Beam Reach

Snug Harbor to Snug Harbor

We left Snug with a series of science goals for the day. We headed south on the ebb tide towards Lime Kiln. On the way there and back we deployed the Biosonics 200 kHz echosounder for the first time. This marks our first forays into using active acoustics. We got so excited that we even lowered a video camera under water to see if the objects we were interpreting as fish and eel grass really were fish and eel grass. We did see a few fish, but for sure the eel grass we saw on the echosounder was real eel grass. We also figured out how we would deploy the hydrophone array along with a high frequency hydrophone. Because some of the student projects involve high frequency clicks, we needed to add a hydrophone with a high frequency response. We figured out a new configuration that would allow us to do that with the regular linear array on the port stern and the single high frequency hydrophone on the starboard stern. After dinner we had our journal club discussion about an article on prey species of Northern and Southern Resident killer whales. All in all a productive science day.

Prevost Harbor to Snug Harbor

We awoke to white caps out in Boundary Pass and discussed navigation and weather forecasts. Emerging from Prevost Harbor we ran under jib alone around Turn Point lighthouse, enjoying our first views of Mt. Baker on the eastern horizon. The wind moderated in the lee of Stuart Island and we bore for Roche Harbor with a plan to pump out the sewage tank. Around noon we entered Roche, having noticed an unusual aluminum boat crossing Spieden Channel with us, pumped out and bought some lamp oil. Scott met the Al boat owners who had built it themselves and invited them to visit Gato Verde once we reached Snug. Around 1:15 we transited Mosquito Pass, anchored in Snug Harbor, and began our Earth Day project: creating and deploying an anchoring system that would do less damage to the bottom than spinning on our normal big anchor. About the time we were done, Bob and Helen Oliver (the owners of the Wharram Designs aluminum boat “Sanderling”) joined us for dinner on board and we all indulged in grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

Jones Island to Prevost Harbor

After an overview of passage planning (charts, currents, weather) from Todd, we practiced tacking and jibing in 10-12 kt winds, traveling NW between Spieden and Waldron Islands. The wind moderated in the early afternoon and we eventually motored into Prevost. At the dock the students each collected a series of mocked up data to test out their projects. We had everything from pseudo-pectoral slaps and fake socializing orcas. They also collected associated acoustic recordings that they could analyze at a later date. After dinner most of the students took advantage of the land and went for a walk.

FHL to Jones Island

Transited under electric power from FHL dock to SW Jones Island mooring buoy.  Todd gave orientation to safety protocols, the Gato Verde, and the practicalities of cooking in the NOLS-style.

Science blogs Spring 2008

This quarter in an attempt to keep people abreast of our science activities I’ve been asked to post blogs on our science endeavors. Each day we rotate our tasks, one of which is to be the science officer for the day. In addition to taking the lead on the science we conduct that day, the science officer also writes up a short synopsis of what science we did that day. For the science blog online I’ll just be posting these daily synopses, so only every sixth or seventh science blog will have actually been written by me. The others will have been written by the students and other staff, but in many ways this blog will emulate the collaborative science that we do, it’s a joint effort that we are all involved in.

I hope you enjoy following along this quarter.

End of the rainbow

 

Saturday, October 20, 2007

We woke up to a rainbow ending behind the harbor master’s office and a light dusting of snow on the Olympic mountains. We left Port Angeles after a breakfast of Jason’s homemade pancakes. Transient killer whales were spotted briefly on our way to try to catch up with members of L pod that had been reported off San Juan Island. As we sailed, we worked on data analysis, final papers, and power point presentations. Heather and Elise heated up our remaining left-over’s and made egg salad (again!), which we managed to polish off for lunch. We found Superpod around 3:30 in the afternoon near Turn Point on Stuart Island. Our last day on the Gato Verde was spent watching the whales breach, tailslap, spyhop, and roll with pink elfshoes on display. As evening approached, we pulled up the hydrophone array for the last time and headed east to come down the San Juan Channel to spend the night at Jones Island. Liz and Kenna prepared vegetable medley pasta surprise and we looked forward to hearing about Shannon’s research before watching Ingrid Visser’s documentary, Killers I Have Known.

Buzzing at PA

Friday, October 19, 2007

 

The storm had settled, but there was still no sign of the whales, so we decided to sail over to Port Angeles.  After scrambled eggs for breakfast and offloading our recycling, garbage and compost, we untied the Gato Verde from the dock at Friday Harbor Labs.  Progress was slow through Cattle Pass, but we passed the time debating ethics of intelligent mammals in captivity.  There were a number of Steller sea lions feeding on salmon at the surface as we reached the mouth of Cattle Pass.  We hoisted the main and unfurled the screecher to take advantage of the 15-20 knot winds.  Liz and Elise prepared egg salad for lunch and reached Port Angeles around 4 pm.  Shannon, Elise, Liz, Kenna, and Heather headed into Itsy Bitsy Buzz café for internet and caffeine fixes.  After Buzz, we enjoyed the evening stroll back to the docks.  Kenna and Shannon prepared veggie stir-fry for dinner and we settled in for the evening—drinking tea, reading manuscripts, and writing this blog.

Thursday at Friday

Thursday, October 18, 2007

 

Whistling winds woke us.  Weather predictions warned of gale-force winds up to 45 knots and wind waves up to 8 feet.  Mike had secured extra lines to the dock overnight, so we ate breakfast, completed our chores and sat down to our morning meeting.  We decided it would be prudent to stay put and revisit our plans after lunch.  The morning was spent working on data analysis and sustainability reports.  Liz and Kenna prepared tuna salad, cream of mushroom soup and left over Mexican for lunch.  Unfortunately, the winds continued to pick up with waves crashing over the dock at Friday Harbor Labs and soaking us up the waist on our way back to the Gato Verde.  We listened to the hydrophones at Lime Kiln and in front of Val’s house, but there was no sign (or sound) of the whales.  So the group decided to stay at the labs for the day, hoping for an early morning departure.  The afternoon continued with data analysis, project discussions, and sustainability edits and revisions.  Shannon and Jason prepared veggie curry and rice for dinner.  After dinner, students continued to work and took advantage of showers, internet, and decent cell phone reception.

Dock to dock

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

 

We took advantage of the land facilities while we were docked at Fisherman’s Bay this morning.  After a quick breakfast, chores, and a few phone calls, we sat down to our morning meeting.  We decided to make our daily round of phone calls to try to see if there was any news on the whales, but there were no sightings.  We decided to poke our nose out at Cattle Pass and hove to in order to drop the hydrophones.  But the whales were not only absent, but also silent.  Kenna and Sam prepared potato soup with sandwich fixings for lunch.  After lunch we headed up the San Juan Channel to Friday Harbor to pump out.  Tracy deboarded the Gato Verde to head back home, Kenna pumped out the holding tank, Mike filled up the water tank, and Wes and Liz ran to Kings to buy a few essentials.  We moved onto Friday Harbor Labs and tied up at the dock.  The students hit the ground running, grabbing computers and cell phones.  Wes prepared dinner, Shannon tried to help, Heather grabbed a shower, Sam spoke on the phone, Liz got some work done, Elise caught up with her sister and Kenna helped move boats around on the dock.  After vegetable casserole with salad, Shannon led a discussion on graduate school advice.  The group spent the evening taking advantage of showers, internet connections, lab computers, and cell phone signals.

Ebonics blog by Wes–with translation

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

 

Waz up USA?  Today tha Ghetto Verde was hoppin fo sho.  This be S. Fowla in da crib.  Tha crew said my grill was shining extra bright dis mornin.  We woked up at Mickey K’s.  We was fini go get T.S. when tha electrizil went to s*^@!  We ate some grub and bounced to tha straits.  There was so many vanilla faces I couldn’t tell em apart.  I saw a sea lion and I was skerred it was fini come up on tha boat.  I said, “Hellllllllz no” and we bounced.  It was peanut butta jelly time, so we’z ate.  When they was cranking tha sail, Liz, Elise and Heatha almost popped, locked, and dropped it out tha boat.  When tha waves was whackd, I told em, lean wid it, walk wid it; go wid da flow.  We’z ate Mexican and cornbread fo dinna.  Don’t playa hate.  Peace.

                                                                                                            -Ebonics Blog by Wes

 

Translation—We woke up again at Mackaye Harbor, had a quick breakfast, and completed morning chores before heading to Fourth of July Beach to pick up Tracy.  We headed out of the straits to attempt some sailing, but the winds and the weakness of the torn (now mended) sail deterred us—although Liz, Elise and Heather gave it a valiant effort.  A number of female Steller sea lions followed in our wake.  As Jason picked up a back-up generator for the week, Shannon and Sam prepared soup and sandwiches for lunch.  After lunch, the students went through their sailing practical—tacking back and forth and taking turns at the helm up and down the San Juan Channel.  At about 4 pm, we pulled into Fisherman Bay for shore power, showers, and water.  Unfortunately, the pump out was broken, so we had to hold it.  We spent the evening doing data analysis and working on sustainability reports.  Elise and Liz prepared Mexican for dinner and afterwards, we settled back down to our computers.