The wet lab is battened-down and ready for the frequent rolls and pitches associated with the oceans motions. Dr. Baker and Marine Technician Support Assistant Daryl Swensen discuss the science operations for the day.

Teacher Logbook - R/V Wecoma

Missy Holzer 's Sealog:
CTD Cruise Day 15
Weather at 1630 hours PDT:
Cloudy skies with winds of 15 knots from the northwest, and visibility of 12 miles. Barometric pressure is 1025.0 mb, and the temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Ocean swells are 8 feet out of the northwest, and the seas are 5 feet out of the northwest.

The NeMO CTD Cruise is currently at the Blanco Fracture Zone, which is its final location along the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Since the water depth is greater than 4500 meters at this location, we'll be deploying CTD casts, but no tow-yo's. Tow-yo's at that depth tend to take a long period of time due to the fact that the fish is lowered and raised in the water column a number of times. The Blanco Fracture Zone is an area in the seafloor where the Pacific plate and the Juan deFuca plate are sliding past one another, and are pulling apart slightly too. Helium measurements made here at Blanco over the past years have shown that there is some hydrothermal activity worth sampling, and these samples will help to determine the extent of such activity along the entire ridge system. The success of acquiring these measurements as well as all the other measurements while on R/V Wecoma not only depends on the knowledge of the science staff, but depends on the skill and expertise of the crew on board, and especially Marine Technician Support Assistant Daryl Swensen.

Acting as a liaison between the ship's crew and the science staff, the Mar-Tech (as Mr. Swensen is sometimes called) is knowledgeable in the workings of almost all areas of the ship as well as in the workings of the science instrumentation. Mr. Swensen brings to his job an extremely varied background that allows him the versatility he needs in order to be successful in his job. His degree in Environmental Science provided him with diverse knowledge base, but it was his work experience as a commercial fisherman, construction worker, and as well as growing up on a farm that provided him with the diverse skills needed for ship work. After completing a 1 year contract position as a bio technician for the National Marine Fisheries in San Diego, Mr. Swensen came to Oregon State University and R/V Wecoma in 1998. While on a cruise on the R/V Wecoma, he takes charge of the shared-use science equipment that's maintained by the R/V Wecoma, but used by the visiting science staff. Today, most of research oceanography is done with electronic instrumentation that allows data to be downloaded while on< board so long as all the systems are compatible and can communicate with each other. Mr. Swensen has the position of making sure that all systems are "go", electronically speaking. This part of his position requires him to continue his education in computer programming, and in learning new software programs. All the crewmembers have a knowledge base that goes beyond their job titles, and on a ship the size of the R/V Wecoma everyone helps out when they are needed and where they are needed. Mr. Swensen can be found in the engine room, on the deck, or in the labs sharing his vast knowledge in order to help in troubleshooting in problem situations. During the NeMO CTD Cruise, his untiring expertise was called upon during various parts of the day and night in order for the science staff to continually acquire data throughout the cruise.

Being a part of the crew on a research vessel such as the R/V Wecoma has many rewards that Mr. Swensen enjoys. They include the ability to travel in places such as Australia, Hawaii, and Alaska, and to exist in a setting that's moving at a pace different from the pace on land. His job as the Marine Technician Support Assistant has offered him some diverse experiences working with the visiting scientists. Besides working with the science team on the NOAA-PMEL Vents Program, he has worked with marine biologists studying copepods and other sea creatures, he's had the opportunity to work with the US Navy doing acoustic research in the ocean, etc.

The NeMO CTD Cruise is very fortunate to have the talents of Mr. Swensen, along with the rest of the R/V Wecoma crew to be supporting their research endeavors. Mr. Swensen is a true asset in helping the R/V Wecoma be a top notch research vessel.