NOAA boat

Before the arrival of Sandy we had seen the NOAA boat docked beside Kabria and thought it would be nice to find someone who could show us the boat.  Well yesterday Irene and MaryLou arranged our tour for this morning.  We met Rob who explained the mission of the boat, introduced us to the crew, and explained the workings of the boat.

The threefold mission is bottom mapping, testing experimental equipment, and public outreach.  He identified the parameters for testing equipment, such as a programable submarine, and how the data would then be used.  If anyone has an idea that works in a labratory and would be better in function or cheaper to use in a marine environment, they would evaluate it.

We saw this device ready for evaluation before the storm Sandy.  This NOAA boat was called to assist in the Norfolk area during the storm.


The bottom mapping is done with two different resolutions from two seperate devices.  The first is a towed device that can give data within a meter resolution. 

As the boat travels in rows of a grid, the data is collected and projected on a screen.  Then it requires some interpretation to decide whether it is a bottom feature, crab pot, fish, or some other annomoly. 


When it's decided a better look is needed, the fixed high resolution sonar is deployed.  It has an accuracy of decameters and done with color imagery.  The sonor device is at the botton of that wing device and it is lowered through the deck of the boat.  The result could be a picture of sunken boat or some other debris on the bay floor.  There is also a method of gleaning the data to show the composition of the materials making up the bottom of the bay.  This could be useful for aquaculture or biomass restoration.

Rob explained that within their mapping area, Chesapeake Bay excluding rivers and streams, they will travel back and forth for ten years before returning to the same place.  The NOAA data is available within 3 months of discovery.  This is done in the Update to Mariners and then to updated charts.  Rob also mentioned the other places in the US and world where NOAA is involved in mapping the ocean floor.  Captain Mike mentioned his involvement with mapping during his career with the US Navy thirty-plus years ago.  Some of the data in areas that don't shoal in can date back to pre 1900's and continue to be accurate.

We had several questions on mapping, boat duties, anual servicing, and life on board which were answered by the crew.  It was an enjoyable diversion from everyday life aboard a boat.