Day Four Aboard r/v Kilo Moana

5 September 2010

9:01 pm HST

Teachers Mark Shanahan and Davila Riddle using the fluormeter

Today is my last full day aboard ship. It was another fascinating day of science. We used a fluorometer to calculate the amount of chlorophyll-a in collected samples at different depths. A fluorometer beams blue light at a water sample, which causes the chlorophyll-a in the sample to light up red. The fluorometer reads the amount of red light and converts it to an amount in micrograms per liter (ug\L). We also calculated our dissolved oxygen amounts from plugging in the data we collected from automatic titration machine into a formula. We graphed both the chlorophyll-a and the dissolved oxygen in excell to look at trends in our data.

We passed the WHOTS-7 Mooring this afternoon several times to calibrate the CTD on board. The buoy is located at a radius of 6 miles away from Station ALOHA. The buoy has similar instruments attached to it that are in the CTD. The passes allow for comparison data between the buoy and the CTD. We watched several crew and scientists set lines to fish for Mahi Mahi and Ono. One scientist caught an Ono, which had a symbiotic parasite in its stomach.

Marine Engineer Blake Watkins and the Ono he caught

Parasite living in the Ono caught

Tomorrow, we will arrive in port in Honolulu at around 8 am. It will take several hours to unload the scientific equipment off the ship. There are three 20 ft laboratory vans and one 12 ft laboratory van that need to be hoisted off the ship with a crane. The ship will need to dock starboard side, then turn around and dock port side.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time aboard the Kilo Moana. I would recommend the STARS experience to any teacher that may be interested.  C-MORE Marine Educator Jim Foley is an excellent instructor who has a special ability to impart his vast knowledge of oceanography with classroom teachers. Oh... and the food... It has been magnificent! We had king crab, beef tenderloin, homemade sourdough bread, broiled corn on the cob and other delicious side dishes for dinner tonight. It was topped off with baked Alaska for dessert. Yum! Every meal has been superb.

Aloha from the Kilo Moana

Sunset on ship

Mrs. Spink