Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report - April 2 through April 8, 2023

For the Week of April 2, 2023

NOAA OCS Logo

Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report

Welcome to NOAA's Weekly Hydrographic Ship Activity Report! We hope you enjoy this reader-friendly layout for our weekly report as we update you on the progress of our NOAA-ship and contractor-run surveys. Please continue to direct your correspondences to progress.sketches@noaa.gov

Highlights of this edition

  • NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson conducted survey operations on OPR-K371-TJ-23, Approaches to Galveston, TX.
  • eTrac conducted survey operations on OPR-E351-KR-22, Southwest Chesapeake Rivers.

NOAA Ships

FERDINAND R. HASSLER

Recap
  • NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler is alongside USCG Tradd St. in Charleston, SC for repairs.
NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler, Photo courtesy of NOAA

Looking Forward

  • The ship is navigating through a few outstanding items associated with their winter repair package and looking forward to resuming operations in the Spring.

THOMAS JEFFERSON 

OPR-K371-TJ-23 Approaches to Galveston, TX

Recap
  • NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson conducted survey operations on OPR-K371-TJ-23, acquiring on sheet H13707. 
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson, Photo courtesy of NOAA

Looking Forward

  • Thomas Jefferson will continue survey operations on OPR-K371-TJ-23, acquiring on sheets H13709, H13707, and H13705 prior to pulling into port on Wednesday, 12APR2023.

Fairweather

OPR-M328-FA-23 EXPRESS

Recap:

  • NOAA Ship Fairweather conducted HSRR and testing activities on the launches.
  • The ship spent a number of days on backscatter calibration. Due to mechanical issues, the ship was forced to anchor several times during this process. The mechanical issues have since been resolved.
NOAA Ship Fairweather, Photo courtesy of NOAA

Looking Forward

  • Fairweather will continue acquisition on OPR-M328-FA-23 EXPRESS.

RAINIER 

OPR-T382-RA-23 American Samoa/PRIA (RICHARD)

Recap
  • NOAA Ship Rainier conducted survey operations on OPR-T382-RA-23, acquiring on sheets H13733, H13735, H13736, and H13737 while conducting dive operations in Tau, Ofu, Tutuila Islands and Rose Atoll, AS.
NOAA Ship Rainier, Photo courtesy of NOAA

Looking Forward

  • Rainier will conduct dive and hydrographic survey operations around Tutuila and Ofu Islands, H13735 and H13737 respectively.

Contracted Vessels

eTrac Logo

 

OPR-E351-KR-22 Southwest Chesapeake Rivers

Recap

  • R/V 505 conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS data acquisition in H13767 with a shortened day on 06APR2023 due to weather, fill and investigations in H13765 and H13766 with a shortened day on 02APR2023 due to high wind, and performed a patch test on 03APR2023.
  • R/V Endeavor conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS in H13766 with a shortened day on 02APR2023, transited to Urbanna on 03APR2023, and conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS in H13771.
  • R/V Pulse conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS in H13766 and H13767, transited to Urbanna, conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS and NALL investigations in H13771, and performed a patch test on 08APR2023.
  • R/V Spectrum conducted fill and investigation in H13765 with a shortened day on 02APR2023 due to weather, bottom samples in H13765, mainscheme MBES and SSS in H13766 and H13767 with shortened days on 06APR2023 and 07APR2023 due to weather, and a patch test on 02APR2023.
  • R/V Taku conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS in H13766 and H13767, performed a patch test on 02APR2023, and has not surveyed from 04APR2023 to 08APR2023 due to vessel maintenance.
  • R/V Voxel conducted mainscheme MBES and SSS in H13771, computer swapped on 02APR2023, SSS equipment issues on 03APR2023 and 06APR2023 leading to only running MBES on 03APR2023 and partial day of only MBES on 06APR2023.

Looking Forward

  • R/V 505 and R/V Spectrum to conduct fill and investigation along with mainscheme MBES and SSS data acquisition in H13766 and H13767, with R/V Spectrum relocating to the James River mid-week.
  • R/V Endeavor and R/V Voxel will conduct mainscheme MBES and SSS data acquisition in H13771 before joining R/V Spectrum in the James river.
  • R/V Pulse will continue to acquire mainscheme MBES and SSS data in H13771.
  • R/V Taku is down for maintenence and will be fixed this week before returning to mainscheme MBES and SSS data acquisition.
Geodynamics

 

OPR-F330-KR-22 Albemarle Sound, NC

Recap

  • R/V Substantial had a port call on 01APR2023 and then a partial weather day on 02APR2023. Then proceeded to survey SSS/MBES in H13760 until having to return to port in Coinjock on 07APR2023 for a port call/weather. A strong coastal weather system with high winds and coastal flooding impacted survey operations through the end of this reporting period.
  • R/V Benthos was down for weather on 02APR2023 and then proceeded to survey SSS/MBES in H13755 and H13758. As weather moved in on 07APR2023, Benthos transitioned to SBES in H13761 before returning to port again for weather ending the reporting period.
  • R/V Chinook was down for weather on 02APR2023 and then proceeded to survey SSS/MBES in H13755. As weather moved in, Chinook transitioned to SBES in H13761 as well as some recon before returning to port again for weather ending the reporting period.
  • R/V 4‐Points continued SBES survey in H13761 with partial downtime for weather and a full day of weather on 08APR2023.
  • USV X‐15 was down for weather the majority of 02APR2023 and then continued survey operations in H13762 with some planned mechanical downtime to improve the communication/data network data link.
  • USV X‐19 had weather on 02APR2023 and then some planned mechanical downtime to improve the communication/data network data link. Then continued survey operations in H13762.
  • Data processing of SSS, MBES, and SBES has continued through the reporting period. The office continues to ingest survey data and focus on QC review, documentation and fill/recovery plans. Guidance on project specific survey findings was discussed at a virtual meeting and will be followed up on the concurrent reporting week.

Looking Forward

  • R/V Substantial will survey SSS/MBES in H13755 and H13758.
  • R/V Benthos and R/V Chinook will continue SSS/MBES survey in H13755 and H13758 and SSS/SBES in H13761 and H13762.
  • R/V 4-Points will continue SBES survey in H13761 and H13762 and perform additional recon when necessary.
  • USV-15 and USV-19 will continue survey in H13762.
  • The office will continue ingestion and processing of SSS, MBES, and SBES data. This week sheet‐wide reviews focused on SSS/MBES for H13755, H13758, and H13760 will occur to refine fill and investigation plans.
Leidos_logo

OPR-E347-KR-22 Central Chesapeake Bay, MD

Recap

  • Survey operations on the R/V Oyster Bay II continued on various sheets to fill holidays.
  • Poor weather resulted in a half day of delay on 02APR2023.
  • A vessel generator replacement resulted in a half day in port on 07APR2023.

Looking Forward

  • Survey operations on the R/V Oyster Bay II acquisition will continue weather permitting.
  • Data Processing ongoing in the Newport, RI Data Center and Field Office.