Summer 2019 onboard the Corwith Cramer
A 134' Brigantine schooner and fully equipped research vessel with a marine bio lab and specialized oceanographic equipment.
Summer at SEA 2019
Sea Expedition: Cruise C-285E 12-24 July 2019
Captain: Allison Taylor
Chief Scientist: Jeff Schell
Engineer: JC
Stewards: Kylie & Cody
Logbook day 1-2
Friday 12 July - docked
12:00 Position: 41°31'24.3"N 70°40'18.5"W
Falmouth, Massachusetts (MA)
C-Watch team: 1 hour watch today 04:00-05:00
Charlotte (me), Indi, Young, Jaxon, Audrey, Isabella, Francesca, Alfonse | Corinna, Spring
B-Watch team:
Tim, Eliza, Ellen, Diego, Jackson, Tamara, Ariana | Christine, Oliver, Emily)
A-Watch team:
Libby, Nick, Logan, Jay, Dylan, Maddy, Hanna, Kayla | Erika, Sally, Rocky)
Docked outside Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Program introduction to geology, topography, bathymetry and the sea-mounts / c-slopes left over from the ancient volcanic activity. Within the Atlantic continental shelf banks there are deep 'submarine canyons' that we will be sailing over later this week. We will also be using physics (measuring waves, currents, pressure, tides) and looking at how the density of the water is driven by the temperature and salinity of the water. We will look at the chemistry of seawater to learn about its nutrients and the biology of the ocean flora and fauna that we encounter.
Saturday 13 July - Under sail
00:01 position: 41°31'40.0"N 70°42'07.0"W
North of Uncatena island near Newbedford-Nantucket Ferry line
C-Watch 04:00-05:00
We sailed south towards Naushon Island and slept overnight in Tarpaulin Cove a marine protected area. This morning was Orientation Training Day 1 where we did safety drills including trying on the SOLAS immersion suits that allow you to float and stay warm in case the boat is sinking.
SOLAS immersion suits.
12:00 position: 41°21'16.0"N 70°46'09.0"W
Menemsha Bight, MA southwestern bay on Martha's Vineyard
@noon clear skies, wind force 3, calm sea
We sailed into Menemsha Bight for lunch. After, we got a lot of information about how boat-life works and then we did a tour of the marine biological lab onboard and learned the names of the equipment. I also learned how to make the Ballantine Coil : )
Logbook day 3-4
Sunday 14 July - Anchored
00:00 Position: 41°21'22.2"N 70°46'88.2"W
Menemsha Bight, MA southwestern bay on Martha's Vineyard
12:00 Position: 41°21'19.8"N 70°46'88.0"W
Menemsha Bight, MA
N-NW winds @noon clear skies, wind force 3, calm sea
We got to go aloft today and that was fun because the mast is higher than any other boat I've been on.
C-Watch : Anchor watch 2:00-3:00
00:00 Position: 41°21'.2"N 70°47".1'W
Monday 15 July - Under sail
Ocean Conditions: Light wind, still water, no clouds.
We sailed around for 3 hours just to test out everything and make sure we all know how to work the sails and safety equipment and were comfortable with the ship's operation. We learned how to map track lines.
Review lab log book to learn trends and graphed general pattern and range of:
Sea Surface Temperature (SST)
Sea Surface Salinity (SSS)
Chl-a fluorescence
Monday 15 July - Under sail
12:00 Position: 41°11'.3"N 70°55".4'W
Near Noman's Island, MA
C-Watch : Anchor watch 13:00-19:00
Logbook day 5
Tuesday 16 July
00:00 Position: 40°54'.57"N 70°22'91"W
Nantucket Traffic Lane Zone
12:00 Position: 40°21'03.7"N 69°58'33.8"W
Continental Shelf, The North Atlantic
SST=18.8 Celcius, SSS= 32.36 PSV, Chl-a=900.8
SWXS Force 3 Speed 6.3 knotsFour Lower sails + Top sail
C-Watch : Helm watch 7:00-1:00
We saw DOLPHINS chasing our boat today and on our dawn watch we could see the International Space Station! I had galley duty today and it was better than expected plus I got to help a lot with the sails.
Logbook day 6
Wednesday 17 July
00:00 Position: 40°0'.5"N 69°14'3"W
Continental Shelf, Atlantic Ocean
C-Watch : Helm watch 01:00-07:00
Meternet count: 100, Prepare for SuperLab/Station and labeled bottles. Saw lots of bioluminsenscence creatures on my watch!!
12:00 Position: 40°18'.9"N 69°8'.9"W
Continental Shelf, Atlantic Ocean
Strong winds, 3-foot waves, semi-clear skies
NEKTON -aquatic animals that are able to swim and move independently of water currents.
COURSE- Log Line = 91.4nm Rhumb Run: 28.3
This is actually a picture from the Maldives but this is sort of what the water looked like out there. It's absolutely magical!
Photo from NOAA Bioluminescent Virginia coastline.
Illustration ©Duane A. Cline 2002
RHUMB RUN–= The path of a ship that maintains a fixed compass direction, shown on a map as a line crossing all meridians at the same angle. Also called loxodrome.
LOG LINE – "The log line is an old instrument for measuring the speed of the ship. It consisted of a flat piece of wood (the log), which was weighted at the bottom edge to enable it to float upright in the water. To the log was attached a long rope (log line). The log line was wound on a spool (log reel) so that it could be reeled out after the log was thrown into the water at the aft (rear) of the ship. The friction of the water held the log in place as the ship sailed away from it.On the log line, knots were tied at intervals of 7 fathoms -- one fathom being equal to 6 feet. As the ship sailed away from the log, the sailors taking the reading would count the number of knots that passed over the rail in a period of half-a-minute. That gave them their approximate speed in knots (equal to land miles-per-hour). This was a rather crude way of taking the measurement of speed, but it was the best available in those times.In later times the sailors used a 28-second glass for speeds under 8 knots, and a 14-minute glass if the speed exceeded 8 knots-per-hour. But it must be remembered that the fastest the Mayflower would have traveled would probably have been between 4 and 6 knots."–© Duane A. Cline 2002 "
Logbook day 7
Thursday 18 July
00:00 Position: 40°01'.33"N 68°08'8"W
South of the 1000 fathom line, Atlantic shelf
COURSE-350 (at 1300) Boat Speed: ~7 knots
Log Line = 98.9nm Rhumb Run: 71.0 nm
12:00 Position: 40°09'.29"N 67°47'.73"W
On the 1000 fathom line, Atlantic shelf
We have seen so many amazing things! So far I've seen bioluminescent creatures light up the water, dolphins, whales, sharks, baby puffer fish, flying fish (!), and pyrosomes (like Leptosephali, Copepods (little clear hard lumps)
We discussed the "Bernoulli Principle" where air particles want to reach equilibrium. Works the same on an airplane wing as a sail.
C-Watch : Deck watch 13:00-19:00
Logbook day 8
Friday 19 July
00:00 Position: 40°35'.05"N 67°49'223"W
George's Bank
C-Watch : Deck watch 7:00-13:00
Had lab today during deck watch with Jaxon and Libby. It was super fun because we got to do the "Super Station": Shipek, Hydrocast, Neuston Tow, Phytonet Surface Station, and we also did a meter net! They flew the Swedish flag today just for me!
COURSE-210
Sail plan: 4 Lower sails + jib + Top sail,
12:00 Position: 41°02'.47"N 68°43'.05"W
George's Bank
Ocean Conditions @14:45: Beaufort Force 1 winds, 3' to 4' waves 100% fog (0295)
Saw many different creatures in the water including a Lion's Mane jellyfish and using the Shipek we caught a hermit crab, sea snail, and amphipod.
C-Watch : Deck watch 01:00-07:00
Our first deck watch at night and it was during thick fog. We couldn't even see the lookout from the stern!
Above, the Shipek
Below, styrofoam cups were sent down deep and from the pressure came up miniaturized!
Lion's Mane Jellyfish
Photo by D. HershmanLogbook day 9
Saturday 20 July
00:00 Position: 41°25'.01"N 69°51'8"W
12:00 Position: 42°03'.376"N 69°77'.414"W
COURSE- Log Line = 185 Rhumb Run: 138.7
Total motoring: 15 hours
Total sailing: 33 hours
Watch: Deck watch 01:00-07:00
I saw the Milky Way and lots of other constellations
- The Big Dipper
- Scorpio
- Casiveia
- Saturn and Jupiter
We had a lot of trouble taking the Top sail down.
Watch: Deck watch from 19:00-01:00
(my second in 24 hours!)
We saw a SHARK! It wasn't moving though.
Copepods outnumber all other animals on earth!
Copepod by Charlotte
"The Stars: A new way to see them"
by H.A. Rey
Logbook day 10
Sunday 21 July
00:00 Position: 42°26'.508"N 070°01.165"W
Stellwagen Bay
Good breeze, gentle wavy sea
Course: roughly 4.6 knots
12:00 Position: 42°07'.1"N 070°13.1"W
Stellwagen Bay
WE SAW WHALES!!
We saw 3 humpback whales. We learned about the the "fin whale" and "right whale" (Fun fact: the Right Whale was called that because it was the right kind of what to catch in the old days because it would float after being killed)
We are nearing the end of our trip it's so sad!
Logbook day 11
Monday 22 July
00:00 Position: 42°08'.41"N 70°11.08"W
George's Bank?
C Watch: Deck watch 07:00-13:00
We had to take down all the sails and work on our projects.
11:15 we are sailing into Boston Harbor towards our anchorage.
This trip has gone so fast! Time is different on a boat that's one of the things I love about being out here!
12:00 Position: 42°07'.1"N 070°13.1"W
Boston Harbor
My project poster that I will be presenting today about Day vs Night and the Neuston Tow.
So many beautiful sunsets …photos courtesy of Diego S. Inigo-Payne
