Journals 2006/2007

Cyndy Martin
Portland High School, Portland, Maine

"STAR Project NOAA R/V McArthur II" July 28 - August 26, 2006

Journal Index: September 28 - 29 - 30 - 31 August 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9            10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16            17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 23            24 - 25 - 26

August 23, 2006
Isabel is crowned Cribbage Queen!

Lat: 16° 38' N
Long: 149° 01' W
Skies: CL
Wind: 18 kts, 040 deg T
Seas: waves = 2-4' swells = 4-6'
Course: 290 deg T
Speed: 10 kts
Distance in 24 hrs: 210 nm
Sea temp: 26.8 deg C
Distance from land: 479 nm SE of Cape Kumukahi

Well tonight was the last night for oceanographic operations. It seemed almost ceremonial as we deployed both Bongo and Manta, everything going smoothly and the best samples we've had in weeks. The real highlight for this night was that I was finally able to look at some of the plankton under the stereoscope. Because their analyses back in the lab are partially quantitative, we weren't really able to "mess" with them in any way. But we felt as though we had deserved to take one sample for our own investigation. I must have spent 2 hrs that night, well after everyone else was tucked in, looking at the various bizarre creatures that make up the planktonic world. Went searching for a plankton guide, but we had none aboard.

The Manta's "wedding veil"