Missy Holzer and the R/V Wecoma.

Teacher Logbook - R/V Wecoma

Missy Holzer 's Sealog:
CTD Cruise Day 17
Weather at 1630 hours PDT:
Overcast skies with winds of 15 knots from the southeast, and visibility of 12 miles. Barometric pressure is 1018.7 mb, and the temperature is 59O Fahrenheit. Ocean swells are 4 feet out of the northwest, and the seas are 3 feet out of the southeast.

Land Ho! It's Day 17 and the NeMO CTD Cruise is coming to an end after completing 42 casts and 14 tow-yo's, and recovering 5 and deploying 4 moorings in the search of hydrothermal activity at the Juan deFuca Ridge. After today, life on board the R/V Wecoma will be a memory, or in my case a vivid memory of a wonderful experience as the NOAA Teacher at Sea for this cruise. It was dream come true to be able to come out to sea and be above an area where the Earth's plates are diverging, as well as to be a part of the science team investigating this area rich in hydrothermal activity. The experience would not have been so impressionable if it wasn't for the patience and delightfulness of the science staff and crew who were there to answer all kinds of questions, and to show me the procedures for many of the operations in the science lab and around the ship.

Walking on board the R/V Wecoma on the first day, I was a bit tentative about my surroundings, but after some observations of how everyone worked so well together it was quite evident that the cruise was going to be an extremely rewarding experience. Even though we were on an "unstable platform" cruising the "Big O" above a 2500-meter water column, I've always felt safe and comfortable. But there was always the challenge of trying to remain upright as the ship was rolling and pitching, and doing the things that we are all so used to doing on a solid ground; eating, sleeping, walking all take a little bit of extra effort while out at sea. The science staff and crew were all extremely generous with their time and knowledge, and my daily reports could not have been possible without their help. Investigating the topics for each of the days allowed me to survey all areas of shipboard life as well as the different aspects of the scientific research being done on board. It was a pleasure to observe the way everyone worked so well together and the pride they took in a job well done.

It seems like eons ago that Dr. Baker had sent me a number of technical papers to read as background information for the cruise. How intriguing it was to think that I was going to be out in the Pacific where the research was generated to develop these papers! Being out here has enlightened me to the world of hydrothermal activity and how it fits in with the theory of plate tectonics. My normal course of teaching about hydrothermal activity in my Earth Science classes is to explain that recent seafloor exploration has revealed that at places where the Earth's plates are diverging hydrothermal activity has been detected. Now my students at Chatham HS in New Jersey better be ready for an inquiry-based learning opportunity that involves looking at research at sea as well as field methodologies necessary to detect hydrothermal activity. I'm looking forward to taking these lessons a few steps further where my students will be asked to research the types of organisms that are capable of surviving in the harsh environment of the deep sea. The next step would be for them to hypothesize and think creatively about the possibility of life surviving in other harsh environments such as that found on other planets or moons.

My hope is also to relate to my students some of the challenges of doing research in the field, but I know that my pictures and stories will only provide a small level of understanding. It will be necessary for them to try to meet the challenge of fieldwork by attempting a smaller scale project around our school community. I've learned first hand and from those around my on this cruise, especially the students, that personal experiences are what leave the most indelible impressions, and I hope that my students have memorable experiences in field research that will stay with them for a long period of time. Another aspect of scientific exploration that I want my students to grasp is the necessity for patience while doing research, and that it may take months before they've collected enough data for analysis. But when the analysis reveals something interesting, the time factor for data collection becomes inconsequential.

My memories will include a few lighter moments such as the fishing expeditions and the attempt (and success) at pulling in a 10 pound tuna, the friendly ribbing that took place, and the sea stories that everyone was eager to share. It's been a task getting used to coming from a place like New Jersey where if you don't like the weather, you only need to wait a day for it to change, and then being on a ship 250 miles in the ocean where the sun doesn't have much of an opportunity to shine through that dense blanket of clouds that seemed to be up there for the entire cruise. Nonetheless it was fun to watch the weather from a location out at sea, although observational astronomy was a challenge! I will never forget the number of shades of blue that the ocean presented itself in, nor will I ever forget the number of different textures of the ocean water as it moved in the wake of the ship or was pushed by the wind. I will never forget these past 17 days on the R/V Wecoma with the NeMO CTD Cruise.

Thanks to Dr. Baker and his science staff, and thanks to Captain Arnsdorf and his crew for an experience of a lifetime. This experience has not only affected me, but will touch the lives of my students for years to come.