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Content:
Bill Lang
Pagemasters:
OEMM Web Team
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Cruise Preparations |
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A Sperm Whale Seismic Study (SWSS) cruise
takes months to plan and prepare. Let's say everyone has agreed
upon what to do, where to do it, and when. The contracts are
signed, the monies awarded, and the
cruise plan is completed.
Everyone shows up at the dock on the cruise date and off we go--well,
not quite. Let's take a quick look at the last day before our
ship, the Gyre, departs Galveston for the first leg of the 2005
SWSS Cruise. |
Dr. Bill Lang
MMS SWSS Project Coordinator
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It's June 2, 2005, and the Gyre is sitting at her home port dock
at the Galveston, Texas A&M University campus. Her last cruise was
to conduct deepwater benthic studies and now she is off to study sperm
whales. Basically, if you compare this situation to a sports
arena, yesterday was a basketball game and tonight is ice hockey.
Considerable work must be done to change equipment, reconfigure deck
space, and redo lab space for new uses. |
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The largest equipment unique to the SWSS
study are two "whale boats" used to closely approach sperm whales for
tagging, biopsies, and photo ID (tasks to be explained later). The
R2 is shown here being delivered from storage. The 21' hull
is made of aluminum, foam, and an inflatable apron - a rugged design
that will help protect the researchers in rough weather or close
encounter with a whale. |
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The stern working deck of Gyre was
cleared several days ago and now has installed a special launching ramp
for the R2, a cradle for a similar whale boat from Oregon State
University, and two winches (black and blue cable) with hydrophone
arrays. |
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By the end of the day, the whale boats are
loaded and connections from the arrays to the acoustics room computers
have been run and checked. Acoustic scientists and ship
technicians have spent several days installing amplifiers, recorders,
and computers in addition to getting the arrays and winches on board. |
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From the lower working deck, we go to the
flying bridge, the highest deck on the Gyre above the bridge and
captain's cabin. Here, Craig Hayslip and Rocio Cooley string steel
cable for an extended awning to protect visual observers from long hours
in the sun. The acoustics room and hydrophone arrays will be the
ship's ears, the flying bridge will be its eyes. |
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Steel pedestals are bolted to the deck in
carefully planned locations and yokes bolted to them. The final
activity of the day takes several people and much effort to carry three
25 power binoculars to the flying bridge. Two visual team members,
Lars Bejder and Suzanne Yin, carefully lift a "bigeyes" into place. |
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Before the Gyre
departs, a final briefing is held ashore. Project Scientist Doug
Biggs and Program Manager Ann Jochens field questions from research
scientists and program administrators including Andy Wigton of the
Industry Research Funders coalition, Deborah Epperson of MMS, and Tom
Norris of SAIC. |
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Ann
Jochens; Carol Rhoden; Rhoni Lahn; Deborah Epperson; Dan Engelhaupt;
Suzanne Yin; Joel Ortega; David Lundquist; Alyson Azzara; Craig Hayslip; Rocio Cooley; Aaron Thode;
Eddie Webb; Sarah Heimlich; Glenn Gaily; Chris Wingard; Lars Bejder;
Charlie Short; Andy Szabo; Ladd Irvine
R/V GYRE
June 2, 2005
After final runs to the local discount mart, the science party assembles
for an all hands safety briefing and group picture. |
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Slightly ahead of schedule on the evening of
June 2, 2005, the R/V Gyre under the command of Captain Dana
Dyer, departs Galveston for the 2005 SWSS cruise and the accounts to
follow. |
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