Journals 2004/2005

Leesa Wingo
South Anchorage High School, Anchorage Alaska

"Physical-biological coupling at frontal zones in Glacier Bay National Park" Vessel Sigma T July 12-30, 2004

Journal Index: July 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18       19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - 24/25       26 - 27 - 28 - 29 - 30

July 27, 2004
Plankton tow - We Will Win

We went to the Frontal line during the Flood tide and did a CTD surface tow, 20 m and 40 m vertical cast to check the technique and type of plankton. All went well except the weather, which was pouring down rain.

The ADCP wasn't working at all, so we couldn't check on the currents. At the line the salinity dropped from 28 to 24. This segment took 2 hours, which was much quicker than yesterday.

We traveled to station 1, below the front line and repeated the sequence. There the ocean was squirrelly. Meter-high swells made it difficult to clean out the nets. The rain continued, and it still took around 2 hours to complete the tasks.

Finally, during the ebb tide, we went above the frontal line and completed the sequence. On the way by, an otter wrapped in bullwhip kelp watched us, unalarmed, as it ate its cache of clams on its belly.

The no-see-ums, tiny biting gnats chewed on my face - the only visible part under my Swedish Grunden Raingear.

At the end of the day, we had small samples, but from the correct depths.

Back at the office, Lisa decided to make the next day an office day. Vertical sampling isn't doing the job, so she needs to figure out how to reconfigure the boat to tow differently.