Townsend Cromwell
TC-99-06 Marine Mammal Field Camp Deployment
TC-99-06 Marine Mammal Field Camp DeploymentMay 15-May 31, 1999
May 25, 1999 After resupplying the field camps on Tern, Laysan and Lisianski Islands, the ship docked at Midway Island on Saturday, May 22. We picked up additional scientists who flew into Midway and then set off for Kure Atoll on Sunday, May 21 to set up another field camp. Kure atoll is located sixty miles northwest of Midway. On Monday the ship anchored off the southwest side of Kure to begin a full day of transporting supplies and equipment to the island via small boat. The supplies required to support a remote camp for three months include food, water, medical supplies, propane refrigerator, tents, scientific equipment, small boats, and fuel (gasoline and propane). The offloading requires many trips in the small boats which are loaded to capacity with supplies. The ship must anchor in deeper water outside the atoll and the small boats carry the equipment through the atoll lagoon to the landing site on the shore of the island. While cruising through the lagoon, spinner dolphins often chase after the boat to greet our arrival. The lagoon is shallow (6-20 feet) and the water color a light aqua blue.
The shallow waters and fringing reef surrounding coral atolls can be a hazard to navigating ships. An ancillary project conducted while at Kure was to survey a recent shipwreck (above right) for debris and entrapment hazards to Monk Seals (left). The wreck that was surveyed was a fishing vessel that went aground on the reef in October of 1998. Divers conducted transects to look for debris in a systematic manner. Any substantive debris may be removed in future cruises. The ship departed anchorage at Kure and headed east to Pearl and Hermes Reef to set up another field camp there on Tuesday, May 25. Related web sites:
- Honolulu Laboratory Protected Species Investigation which includes the Marine Mammal Research Program and the Marine Turtle Research Program