Our time at sea was a synthesis of rough and calm weather conditions. During the first half of the cruise, the water was still, the air was warm, and the sun kissed our faces during the daylight hours. However after the first week, we were battling high wind speeds and choppy water. We endured the weather until it kept us from doing research. While doing a routine ISIIS deployment into the water, a gust of wind pushed the front of the ISIIS machine into the side of the A-frame. The crash led to a broken part on the A-frame and an oil spew on the deck. The engineers welded the broken part for a temporary fix, while we scientists wiped down the equipment, cleaning it of oil. The welding was enough to hold the A-frame temporarily, but it wasn’t enough to rely on for the entirety of the cruise. So, the next day, we began a transit back to Newport for a brand new part. In the meantime, we did a MOCNESS deployment simply for our viewing pleasure. Everyone anxiously awaited for the nets to come back up, so we could pick through and observe any sea creatures brought back. An array of organisms were recovered. We filled multiple trays and buckets with seawater and lively animals. My favorite was the Dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis). I had never seen an octopus in the wild. I was pleasantly surprised to see its lumpy body in a bucket because Dumbo octopuses belong to a group of deep-sea octopuses. The MOCNESS didn't reach the depth that they are known to occur. Although, it is possible that the octopus was coming closer to the surface to feed on plankton, which we also found in our net samples. Another surprising species was Beroe! Up until this point, we had been able to find many Bolinopsis, but no Beroe. It is bittersweet to know that my time at sea has come to an end. Nearing the end of the cruise, I was desperately homesick! I have never missed grass, dirt, and bugs quite as much as I did on the ship. However, one thing I will miss the most is the salty sunsets. I never got tired of looking at the horizon. If someone were to ask me whether I would attend a research cruise again, given the chance, my answer is yes, I absolutely would. But for now, I'll enjoy being grounded at home.
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This week, Randi and I joined a research team on the R/V Sally Ride to venture into the open ocean. The first day on the water was rough. The boat bellowed through large swells on our way towards the open sea. We did, however, spot some baleen whales grazing the water when leaving the port. Their dorsal fins peeked through the surface of the water, followed by a blast of mist. It felt like they were bidding us farewell on our journey. Despite my efforts to avoid sea sickness, I got pretty ill. It wasn’t the stomach aches and dizziness that affected me, but the stuffy head, low energy, and overall exhaustion. My body was trying its best to acclimate to these unfamiliar conditions. Mercifully, our first day at sea was a transit day, from Newport to Northern Washington, so we got a free day. Within those 24 hours, I slept a lot. The next was the beginning of the chaos that is high stress sample collecting. I had gotten a brief rundown of various protocols in the lab areas, but there was still a ton to learn. There are three operating labs on the cruise; the Sutherland Lab, the Thompson Lab, and the Sponagaule and Cowen Lab. I was assigned to work in Sponagaule and Cowen Lab to help with collecting and processing samples during the evening, and deploying and managing ISIIS during the night. ISIIS is an acronym for ‘In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System’. It is an underwater camera that captures real time images of marine zooplankton. Samples are brought aboard via a net system called the MOCNESS, a machine made up of a series of large and small mouth nets within a single frame. The entire frame is deployed into the water, and recovered with various organisms to observe. The cod-ends of MOCNESS contain the samples (marine invertebrates and fish larvae) that we sift through. Part of the organisms are examined for morphological features and gut contents. Others are separated from seawater, and placed into containers of ethanol for later viewing. Ethanol helps preserve the specimens for further data collection back on land. I am starting to get more familiar and comfortable with the routine in the lab aboard the boat. Still, every day has its surprises. Most frequently, there have been technical difficulties regarding the ISIIS machine, but sometimes MOCNESS feels left out, so it will also make a fuss. In some cases the fixes are simple, in other cases it has taken hours to work out the kinks and protocols go on pause. Next week, I’m hoping for smoother sailing.
This week our time in the lab was spent extracting data from videos in order to address our research questions. I find it easy to get lost in the numbers and data sets. Sometimes I remind myself that our research stems from a curiosity about questions we acquired six weeks ago. Although I have to admit, as exciting as it is to see preliminary results come together, I think I am getting to the point of experiencing project fatigue. Every two steps forward is met with one step back. Frustratingly (but fortunately) we caught errors in our calculations that required days to fix. Small mistakes in our kinematic measurements, such as inconsistent beat frequency and swimming speed values, held us from producing precise results. So, back to the long list of data sets, we went. We returned to our original video recordings to re-evaluate specific kinematic and morphological values. After these revisions, I’m eager to analyze our results. Results prove that somewhere amongst the trials and tribulations there is a story! With the rhythm and repetition of our sixth week, I was anxious to spend some time outside the small town of Charleston. I think most everyone else was feeling similarly, so the interns conjured a plan for a spontaneous trip to Eugene. We would leave Friday evening, spend the night, and come back in the evening on Saturday for 24 hours of entertainment. The sun was beginning to set as we made our way northeast after work on Friday. After skipping dinner, we desperately wanted food the minute we rolled into town. Our hearts were set on a place called Izakaya Meiji. While waiting to be seated we wandered the nearby streets and enjoyed the hippie-inspired architecture. A summer evening was the perfect time to see stray cats running through driveways and across streets, enjoying their last minutes of daylight. By the end of our walk, Meiji, unfortunately, wasn’t able to seat a table our size, so we split into groups and conquered Eugene Eateries around the block. By the next morning, still conditioned to the early hours of OIMB, so we rose with the sun to explore the Saturday Market. The buzz and liveliness of the market flooded the streets of downtown Eugene. We enjoyed beautiful bouquets, detailed jewelry, and colorful paintings displayed at various stands. The day was heating up quickly, so we continued our travel east until we arrived at Wildwood Falls. The falls offered a perfect swimming hole to cool off. Despite being right next to the beach all summer, it was the first time I swam during the warm season. We floated the water, observing people brave enough to cliff jump. The rest of our afternoon was spent basking in the sun until it was time to go home. It was strange to see two worlds collide. I never thought we would all be in my hometown simultaneously! My dog Maisy was especially happy to have everyone over. She and Randi’s dog, Pigg, played all night. Through meeting all the interns, she probably now has more friends than she does toes. |
AuthorHi! My name is Madison. I am from Eugene, Oregon, home to the Oregon Ducks. I just completed my last term at Lane Community College where I earned three associate degrees focused in biology. Contrary to my Oregon Duck origin, I am transferring to their rival school, Oregon State University in the fall where I will continue my studies in biology. During my time at OIMB, I will be participating in research in the Emlet and Sutherland labs. While I’m not doing marine science, I love to raft, camp, swim, and listen to music. ArchivesCategories |
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