my return to SEA! deckhand, S-234

As I mentioned earlier I was given the opportunity to volunteer as a deckhand this spring. I won't write too much about the experience as I talked about SEA a lot in my student  C-226 post, but it was an awesome trip and I was really excited to get some more time at sea. The students posted their experience on this S-234 blog for those who are interested, the trip ran from Honolulu, HI to Sandy Island, Midway Atoll, back to Honolulu. It was interesting getting to see the trip from a crew and operational perspective, also rewarding to discuss oceanography with the students (C Watch!!! you know who you are!) Pictures and captions to follow, also some text about our port stop in Midway Atoll. 

This is from turn-around week when crew preps the boat for new students. We are wrapping produce that will be stored on the ship for the next 8 weeks.

A clean boat is a happy boat! Different ships have different routines, SEA does a field day every saturday and a dawn clean up of below deck soles every morning.

This is from a field day, the hatch got grease all over my arm. It's also my actual hair color...

(before I dyed it dark brown in May)

Back to sailing, it's not all hardwork, there was lots of music onboard

And occasional fishing

This is from a line chase. The watches are tested on how well they know the rigging, here our chief mate  tries to expedite hesitation

Sheeting in the forestays'l 

Working on some navigation in the doghouse

Whenever you see this many people on the same line, it's the mains'l

Checking the hourly weather

Some students furling the jib

Yay science! That's me running the J-frame for a CTD deployment. Notice the "Zone of Death" sign which is hung whenever the hydrowinch is active

More science: winkle hats for winler titrations

 Our first day at Papahānaumokuākea National Monument setting up the gangway. We were fortunate to get to spend our time here, a locale that not many people get to see. On top of admiring the wildlife and albatross we also got to visit some Battle of Midway memorials.

Stopping gave us a chance to work in the rigging (I'm in the blue)

Now I'm way up there :)

You can see the SSV in the background, the island was literally covered with albatross

also charismatic megafauna

There are no cars allowed on the island, we biked everywhere

Checking out the visitor center

We got to help out working with some of the native plants

Baby albatross! SO CUTE!!!

We also took advantage of one of the only local hangout spots on a night off

During the trip we conducted several Man Over Board (MOB) drills

But for one day we got to launch the boat to see what the SSV Seamans looks like under sail as our only perspective had been from the deck

Most everything is set here (no sqaures, no rafee) but JT, jib, fore and main stays'l, and mains'l are up

We also got to do a swim call and jump off the bowsprit

I took advantage of snorkel time and stalked the fish

Unofficial state fish of Hawaii: Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

At the end of the trip the crew and students perform random skits (e.g. the human pyramid)

And once the students leave staff have one day to explore local haunts

All in all this was another great experience at sea, I hope to have another soon!

College grad

With the Belize course, I ended my time at BU. I officially graduated in January and received my fancy receipt:

(sorry for the shadow, I blame my brother Luke)

After that I decided to live in Boston with some of my friends. Most everyone else I knew was still in school and I realized I needed to start the next phase of my life. I probably spent too much time watching hockey and hanging out, but eventually I did begin job applications. After a couple months of writing my CV, statements of purpose, and annoying my professors for letters of recommendation I got pretty restless.  When March came and I still hadn't heard from anything I decided to do something about it and called up SEA. I let them know I was available to work/volunteer if they needed any help in upcoming trips. And just like that everything fell into place. The next week SEA told me they could use a deckhand on their next trip, I found out I got a scientific diving internship for that summer, and I found out I'd be starting a job at Woods Hole Oceanographic that fall. Like any normal person I went to celebrate this avalanche of good news- we hit up the downtown Boston for St. Patty's day, I saw Dropkick live the 18th, and the next day I flew to Honolulu, HI to start my time at sea.

              St. Patty's downtown                                                   Dropkick!

 

Icthyology II: Wee Wee Caye Marine Lab

Fall 2010. BUMP #2. Block 2.

This was our major field course for the fall of 2010. We spent two weeks in Wee Wee Caye, Belize snorkeling around the reefs and observing fish behavior. Our trip was a little colder than usual but we still had plenty of time to play around in the water. Class pic:

Here is the dock at the end of the marine lab. We spent many a sunny day warming up in between water time and watched bioluminescence at night while sipping on some of Belize's own Belkin.

The power of GPS

Here is home base. Four students lived in the cabins which were little more than a roof, a cot, and our bug tents (still more than I was expecting!) Regular sun-screen application sessions were held on our porches.

View from a hammock on the island.

Pam modeling one of our snorkel vests right off of the dock.

Squid :)

Jaimie taking some juvenile pics

and also holding a sea-star

Every few days we'd take boats to sites off the island, the back barrier reef was a class favorite

Another great one, Tunicate Cove, was famous for its purple tunicates

The french angelfish: beautiful but annoyingly elusive

 

juvenile phase

This picture was probably taken at 5am. Everyday we were up at dawn and dusk recording silverside data

Silverside migration under the pier

Mangrove forest and pathway to the outhouses

Here is a group of us that did BUMP twice. The year before we had sailed together for SEA, notice the boat behind us

It was a hard place to leave for sure, I'll miss being on island time!