senoritafish | Jul. 24th, 2007

Roomie's Teacher-at-Sea log: http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov/2007/eubanks/pdf/eubanks_log3.pdf

Well, more of same. I'll just start listing my job was for each haul as that's going to be about all that's new for setting.

E. and I's day to get up early, and set at 6 am. I baited for both sets today when setting; morning haul, I debaited, afternoon haul I coiled float lines. I think that's the most tiring thing I've done yet. I haven't been looking at the data, but I think we got skunked on one haul, and a couple of makos and a blue on the other. The morning spot was picked because there were a lot of fish caught here on an earlier leg; and one of the other biologists joked that the chief scientist had caught them all already; "I saw a few swimming by, rubbing their jaws." I remarked that, being shortfin makos, they probably couldn't reach their jaws with their fins - the blues probably could though.

Waiting while the line soaks...

Gloves drying in between hauls...

When setting we are using two kinds of hooks, circle hooks and straight J hooks. Suzy is performing an experiment as to how sharks are hooked and how easy they are to release using the circle hooks. The J hooks were originally used because of that was what the old experimental shark longline fishery back in the 80's used; however, circle hooks have been touted as being easier to release bycatch from and less likely to be swallowed. Given that this project's main concern is tagging and releasing, an easier releasing hook is a good thing, as long as the catch rates are similar.

We've seen common dolphins several times each day - they pass in a hurry, always looking as if they have somewhere to be. Shortly after we finished hauling the second set, off the east end of Catalina Island, the sun ducked under the layer of patchy clouds and disappeared behind the mountain of the island, however not before lighting the water and sending rays out beneath the cloudy layer, making for a rather ethereal atmosphere.

Santa Catalina Island, East End Sunset.

The biologist from CICESE, a Mexican agency in Ensenada, is very friendly - she came over and asked me why I was by myself and not talking to anyone. I was a bit at a loss; for one thing, I'm sort of shy. While I'm ok if someone else initiates and asks me questions, it's harder to think of questions to ask other people and I'm very uncomfortable with small talk.

We discovered last night there are waffle cones and ice cream in a cooler on the mess deck. I've told myself I'm only allowed one every other day. Another perk is that NOAA ships get all the movies that Navy ships do. A glance at recently acquired movies shows a few that were only recently in theaters; I don't think they're even out on DVD yet. I was talked into watching Happy Feet, which was cute, but really pushed the limit of my suspension of disbelief. It irritated me a bit that Mumble never got all of his adult plumage and all the female penguins looked like they had boobs. And no one can come up with original music for movies anymore?

Time for bed...