Posts Tagged ‘Coastal Pioneer’
Frolicking Sea State
The sea was rocking and rolling a little bit yesterday causing the “wet lab” where we work aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong to live up to its name. The metal door jam at the bottom with yellow and black tape was installed as a preventive measure to keep the working space dry. Credit: DT Crist © WHOI.
Read MoreStudents’ Mini-Boat & Drifter Launched
On Sunday November 13, 2022, the Pioneer 19 Team and crew of the R/V Neil Armstrong switched gears from their Pioneer recovery operations to launch a mini-boat and a drifter. Both were constructed by high school students from Waterford, CT, with the help of fourth grade Waterford students, who decorated its sails and hull. The…
Read MoreTwo on Deck
The Pioneer Array 19 team marked Veteran’s Day with the successful recovery of the Coastal Inshore Surface Mooring. Like glider 559, the mooring was initially hooked on the starboard side of the boat. Unlike the gliders, the large buoys are guided toward the back of the ship for recovery through the A-frame. From there, the…
Read MoreGlider Hooked
Pioneer Team member Jessica Kozik hooks glider 559 so it can be brought on board ship. The “hook”, or connection to the hauling line, is accomplished with a long pole and specially designed grappling hook that snaps open and quickly shut upon contact.
Read MoreGumby Try-ON
As the R/V Neil Armstrong steamed toward its first site at the Pioneer Array, the crew took the science party through safety training to ensure that all participants were familiar with onboard safety equipment, including the “Gumby” immersion suit. The suit is awkward to put on and sometimes looks a bit comical, despite the serious…
Read MoreLast deployment
As we wrap up the Pioneer 18 cruise and head back to port in Woods Hole, it is a time to thank all those responsible for the great success of the Pioneer array, and reflect on the fact that the Coastal Profiler Mooring shown here, PMUI-17, will be the last Pioneer mooring deployed on the…
Read MoreLinepack at sunrise
Coastal Profiler Mooring (CPM) line packs are tested early in the morning on deployment days. CPM anchors are recovered by means of an acoustic release. The release frees a float which rises to the surface pulling the line pack – an aluminum frame wound with thin, strong synthetic line- which unspools as the float rises.…
Read MoreMarine life making homes on buoys
The Northeast US Shelf is a biodiverse area that leads to some fascinating meetings with nature. The Pioneer Array’s mooring platforms on the shelf provide a solid structure that becomes home for many marine species like barnacles, mussels, and scallops. I never knew what barnacles actually looked like until I saw them on our buoys.…
Read MoreMaking the connection
A Coastal Profiler Mooring buoy is connected to a hauling line for recovery. The deck team uses snap hook on the end of a pole to clip into a bale on the buoy deck. The pole and hook are designed to pull apart, leaving the line connected to the buoy. The line is fed through…
Read MoreMorning coffee
The Pioneer 18 deck team is up early to prepare for mooring deployments. Handling gear needs to be prepared, equipment needs to be tested, and the environmental conditions need to be assessed. A cup of coffee can get lost in the shuffle. This one sits between the termination of the 403.7 m section of wire…
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