Daily Journal

July 5, 2010

By David M. Lawrence

Today we have a change to announce.

Originally we planned to zigzag between 26°N and 30°N on the way west back toward Bermuda, but yesterday we began a northerly zig that will take us to and possibly beyond 32°N, the latitude we followed on our original leg out of Bermuda.

The plastic concentrations we've been finding lately have been close to what one would expect based on SEA data from its expeditions farther west. The last few days, wind and wave conditions have been pretty much the same, which may explain why – with the exception of the large plastic haul on June 21 – the results of our neuston tows and Tucker trawls have been fairly similar from day to day.

We hope with the change in plans that we'll find conditions different from what we've been experiencing. For one thing, with the summer warming of the Northern Hemisphere, the semipermanent high-pressure cell, the Bermuda High, that controls the climate in this region shifts to the north. It may be that the center of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre – an analogous circulation in the ocean itself – has shifted to the north as well.

Among other things, we search for aggregations of Sargassum weed, which we saw plenty of on the way out of Bermuda, but which has been relatively scarce since our turn south. Where the Sargassum gathers, so should the plastic debris – or so oceanographic theory suggests.

Today has been yet another eventful day. For me, it started shortly after filing yesterday's reports when C Watch stood midwatch (2300-0300 hours). I was possessed by the urge to assume the role of junior watch officer. Junior watch officers call the shots on deck, with the mates standing by to make sure we don't break the boat. C Watch (first mate Tom "Sully" Sullivan, third scientist Skye Moret, and Meg Cronin, Emelia DeForce, Wendy Kordesch, John Miller, Steve Putnam, Roman Shor, and Scott Elliott, a pinch-hitter for regular C Watcher Ben Schellpfeffer, who was editing a video package at the time) rallied to the occasion, too, and made sure I didn't do anything stupid.

We had one sail change to make after a neuston deployment. We set all the "square" sails – course, tops'l, and raffee – struck the fore stays'l, and sailed on. Afterward, all we really had to do was maintain a bow watch, help Roman Shor on galley cleanup, do boat checks, check weather and the taffrail log, and enjoy what was a beautiful morning. (I'm sure I'm forgetting something here, but whatever needed to get done did get done this morning.) So, to Sully, Skye, Meg, Emelia, Wendy, John, Steve, Roman, and Scott (filling in for Ben) – thanks a lot for making sure things went so smoothly.

Many of us tried to sleep in this morning, but the work of the ship proceeded with or without us. A Watch relieved us for dawn watch, B Watch had the morning watch, and C Watch had a meeting before lunch and taking over for afternoon watch. B Watch had conducted three Tucker trawls as well as a neuston tow which finished just before we came on deck. I helped in the science lab with some processing of the Tucker trawl samples. Our work was interrupted by a engine room flooding drill. I never heard the alarm, but I did here the cry, "Flooding in the engine room" and mustered amidships with B Watch. (I remain with it in the case of emergencies.) I dropped what I was working on in the lab so thoroughly that I couldn't remember what I was doing when the drill was over.

After class this afternoon we struck all but the two stays'ls and attempted to fly our radio-controlled aircraft – something that chief scientist Giora Proskurowski hopes to one day use to scout the sea surface for floating plastic debris. Flight ops at sea is always challenging, even for Navy aviators. It is still challenging, though at a smaller and less potentially fatal scale, with a radio-controlled plane.

The first time – more than a week ago – that Giora attempted to fly the aircraft, he parked it twice in the ocean. Bookmakers weren't giving today's flight much of a chance, but surprisingly, the takeoff was smooth, Giora displayed some competence (talent is another matter) at the controls, and landed the plane on target – a mist net (usually used for studying birds or bats) stretched from the mainmast to the stern.

Unfortunately for Giora (a serious student of soccer) his shot on goal – a bullseye – tore a five-foot hole through the net and landed in the drink anyway. The aircraft was recovered, and we proceeded northward, motor-sailing with the engine and four lowers (mains'l, both stays'ls, and jib).

In other news, we broke the streak of abject disgrace with our fishing efforts today. Just before noon, a small mahi-mahi struck our lure. Sully reeled it in – well, he hauled it in since we aren't using a rod and reel – but this mahi-mahi, as with our previous catch, was judged too small and committed back to the deep where we hope it grows and makes plenty of babies.

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For more from sea, listen to an interview with Chief Scientist Giora Proskurowski on the July 2, 2010 Science Update podcast, produced by AAAS.