Jeff Schilling's blog

Last summer I went on a research cruise aboard the R/V Wecoma. The project was to capture the human factor about working and living at sea for 10 days. This was an amazing experience and gave me a better understanding of what goes on during a cruise. I have compiled all the videos in one place for you to watch. Watch the cruise video blogs at http://www.stccmop.org/research/cruisevideos

The field team in Astoria allowed me to join them again on their second glider deployment. This time the seas were calm. And so was my stomach. We traveled about 25 miles out into the ocean to launch the glider.

Danny helps deploy the glider off the ship.

The gliders name is Phoebe. The rope on her tail end is only there during system tests.

I had the best of intentions to update my blog with the glider mission status. Then we crossed the Columbia Bar into the ocean.

I am aboard the R/V Forerunner with the field team from Astoria. We are on a mission to launch the underwater glider in the ocean. The leader of the team is Katie Rathmell. We will cross the bar and head out into the Pacific Ocean. There we plan to run two 30 minute tests to ensure all systems are operating properly.

Craig McNeil, APL-UW oceanographer, is the leader of the AUV mission.

Are you confused on what kind of research projects are going on at CMOP?

Have you struggled to find data on our web site?

Well you are in luck!

We have began a project to improve the web navigation for research & data areas and better communicate the research centers programs & projects on the web.

It would be great to hear your comments or suggestions.

Towards the end of the July 2008 cruise, Justin Roberts, a CMOP intern, decided to write a song about our adventures aboard the R/V Wecoma. It is a fun look back at what life was like aboard a research vessel. It's not all chasing salinity and collecting marine microbes.

I have returned from the research cruise on the Wecoma. It was a tremendous experience working with Byron Crump and the rest of the team. Plus you couldn't ask for a better crew then those aboard the Wecoma. I will be assembling another video about life aboard the Wecoma, there might even be a special song included. Check back.

For now, here is what I learned about what the Wecoma provides you and what supplies you should bring:

A large portion of life aboard is collecting and filtering water. Lauren Vice, a summer research intern, has become proficient in performing RNA filtering of water samples. (When she is not raiding the ice cream freezer.) Today's video blog has Lauren demonstrating the filtering process.