to continually culture phytoplankton on deck.  Unlike the other incubators in which the sampled water is kept within bottles, the water in the Terminator is free to move around.  The capsules inside rock back and forth to continually agitate the cultured cells with water pumped in, maintaining a constant temperature.  I enjoy filtering and processing these samples because it gives me an opportunity to see how quickly phytoplankton can grow.   Next time someone says something to you about seawater being green, tell them it's a good thing--it's algae!

Dr, Wells, Dr. Trick, Dr. Cochlan, and Dr. Trainer.

Other than sampling, we used today to calibrate our gauges and equipment.   The PIs spent most of late afternoon up until suppertime to decide what to do next.  We were not able to find the water we needed.  Instead, we were in water that was moderate in phytoplankton biomass and at a slightly higher pH than we wanted.   Trey and I ended the day by preparing for tomorrow and getting caught up on our blog writing.  The Internet out here has been slow and spotty at times, which makes writing in between sampling a challenge.   

Getting work done before the end of the evening.

We are currently steaming north at full speed toward Cape Kiwanda.  Unlike other nights, the sea is calm, making our transit so far, very smooth.  After breakfast, we will once again deploy the fish to survey for the water we are looking for  We will also sample all of our cultures, break down experiments and plan to start all over again for one more experimental run before reaching Seattle.   Tomorrow is going to be a long day.  We are ready!  

Happy birthday Rachel Carson.

 Working at sea - in your memory.

A view of the Terminator.

Neptune's Daughters

Stillness and sunny skies greeted us as we rose to start the day.  The R/V Melville was floating near Heceta Bank, not far off of the Oregon coast.   We could see a silhouette of the shore, tucked under a thin sheet of clouds in the distance.

The Rosette's Niskin bottles
are ready for another round of sampling.

Dr. Mark Wells (Univ. of Maine)
is taking samples into the lab
for analysis.

After our morning CTD casts, we sampled from our second acidification batch and domoic acic experiments.  A nutrient analysis from the batch experiment, revealed that the phytoplankton in the incubators were growing at a very rapid rate.  With today's weather being optimal for phytoplankton growth, we decided to sample again at 18:00.  Within the sample bottles, we could see patches of algae growing inside.  We plan to sample the batch once again in two days, with time for a possible third acidification experiment.  As I am typing at 11:28, the scientists have either retired for the evening or are in the lounge for a movie.  This is the first time in three weeks, in which all operations have ended early.  I think that we all needed some time to rest -- and it came at a good time.

~~~~~~~

With this being my fourth cruise as a teacher at sea, I have been fortunate to have been able to work with some great people.  As cruises tend to go, we usually have scientists from several different universities or agencies working collaboratively.  As time passes, the lines between these affiliations, tend to become blurred, as new long lasting friendships are formed. On this cruise, we have a tight group of female marine scientists that in some ways, have formed a strong sisterhood. Their educational background, ranges from undergraduate training to PhD level research positions, and they come from varied cultural backgrounds. Their sense of humor is infectious and their work ethic is top notch.  When they are not sampling or casting the CTD, they are talking science, perfecting their knot tying, or helping others with their work.  I can't help but think that not too long ago, they were sitting at a high school desk--they could have been my students.  

I've been fascinated by their stories--of how they've reached this point in their educational careers. Since I cannot bring them to our classes, I've decided to bring them to high school students via my blog. I would like to share how they feel about science, tell you a little bit about their backgrounds, and share some of their wisdom to high school students everywhere.

Dr. Charles Trick and Julia Matheson
of  Western Univ., London, Ontario, Canada.

Julia Matheson, just completed her Masters degree in biology at Western University, at London, Ontario, Canada.  Since she was a young girl, she always enjoyed "playing outside."  She would spend her time watching the weather and trying to predict its patterns.  When she entered high school, she had three science teachers that had an impact on her:  Mr. Sitak (biology), Mr. Leedham (physics), and Mrs. Lowes (chemistry).  She says that they were "great teachers" and that they influenced her to pursue a degree in science at her university.   

Brian Bill (NOAA-NWFSC) and Kathryn Ferguson
(NOAA-NWFSC/FSU).

Kathryn Ferguson, is an undergraduate student from Florida State University and is a Hollings Scholar at NOAA-NWFSC this summer. She cites her middle school years as the foundation for her love of science. Kathryn was left an impression to preserve and protect the environment, after her 6th grade science teacher allowed Kathyrn's class to raise horseshoe crabs, and then release them into the Chesapeake Bay.  She enjoyed high school and felt that while biology was easy for her, environmental science was the subject that has led her to where she is now.

Kit Angeloff took a different route to science. After working as an archaeological illustrator, she discovered she enjoyed being part of a scientific team, applied to be a volunteer with NOAA-PMEL, and as a result, is now part of this cruise.  Kit intends to study marine geochemistry.

Rachel Vander Giessen is a University of Washington graduate, and works for the UW-Applied Physics Lab. She is the captain of all CTD casts and dissolved gas sampling.  She decided to take part in our cruise because fieldwork is a large part of her job.  She is fascinated by the natural world and credits her mother for encouraging her to get her hands dirty.  "Don't miss out on opportunities because of fear," she advises.  When she's not in the lab, Rachel pours pints at Hilliard's Beer, a local Seattle microbrewery in Ballard.  Stop by for a cold one and sing a sea shanty with her.  

Hannah Glover is a graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, and is working for NOAA-PMEL as Rachel's assistant.  After volunteering in the Applied Physics Lab, she was invited to join this cruise.  Hannah's sense of humor keeps the cruise lighthearted with her one-liners and other off-the-cuff quips.  She was raised in a household where the natural sciences were held in high esteem.  She loved chemistry in high school, but admits (with a smile) not so much in college.

L to R:  Kit Angeloff (NOAA-PMEL volunteer) Rachel Vander Giessen
(UW-APL), and Hannah Glover (UW/NOAA-PMEL)

Laura Filliger and Joselynn Wallace, University
of Rhode Island.

Joselynn Wallace and Laura Filliger are PhD students from the University of Rhode Island.  Joselynn is in her 3rd year of her degree and is interested in using molecular biology to look at phytoplankton diversity and gene expression.  In her spare time, Joselynn plays bass in a punk band.  Laura is a huge Los Angeles Kings fan, and is in charge of freezing phytoplankton biomass to be analyzed back at the URI lab.  She is using this cruise (her first) to learn what is like to work and conduct science at sea.  Her second cruise will take place this November, when she will take part in a cruise aboard the R/V Palmer to Antarctica.  Both scientists have expressed that it was their hands-on lab experiences in school that got them turned onto science.

Maribel Albarran of RTC-SFSU.

Maribel Albarran is an undergraduate student at San Francisco State University.  Starting off as a work study student in Dr. Cochlan's lab, and has since been accepted as a climate change scholar. With Dr. Cochlan as her mentor, she was brought on board, giving her the experience she needs to build her future in science.  She hasn't always felt that science was easy for her, but she remained interested because it challenged her to think more critically than in her other classes.  She enjoys playing guitar and is a fan of the San Francisco Giants.

Heather Richard is also a student from San Francisco State University.  She enjoys mountain biking, photography, and songwriting (she has an amazing voice).  As a ten year old girl, she had a desire to learn all of the plants in the forest, and how they were "connected to one another."  She encourages students to, "Figure out who you are and what you are most passionate about.  Follow your passions and be happy."  Heather is currently working on her Masters degree and is conducting the plastic pollution experiment.

Heather Martin (RTC-SFSU) and
Kathy Thornton (Univ. of Maine).

I think back to a career day was held at my previous school.  Speakers would volunteer their time to talk with our students about career options. Students rotated through several sessions, listened to a brief presentation by each speaker, and were allowed to ask questions.  One of the speakers was a good friend of mine that I've known since middle school.  As a jet propulsion engineer, she encouraged our students to take more science courses and to take their chances.   She then looked at our female students. "We need more women in science."  Heather explained to me that are a lot of women in marine biology, but not in the higher positions. Maribel is excited to show the younger generation that great discoveries have been, and will continue to be made by female scientists. Laura feels that female representation in science is "skyrocketing." She told me that when she was an undergrad at Carnegie Mellon University, the school announced that it had reached 40:60 ratio of female to male students.  It had previously been at 30:70. Aboard the R/V Melville, 11 of our 21 scientists are female.  

Dr. Vera Trainer, principal investigator,
NOAA-NWFSC.

One of our principal investigators is Dr. Vera Trainer of NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center.  She is well respected in the research of toxic algae. Besides being a PI, she is a morale booster and "integrator."  Dr. Trainer credits her grandmother with having a great impact on her.  As a child, she would hike with her family in the Alps. Her grandmother would share with her, the names of all of the flowers and mountains.  Dr. Trainer is fluent in German and is a mother of two beautiful kids.   

I asked these scientists, to imagine speaking to a group of high school students... If given the opportunity, I asked, "What would you tell them?"  So students if you are reading this, these are their words of wisdom:

"Do what you love.  Try everything.  Travel when you can or talk to people about their adventures. " -Dr. Trainer

Kathryn Ferguson and Laura Filliger
sampling from the Rosette's Niskin
bottles.

"Live sustainably as a way to preserve and restore our environment for future generations." -Kathryn Ferguson

"Figure out what you really want to do, learn and master time management strategies and don't be too hard on yourself."  -Laura Filliger

"The most important thing you can do is figure out who you are and what you are passionate about."  -Heather Richard

"Don't choose what to do with your life based on what you think you're capable of or naturally good at--base it on what you think is worth doing--the ability follows." -Kit Angeloff

"Talk with your teachers and professors.  Meet them outside of class hours (or after class) to ask their opinions. They are people too!"  -Julia Matheson

URI's Joselynn Wallace with the R/V Melville's 
1st Mate, John Jeskevicius.  

"Not getting a concept doesn't make you stupid, you just need to study it more..."
-Joselynn Wallace

"Don't miss out on opportunities because of fear." -Rachel Vander Giessen

"Climate change is the problem their generation will face." -Hannah Glover

"Stay close to those who want to really teach you about something important.  It does not have to be science, but dedication and positivity is key.  Study, study, study, and don't procrastinate."  -Maribel Albarran

I hope that enjoyed reading this as much I as did writing about it.  We have a great group of scientists aboard the R/V Melville.   They would love to hear your comments.  

Please check back tomorrow for more updates on our scientific adventures!

We work and eat together at sea.

Plastic Beach

Hello from the R/V Melville.  Newport, Oregon.

Just before breakfast, a slight haze hung over the mountains.  It was a comfortable morning with the sun's light reflected on the water.  In a pre-planned stop, a rescue boat was launched from the starboard side of the R/V Melville to pick up Dr. Vera Trainer (NOAA-NWFSC) and Kathy Thornton (Univ. of Maine) from the harbor.  They will remain with us until the conclusion of the cruise on June 6th.  I had the privilege of working with them on two previous cruises in 2005 and 2006, in which we studied harmful algal blooms in the Pacific northwest.

Dr. Vera Trainer (NOAA-NWFSC) meeting
Maribel Albarran (RTC-SFSU).

Kathy Thornton (Univ. of Maine) and
Dr. Vera Trainer (NOAA-NWFSC)
climb aboard the R/V Melville with assistance
from A/B Ed Keenan and OS Paul Martin.

Trey Joyner received a note from home.
It was brought on board by Dr. Trainer.

There was a great deal of excitement for the arrival of Dr. Trainer and Kathy Thornton.  Hugs were exchanged on deck, and introductions were made as they were shown around the ship. Known for packing goodies--Dr. Trainer brought a duffel bag filled with chocolate, phytoplankton flash cards, and a package for Trey.  His package was mailed by his wife to Dr. Trainer's office in Seattle, and contained a dental appliance along with several messages from home.  I was standing next to him when he opened it and I could tell that it meant the world to him.

Guitar jam with Maribel Albarran
and Heather Richard.
Both are from RTC-SFSU.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I spoke this afternoon with Heather Richard (RTC-SFSU) to learn more about her plastic pollution experiment.  Heather is interested in the interactions of plastic in the environment.  Like other substrates in the ocean, plastic is known to attract the growth of organic matter, also known as biofilms. When plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, tiny ecosystems for microbial growth are created.  While microbial growth is common in the marine environment, it is the attraction of potentially toxic metals to organic matter growing on plastic that has her interested.  When plastic debris is eaten by organisms, the toxins are carried through the food chain, leading to biomagnification. While some toxins may sink and eventually become buried in the sediment on the seafloor, toxins bound to plastic will remain buoyant and will be carried along the surface by waves and currents. Birds and other animals may eat the contaminated plastic and take in the toxic metals.

Overhead view of Heather's
experiment in the incubator.

We cannot forget that plastic alone is known to kill thousands of birds.

Heather is showing me growth
within one of the bottles.

Mistaking plastic for food, birds ingest the debris, causing digestive blockages which eventually lead to death.  I recall a time when I took a class of students to the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, California.  A volunteer at the center showed my class several x-rays of dead birds -- revealing a large amount of trash eaten by the birds.  Plastic six-pack soda rings, fish hooks, and bottle caps were some of the items taken from inside the dead birds.  Then the volunteer reached into a box, pulled out some of those items and held them up to the x-rays.  This demonstration really got the attention of my students.  One student asked, "All of that was eaten by those poor birds?"

Heather is using bottles inside the incubator to culture an organic sludge. This sticky organic biofilm, secretes a sugary type of mucous that will bind metals and other toxic materials (such as DDT).  The sludge will then be introduced to 'virgin' plastic beads -- plastic that is free of dyes and additives.  Some of the beads will be free of the sludge, making them the control for the experiment. After six days in the incubator, the samples will be spiked with heavy metals, to simulate the presence of metals in the environment.  She will then use a dye and a microscope to inspect the surface of the beads.  Half of the beads will be analyzed for the amount of accumulated biofilm by using a spectrophotometer.  The other half will be put in acid, removing the metals from the beads.  Using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, she will quantify how much iron was bound to the beads.   This data can then be used to compare the relationship of iron bound to the biofilm.

The bottles are out so Heather can
add the plastic beads.

Plastic is a long-term problem, especially when it comes to the cycling of metals in marine environments.  Could there be a concern for the binding of metals in iron limited areas?  If so, how would this affect the production of phytoplankton biomass?  Could this affect marine food chains in the long run?  How will this affect fisheries around the world?  Recently, there has been concern over facial cleansing microbeads entering the ocean.  Used as exfoliants, microbeads are washed down drains and end up in our ocean.  Our clothing also contain many small plastic microfibers, that are removed when we wash our clothes.  We are unknowingly adding plastic to the ocean.

This seagull was perched on the R/V Melville.
Notice the plastic tangled around it's head.
Photo taken by Heather Richard.

I think back to when I lived in Long Beach, California.  Our beaches were littered with plastic, cigarette butts, and other forms of trash.  With every step I took, I felt something in the sand.  I used to think of it as a nuisance -- something that I didn't like to see.  I was aware of the problems that plastics cause to birds and other animals, but I never gave much thought to the impact that plastics have to binding heavy metals.  Plastic will photodegrade much faster on land than in water--breaking up a into many smaller pieces, eventually ending up in our ocean by gusts of wind.  We have to do a better job of keeping our beaches clean.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The temperatures have dropped off
the coast of Oregon, so Julia
Matheson (Western Univ.)
has bundled up.

As the evening approached, the skies grew darker and the clouds rolled in.  The temperatures dropped, as the setting sun peeked below the grey canopy.  For most of the day, we collected water form the iron "fish," a pump that is towed alongside the ship.  After the water collection, Rachel Vander Giessen (UW-APL), Chris, and I assisted Dr. Wells with retrieving the fish.  The strong current and wet rope made it challenging to pull it back on deck, leaving my hands numb and my clothes smelling like a fish market. Meanwhile, Dr. Trick (Western Univ.) and Dr. Wells (Univ. of Maine) were checking sensors inside of an on-deck incubator.  Dr. Cochlan (RTC-SFSU), Chris Ikeda (RTC-SFSU) and Brian Bill (NOAA-NWFSC) were setting up their next experiment in the bay of the ship.

Overnight, we will head toward Haceta Bank.  We expect the water to be high in iron concentration, but low in phytoplankton biomass.   We will perform our usual CTD casts to profile the area before moving toward our next station along the Oregon coast.  With twelve days left in the cruise, we know that it's going to get a lot busier.

Good night from the R/V Melville.

Thank you for reading.  We hope that you continue to check in on our scientific adventures.

Food on the Table

Just like phytoplankton, Joselynn Wallace (Univ. of Rhode Island)
 is taking advantage of the sun.

L to R:  Kathryn Ferguson
(NOAA-NWFSC/FSU),
Maribel Albarran (RTC-SFSU),
and Andrew Shellenbach
(Western Univ.).

I want to start this post by saying thank you again for keeping up with our adventures. We all enjoy receiving feedback from interested citizens. Please feel free to continue sending me your comments and questions. The scientists on board are excited to know that you are interested in our science, and our day-to-day activities.

Hannah Glover (UW/NOAA-PMEL),
Rachel Vander Giessen (UW-APL)
and Keith Shadle (R/V Melville) are
deploying the "iron" fish to collect water.

By now, you should have an idea of our daily routines at sea.  I would like to shift toward explaining more of the "what and why" of our research, and the scientific objectives of this research cruise. My primary scientific responsibility (which I share with my fellow teacher-at-sea) is providing the team with an estimate of phytoplankton biomass. We do this by collecting water samples from the depths of interest on specific pore-sized filters.  These filters are subsequently analyzed for the concentration of the primary photosynthetic pigment - chlorophyll a.  When conducting oceanographic studies, scientists need to accurately estimate the planktonic biomass in their water samples. A large amount of phytoplankton biomass per unit volume of water means that there's a lot of primary producers or "food" within a sampling area to support the growth of animals at higher levels of the marine food chain.  In other words,  I am responsible for providing an estimate of the concentration of the photosynthetic biomass in the waters we are studying. These photosynthetic organisms convert inorganic carbon into organic carbon (the biomass of algae) by utilizing the sun's energy, and thus are called photoautotrophs,..they are the base of the marine food chain.

Scientists like Julia Matheson
of Western Univ., try to work out when
there's a break in sampling.

Phytoplankton biomass  is not easy to measure in the field, and requires specialized instrumentation to both accurately and precisely quantify this important base measure.  Being at sea, we use chlorophyll as a proxy to estimate phytoplankton mass and measure this concentration with a fluorometer. Though the amount of chlorophyll in phytoplankton cells can vary depending on physiological conditions, this has been the standard measure of phytoplankton biomass for the past 60 to 70 years in oceanographic studies World-wide.  It is quick, relatively simple, and provides us with a good estimate for which to plan experiments and further studies. Therefore, high concentrations of chlorophyll mean that there is a high concentration of phytoplankton biomass in the water.  This ultimately provides us with a picture of how much food is "on the table."  The next time you are at the beach or near a lake, take a look at the color of the water.  Clear water generally contains very little biomass, whereas greenish or brownish water has lots of microalgae growing in it.  You can make a quick visual comparison of the biomass in different places using your eyes.  Generally speaking, the darker water supports a 'larger', or more productive food web, ultimately supporting more fish at the top of the aquatic food chain.

Joselynn Wallace (Univ. of Rhode
Island) shows off the artistically designed
styrofoam head thatwill eventually
be sent to the depths of the Pacific,
to be shrunken by the water's pressure.

Our experiments require a relatively large amount of biomass so that we can more accurately measure important biological parameters like photosynthetic efficiency and the lipid content of the phytoplankton cells.  Lipids are water insoluble molecules that are used by phytoplankton as rich energy reserves or structural components (e.g., membranes) depending on whether they are neutral or polar lipids, respectively.  Different growth conditions of the algae influence what types of compounds the cells make, such as essential fatty acids such as Omega-3--which are  found in fish.  However, the fish cannot make these Omega-3 fatty acids; they must obtain them from their diet, and ultimately  phytoplankton.

Lipids are fats that are utilized as stored energy.  When phytoplankton are eaten by zooplankton (microscopic drifting animals), energy is transferred.  Large zooplankton such as krill, are later eaten by larger organisms such as fish and humpback whales.  Energy is required by organisms to reproduce. If phytoplankton are not able to make these lipids, then zooplankton and other organisms in a food web will be adversely affected.

Chris Ikdea of RTC-SFSU is gearing up for his second acidification experiment.

One of the major questions we are testing is how will lowered seawater pH (in other words higher acidity) affect the production of Omega-3 fatty acids? If production is affected, it will alter the overall nutrition of food webs. Phytoplankton may become less (or perhaps more) nutritious to their zooplankton predators.  They won't receive the quality of nutrition they once had.  How will the total amount and composition of food change?  How might fisheries be affected by changes in the base of the food web--the phytoplankton?    How might this affect the food on your table?  Important and yet to be answered questions!

Today, the ship's store was open.  Only three
cruises remain for the "Salty Ship" before
she is retired.

So as you can see, my job is to let the scientists know how much 'planktonic food' is in the water we are using for our deck-board experiments.  If there is very little biomass in the water, the next question is why?  Are there insufficient inorganic dissolved nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate, silicate, iron) in the water to support the growth of the phytoplankton, is the water being too deeply mixed by the wind so there is insufficient sunlight for them to photosynthesize, or perhaps the relatively level of acidity (as measured by pH) is affecting the growth or physiology of the phytoplankton? These are some of the questions we are attempting to answer during this scientific mission.

We are now headed toward Newport, Oregon.  The sun is out, and most of us are done for the day.  We have started a new multi-day deckboard experiment, and look forward collecting more data.  The lab is quiet as we get ready for a new day!

The scientists aboard are glad to hear that you are following us.  Please continue to check in.  You can also follow me on Twitter: @SoCalCostello.

A picture from home.

Controlled Chaos

The schedule.

I rose from my bed shortly after 07:15 this morning.  I was up late, so I tried to squeeze in every last minute I could.  I knew that I had to get on deck for the start of our day.  I greeted Dr. Cochlan in the lab and asked him how he slept.  "Great...until three o'clock in the morning." he said.  That's when the fog horns started sounding off again--three powerful blasts, every two minutes.    I heard the noise while in my state room--in the aft section of the R/V Melville.  Dr. Cochlan's state room is located directly below the horns.  We were obviously still covered in fog.

View of the main lab after breakfast.

Shortly after breakfast, we got right to work.  At this point, we have found our rhythm.  The schedule for the day is always posted on the whiteboard next to the freezer.  We check the board every morning to make sure that we are all on the same page.  Tests tubes were set up, log books were updated, and sampling bottles were at the ready.  Keith Shadle of the R/V Melville, passed through the lab shortly before 08:00. We knew what that meant--it was go time!  The Rosette was going in the water.

Trey worked on deck with the CTD crew while I processed chlorophyll samples. Members of the CTD crew have to monitor the deployment of the Rosette.  This requires two people on lines to keep the Rosette from swinging over the deck. Another person manages the A-frame which is used to raise the Rosette over the water.  Keith communicates with the winch operator via hand signals.  At this point in the cruise, the team is able to deploy and recover the Rosette at a moment's notice.

Batch sampling from a few days ago. Photo taken by
Keith Shadle, R/V Melville. 

Heather Richard is still working with her biofilm/pollution experiment.  She's up early and often stays up late.  For the past few nights, I've watched Heather finish her work, only to get online and grade papers for a class she teaches at San Francisco State University.  Hannah Glover (Univ. of Washington/NOAA-PMEL) has pitched in to help Heather with her work.   It's not uncommon to see people help each other on cruises.  We've all spent so much time around each other, that we have a good idea of how and where to assist.  Sometimes, it's hard to tell which scientists are from the University of Rhode Island and which are from UW/NOAA-PMEL.  Today, the UW/NOAA-PMEL group helped URI collect some samples for dissolved inorganic carbon, which they will take back to their lab for later analysis.  It wasn't part of the original plan, but together they managed to get these samples, which can be later used in the project's final analysis.  Being able to collect unexpected samples or data is always a plus.  

Dr. Cochlan (RTC-SFSU)
filters his N-15 samples.

We had a brief  meeting around 19:30.  We gathered a tight circle in the lab as Dr. Cochlan gave us updates on the project.  With two weeks left, we have completed the first at sea batch acidification experiment.   Although there were some electronic glitches early on, Chris Ikeda was able to address them and perform a complete run of the experiment.  Each group's contribution to the data analysis indicates that the experiment went well and that things went as expected.  We will still have to wait for the copious amounts of data to be processed, which could take months.  Chris has already started breaking down the OA experiment.  I can tell that there's a sense of relief from Chris, although he knows that this process is about to start all over again tomorrow morning.  Brian Bill (NOAA-NWFSC) and Kathryn Ferguson (NOAA-NWFSC/FSU) will also start another domoic acid experiment.  Dr. Cochlan concluded by expressing his appreciation for the collaborative effort and gave the science party the rest of the evening to retire after everything was prepared for the morning.

Xena watches over seafaring
scientists.  She has been on many
oceanographic cruises and stands 
on Julian's nutrient analyzer.

More than a week ago, we were at Point Sur, CA -- an area with low iron and high biomass concentrations. In a few minutes we will cross into Oregon and head to an area that is iron stressed and high in biomass.  We will start tomorrow at 08:00 for a fish deployment, and will slowly move toward shore to collect water.  During that collection time, samples will be run simultaneously to confirm the area we want to be in.  Once the conditions are confirmed, we will stop, and deploy the Rosette.  We hope to complete our collection by noon so that we can steam toward Newport, Oregon.  While in Newport, we will launch a small boat to pick up two additional scientists:  Dr. Vera Trainer (NOAA-NWFSC) and Kathy Thornton (Univ. of Maine-Darling Marine Center).   

Spirits are good here aboard the "salty ship."  We all understand the importance of this project, and we have hit our stride.  As I am wrapping up this entry, Julian is working at his nutrient station, singing along to Andrea Bocelli.  Drs. Cochlan, Trick, and Wells are talking logistics.  Others are watching movie, doing laundry, or reading a book.  Today was a long day, and we are all tired.  At times, it was quite chaotic, but it was always under control.  We can pat ourselves on the back...today was a good day.

Maribel Albarran (RTC-SFSU)
is preparing solutions for
nutrient analysis.

Julian Herndon (RTC-SFSU)
stands next to his nutrient analyzer.

The fog has cleared at the Oregon border.

Thanks for stopping by again.  All of us aboard the R/V Melville appreciate your interest in our scientific adventures.  

Be sure to also check out Trey's blog at Science Shorts II.

Fog Horns and Whales

Greetings from the the California/Oregon border.

The deployment of the GoFlo.  I'm on the winch (left) while Chris
Ikeda (RTC-SFSU)  operated the A-frame (at right wearing black jacket).

I woke up this morning, thinking about a conversation I had with Chris Ikeda (RTC-SFSU) a couple of days ago...I mentioned to him, how amazed I was at the amount of non-science work put in before the start of a cruise. Shipping equipment to the port, packing glassware, ordering chemicals, and paperwork...lots and lot of paperwork.  Incubators had to be sealed, and their wooden stands were refurbished.  There was also a large pile of wood brought on board.  While we were docked in San Francisco, there was a lot of cutting, sawing and nailing had done.  From building walls within lab rooms, to designing frames for stabilizing equipment, this had to be done before hitting the seas.  Then there's hoses and tubing... Like a circulatory system, is spans the work spaces of the R/V Melville.  "We're not scientists," he said in his familiar laugh.  "We're plumbers.  We move water around."  (Disclaimer:  He said that he borrowed that comment from Julian Herndon, a colleague of his at RTC-SFSU.)

Keith Shadle of the R/V Melville
is seen here assisting with
the deployment of the GoFlo
botlle.

To give you a feel for what timekeeping is like at sea, from now on I will use 24 hour time.  This ensures that all of our record keeping will translate to other scientists after we complete our cruise.  We record two different times, Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).  Currently, the time on the R/V Melville is 20:29, while GMT is May 23rd, 05:29.  

Joselynn Wallace (Univ. of Rhode
Island) is collecting samples to take
back to URI for analysis.

For most of the day, we were shrouded in a thick fog.  The air was wet and cool--a perfect day for wearing warm head wear. My ears were chilled in a matter or minutes.  The sea was calm and appeared blackish.   

We started a transect near the California/Oregon border.  During a transect, we sample from a line of stations near the coast.  Aside from the normal sampling schedule (a full CTD cast profile, a CTD cast to five meters and a GoFlo collection at seven meters) we also collected water using the "fish."   This instrument is towed alongside the R/V Melville and allows us to pump water on board.  The water is then drawn into a clean room, where it can be prepared for experiments.  The fish has been used on several previous cruises and is operated by Dr. Mark Wells (Univ. of Maine).  

One of many samples
I filter each day.

For today's GoFlo cast, Chris served as the A-frame operator while I worked the winch.  When we have on deck operations, we communicate by utilizing hand signals.  Sometimes, noises from the ship can make it difficult to hear each other, even when use raised voices.  This was especially the case today.  Due to the dense fog, the R/V Melville continually sounded off its fog horn every two minutes.  This was done to let other vessels know that inside the white cloak of mist, was the R/V Melville.  For someone not expecting this loud warning, it can be quite startling.   I know this from first hand experience.

The lab was busy from 08:00 to 20:00.  As a science party, we have found our rhythm.  Like a hospital, we are constantly tending to various activities, delicately balancing our time sensitive tasks.  There are times when an analysis may run into supper time.  When that happens, there's always a person who will offer to put a plate aside.  Tonight I continued to run samples, so Rachel Vander Giessen was nice enough to set aside a plate for me.  When I was able to sit down in a quiet mess hall, I enjoyed my chicken with Thai peanut sauce and veggies.  The food on the R/V Melville is exceptionally good.

Julia Matheson (Western Univ.)
is reading pH measurements.

The highlight of the day was a visit by two blue whales.  As the word got out that they were traveling behind the  R/V Melville, we rushed to the fan tail and gazed with amazement at these majestic leviathans. Thick sprays of mist marked where they surfaced.  With every exhalation, we let out oohs and aahs.   Even as large as they were, they too depend on the success of phytoplankton.

Tomorrow will be a very busy day.  We will start with our usual casts, followed by another transect, offshore to onshore, and finish the day with more sampling from the batch experiment.  Chris will have a very long day ahead and  will probably work late into the evening.  After sampling the batch, he will break down that experiment, and set up a new one.  For those long nights, there is always a pot of coffee at the ready.

The science party is on deck
to watch a pair of blue whales
pass behind the R/V Melville.

Heather Richard (RTC-SFSU)
is scanning for cetaceans. 

Black coffee--fuel for mariners.  

We are assigned numbers that

correspond to our mugs.
I'm #61.

Be sure to check back for more updates!

Maybe...we'll have more whale sightings.  

Fog horns sounding off!