Voyages of a Coastal Research Vessel

Voyages of a Coastal Research Vessel

University-national oceanographic laboratory system (UNOLS) is an organization of 64 academic institutions and national laboratories involved in oceanographic research and joined for the purpose of coordinating oceanographic ships' schedules and research facilities.

Of Which, the R V Cape Henlopen was one

University of Delaware

SpecificationsYear Built: 1976; Hull Material: AluminumLength: 120 Feet Draft: 10 Feet Beam: 23 FeetNormal Cruising Speed: 10-12 KnotsMaximum Cruising: 15 Knots Minimum Operational: ~1 Knot (Depending On Conditions)Endurance: 10-14 Days/24 Hours Per Day (Depending On Operations)

Conceptionally built as a high speed retriever of data, but

Crew of Four, Two Technicians, a Cook and Steward, and Fourteen Scientists

Range of Operation

Maine to Florida, Bermuda and Bahamas

But It Always Seemed the Right Place at the Wrong Time

GeologicalBiologicalChemicalPhysicalAtmosphericOtherTypes of Research

Well start with the OtherTarget ship for Ohio Class submarines after a re-fit of electronics

Hazard survey for USGS prior to installation of Drill Rigs on Georges Bank and offshore of Atlantic City NJ

Geologically, the Henlopen has seen quite a bit of mud on deck from the various types of bottom sampling hardware

Periodically we would travel to Bigalow Biological Laboratory in Boothbay Maine

Our Objective Was to Obtain Bottom Samples From Phipines Ledge and Cultivator Shoalout in the Gulf of Maine..

We Would Usually Exchange Scientific Personnel at Mid Cruise. In This Instance, It Was Rockland

I still dont know what that town looks like

In 1988, we went to Bermuda to replace the R/V Weatherbird for winter duty

The issue of Climate Change and its affect upon the oceans was becoming more prominent and NSF felt that continued monitoring of their Bermuda Site would insure more accurate data

So we camped out in St. George Harbor for four months

We made friends

Gained respect for Harbor Radio

Had funBut by April we were ready to come home

In the area of Physical Oceanographywe helped to gather data by two prominent methods;Water Samplingand Moorings

Early on, samples were taken using niskin bottles, which were strung on a cable and lowered to a predetermined depth

In the early eighties, the CTD (Conductivity, temperature and depth) was introduced

The rosette was lowered as deep as 3000 metersAnd data was transmitted via conductor cable to A computer which displayed all of the pertinent data

The chief scientist then made the decision as to what depth to sample the water column for further investigation

Moorings Were Used Extensively to Determine Current and Temperature

Some of the moorings were upwards of 2500 meters long and required significant weight to hold them on the bottom

Consequently, load placement was critical to insure that stability was maintained

Deployment and retrieval of the moorings required considerable expertise and a lot of coordination between the bridge and deck.

In early October 1991 we towed a 75 foot wave monitoring spar buoy to the rim of Washington Canyon

Later that month a meteorological abnormality occurred in which a nor'easter met up with the remnants of a hurricane to create havoc along the east coast from Puerto Rico to Maine. Winds topped 100 miles over the Ocean, and the average wave height was registered in excess of 50ft by this buoy..before it sank

That storm was later dubbed the Halloween Storm of 1991, although it is better known as The Perfect Storm

Cutter Tamaroa during storm

Biologically, we participated in numerous endeavors

From the Monitoring of Sanctioned Industrial Dumping at a Site 100 Miles East of New Jersey

To assisting a Maryland Researcher determine the effects of Jelly Fish predation upon juvenile anchovy larvae in the Chesapeake Bay

But the best ones were with a WHOI investigator who was interested in the habits of the blue shark and swordfishSo we became long line fishermen

Loading and securing gear for the trip out to Oceanographers Canyon

In the afternoon we laid about 6 miles of long line The following morning we would retrieve ,Looking for the right specimen to tag and track

Because of the numerous monitors placed on the fish, we were able toDetermine its location and depth

When they surfaced, we were on the lookout

And in one case, because further investigation was required,We harpooned.

Landed ..

And ultimately consumed.

one swordfish

In 2010 the Henlopen was retired and Replaced by the Hugh R Sharp

The vessel has now been fitted as an Archeological salvage vessel with its homeport in The Dominican Republic

This is Jason.workhorse of Deep Sea Lab of Woods Hole Oceanographic InstituteThe device that helped Robert Ballard find the Titanic

So after 15 years, spending an average of 200 days a year at sea, we moved to the northern neck of Virginia, where I operated the Yacht Miss Ann for the Tides Inn, while establishing a marine survey business

The major theme of my business has been No matter how lucky you are, one day you will have A Bad Day at Sea