Student Connection

Just in from the Ship

TC-99-09 Monk Seal Forage/Reef Fish Survey
August 13 - September 7, 1999

September 7, 1999   On September 3, we worked at French Frigate Shoals ferrying supplies to the island and scientific wastes to the ship for transport to Honolulu for disposal. We also sent the divers out to collect more specimens for the Hawaiian Monk Seal Nutrition Study. At 4:00 PM we had everyone back aboard, hauled anchor and headed off the reef. We hauled in the lobster traps set the day before and set course for the CTD station just south of Necker. We ran through the night into 9-foot seas and performed the CTD early the next morning. The CTD involves lowering a 400lb instrument over the side and down to a depth of 500m (roughly 1500 feet). The instrument measures the salinity, temperature and depth of the water. We have a series of 10 stations spread out between Oahu and Kure which we perform CTD casts on every chance we get. After a time, we should get a valuable data set as to how these fundamental characteristics vary (at these locations) over time. We had hoped to run up to Necker Island to use divers to collect data on the fish and coral diversity on the surrounding reef. However, the seas were too high and we decided to keep heading eastward toward Nihoa. At 3:00 in the morning on September 5, we performed a 500-m cast of the CTD at the station 31 NM south of Nihoa. The seas had died down to 5-foot swells by then, so after the CTD, we turned left and headed north to Nihoa. We spent the day at Nihoa using tow sleds (towed by the boats) to pull divers through the pristine waters and use video cameras to document the area. We also performed regular dives to 80 feet to video and document the diversity of fish in the area. In the evening we set a SE course for Kaula (SW of Niihau) and we arrived at 8:00 AM on September 6. We lowered one of our boats and the divers spent the morning diving off the exposed crater, documenting the fish and coral life there. I accompanied the scientists on the first dive. Upon rolling into the water, we found a virtual wall of rock that descended straight down to 100 feet of water. At that depth it sloped and quickly descended out of sight. We followed the wall down to 120 feet and slowly started working our way back up, filming the numerous and colorful reef fish living there. As we neared the 30-foot depth, we entered a huge sea cave that the sea had eaten out of the island's steep rock face. We kept our depth around 30 feet as we entered and worked our way back about 100 feet or so. The cave was immense with its floor about 50 feet underwater and the ceiling about 60 feet above. It was also about 80 feet wide. After the dives, we returned to the ship and set sail for Honolulu. We arrived home on September 7 at 7:00 in the morning. We are scheduled to remain inport until October 6. During this time the crew will be taking leave, attending training and working on ship maintenance and repairs.

Other Reports For This Cruise

• August 15
• August 19
• August 24
• August 27
• September 02
• September 07

Last modified September 09, 1999