Mobilizing for Canyon Mapping Mission
02 JUNE 2008 DUTCH HARBOR, ALASKA
The 230' hydrographic survey ship, Mt. Mitchell arrived at Captain's Bay, Unalaska Harbor early this morning!
Captain and crew just spent a week crossing the Gulf of Alaska, then another week in the Bering Sea searching for oceanographic moorings along the ice edge and near the Pribilof Islands. They are in great spirits and busy changing equipment, personnel and topping up supplies for the Pribilof Canyon seafloor mapping expedition.
The ship has served on many Alaskan voyages and has a "following" in nearly every port! Visitor Brenda Tellman is gracing the bow with Captain Lawrence.
The Mt. Mitchell took PMEL field staff to service buoys at central and southern Bering Sea sites last week. Here, they are demobilizing -- removing gear from the Mitchell to ship to Seattle for data retrieval. The buoyed arrays are moored at traditional locations in the Bering Sea to collect oceanographic data on current speed, direction, temperature, salinity, and other parameters.
Exploring Dutch Harbor-Unalaska!
Ship and survey crew spent much of the day tending to chores and taking in shoreside opportunities not available at sea. Many explored the open terrain of the island on foot or by vehicle. Intrepid runner, AB Linda Mancuso ran 18 miles over the Unalaska Pass, while others drove around sight seeing and savouring local restaurant fare.
Personal use king crab fishing opened in Dutch Harbor at Midnight, so w
Candace and I worked this afternoon with ADF&G Observer Program staff Mary and Melissa, to review the diversity of
corals, sponges and bryozoans their field crew have collected in Aleutian and Bering Sea fisheries. This huge collection is in excellent shape and a great resource for training observers in Melissa's "Living Laboratory". We are trying to determine which species may have sufficiently dense skeletons and size to be detected by sonar backscatter returns. Paul Wilkins of the NOAA Fisheries and Monitoring Division toured us around the online databases which archive information on coral, sponge and bryozoan bycatch in federal fisheries. These data show some bycatch of corals and sponges in Pribilof Canyon -- especially in the non-pelagic trawl fisheries.
Candace Stepetin on the traditional Mt. Ballyhoo hiking trail. Many seafarers hike the mountain before setting out to sea, as it provides a phenomenal view and a stretch of the legs before long journeys at sea. The view shows Unalaska and Dutch Harbor, including the original village and tremendous commercial fishing infrastructure supporting fleets, processing and shipping products harvested from the Bering Sea grounds.
We wrapped up our shore excursions by 2230 hours and set sail northeastward toward Pribilof Canyon shortly after midnight.
