Journals 2005/2006

Denis Costello
North High School, Torrance, California

"The Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms" R/V Atlantis July 6 - 26

Journal Index: July 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13       14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20       21 - 22 - 23 - 24 - 25 - 26 - 27

July 9, 2005
Getting a Handle on Things

After a restful night of sleep, I started my watch by reading some of chlorophyll samples using a fluorometer. I entered the readings into our logbook and prepared for our first station along the GH survey line. By the time we completed the ninth station, I had filtered nine stations and sampled for nutrients at five stations. I felt that I had a good handle on my job.

I am sampling from the CTD for nutrients and chlorophyll analysis. View full version pop-up.		CTD station numbers during our initial survey. The cast numbers of each CTD is located on the figure. Note the line designations near shore. View full version pop-up.

I assisted on all CTD deployments, which made timing important. I had to have my sampling materials ready before deploying the CTD and sample after it was secured. When my day ended, I managed to watch a movie in the lounge and do a load of laundry.

Sheryl Day performs a plankton net tow. A net tow was performed at every CTD station. View full version pop-up.

The team's still looking for positive samples of Pseudo-nitzschia (PN). Sampling for PN was performed by the NOAA group. They would cast a plankton net during a CTD cast and quickly analyze the contents of the sample under a microscope. Currently there is a downwelling event affecting the Washington coast, low nutrient levels and high amounts of cloud cover which may be a reason for why we are not seeing the expected bloom. We have drifters deployed off the coast to help determine the way local currents are moving. With these drifters and satellite imagery, the science crew can determine how the water column with change over the next few days.

Sunset outside the Strait of Juan de Fuca. View full version pop-up.