Journals 2007/2008

Morgan Hardwick-Witman
Smithfield High School, Smithfield, Rhode Island

"Linkages between larvae and recruitment of coral reef fishes along the Florida Keys shelf: an integrated field and modeling analysis of population connectivity in a complex system." R/V. F.G. Walton Smith 29 July - 14 August 2007

Journal Index: July 29, 30 - 31 August 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9            10 - 11 - 12 - 13 Additional Resources

13 August 2007
"Sampling on the Reef until Midnight"

Location:near Key Largo off Biscayne Bay
Lat: 25° 01.735' N
Long: 80° 20.982' W

Last night we stayed on station off French Reef near a sanctuary reservation area. We collected MOCNESS (remember it's a Multiple Opening Closing Net & Environment Sampling System) net samples from the shallow waters every hour on the hour from 6:00 pm until midnight. Then processed the plankton samples to be brought back to the lab for analysis later.

The Perseid meteor shower is peaking this weekend with brilliant meteors streaking across the sky. Peak activity is predicted to be at 3am (not sure if I'll still be up then).

The plan is to arrive back at the RASMAS dock on Virginia Key to unload a day early. Chief Scientist Bob planned an extra day for bad weather or equipment failure but luckily we didn't need it. The weather and sea conditions have been fabulous. Yesterday the ship's log recorded: temperature - 83° (dry bulb), visibility - good, wind from the NE F-4. The wind had picked up in the afternoon with small whitecaps.

Back to Miami airport to reschedule my flight and begin the journey home. Adios Miami...

Sun setting into the Florida Straits as the research cruise comes to a close

I would like to thank Dr. Bob Cowan, his lab at U. Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the crew of the R/V Walton Smith and all the ARMADA Project folks at the Office of Marine Programs, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island for this wonderful opportunity. I take full responsibility for any errors or omissions in this journal.