Coast Survey and National Weather Service Tallahassee conduct a weather and navigation seminar
NOAA/NWS weather and navigation virtual seminar.
For 17 years, Coast Survey and National Weather Service (NWS) Tallahassee have conducted a seminar for the recreational boating and sport fishing community. This year the seminar focused on marine weather, waves, forecasts, and the use of NOAA’s nowCOAST™ by meteorologist, Lance Franck. The seminar also focused on the new and updated Coast Survey website and the online viewer resources for both raster and electronic navigational charts. A short part of the presentation also discussed finding and utilizing NOAA CO-OPS tide stations for water level and meteorological data. The Saturday seminar saw over 50 participants and positive reactions following the session. NWS Tallahassee posted the recording of the seminar and the presentations on their
website. For more information contact
Tim.Osborn@noaa.gov.
NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel hosts biannual meeting
Hydrographic Services Review Panel virtual group image.
NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) hosted its biannual meeting via webinar on March 3-4. Deputy Under Secretary for Operations, performing the duties of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator Mr. Benjamin Friedman, National Ocean Service Assistant Administrator (acting) Nicole LeBeouf, and the navigation services office directors and speakers provided information related to resilience and navigation services with sessions on
Coastal Data and Information Systems for Resilience and
Coastal Ocean Modeling in Support of Marine Navigation and the Blue Economy. Ben Friedman talked about the new administration's commitment to racial equity, inclusiveness, how we provide our data and services in an equitable way across the entire country including to those areas that are traditionally underrepresented, climate change, and scientific integrity. Dr. Stephen Murawski, director Center for Ocean Mapping and Innovative Technologies (COMIT), University of South Florida (USF), provided an update on the new Office of Coast Survey-USF cooperative grant for COMIT, which will extend mapping capabilities and promote collaboration. The HSRP will develop recommendations for the NOAA Administrator within a month. For more information contact
Lynne.Mersfelder@noaa.gov.
Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology Coastal Resilience Workshop rescheduled
The Coastal Resilience Workshop hosted by the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, has been rescheduled to Tuesday, June 15, 2021 from 1 to 5:30 p.m. (EDT). The previous date, April 22, conflicts with the Biden Administration’s Climate Summit. The workshop will build upon the discussions and recommendations from the Climate Summit. Please register for the new date of the workshop
here. Prior registrations will not be carried over, therefore previously registered attendees must re-register to attend. The event is only open to federal employees and contractors, therefore registering using a professional email is encouraged. For more information contact the Workshop Planning Committee at
crw2021@nsf.gov.
International Hydrographic Organization hosts test strategy meeting
IHO S-100 Working Group 2021 virtual group image.
The International Hydrographic Organization's S-100 Working Group held its eighth annual test strategy meeting virtually March 2-4, gathering approximately 60 participants across several time zones (Asia, Europe, and the Americas). This meeting focused on a range of technical proposals for updates to the next edition of S-100 (scheduled for 2022). The meeting also resolved major issues regarding the S-98 Interoperability Specification for Navigation Systems. This specification will control the interaction of various navigation datasets within a next generation electronic chart display and information system, providing mariners with a harmonized display of information. The meeting was chaired by Navigation Services Division Chief
Julia Powell and the United States/NOAA was represented by Nautical Data Branch Chief
Craig Winn. For more information contact
Craig.Winn@noaa.gov.
NOAA NOS Software Carpentry Workshop
Matt Wilson, Atlantic Hydrographic Branch and
Tyanne Faulkes, Pacific Hydrographic Branch, attended the NOAA NOS Software Carpentry Workshop on February 23-26, which was sponsored by the Coast Survey Development Lab and hosted by the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. The hands-on workshop covered basic concepts and tools of python programming design, version control, and data management in a collaborative environment. For more information contact
Shachak.Peeri@noaa.gov.
NOAA Ships and Contractor Operations
Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report - Week of February 28 to March 6, 2021
Navigation Response Team Activities
Navigation Response Branch gathered suggestions from all of Coast Survey for naming it’s five survey vessels after S-57 acronyms. The survey vessels will be named after the five most popular entries:
S3005, currently at NRT-Stennis is
WATTUR
S3006, currently at NRT-Seattle is
SOUNDG
S3007, currently at NRT-New London is
MAGVAR
S3008, currently at NRT-Galveston is
CATZOC
S3009, currently at NRT-Fernandina is
SNDWAV
Staff Updates
In light of CAPT Brennan's selection for director of Coast Survey, the following management structure is in place. Once CDR Briana Hillstrom reports as chief of the Hydrographic Surveys Division (HSD), scheduled for fall 2021, most personnel will go back to their permanent roles. CDR Olivia Hauser is rotating to NOAA Ship Rainier, and her last day with HSD is April 2, 2021.
HSD Chief (acting) Lorraine Robidoux
HSD Deputy (acting) Corey Allen
HSD Operations Branch Chief (acting) Grant Froelich (until May 28) Christy Fandel (May 31 through October 1)
Operations Contract Team Lead Christy Fandel
Operations NOAA Team Lead Martha Herzog
NBS Production Lead Katrina Wyllie
ESD Team Lead (acting)
Matthew Wilson (March 15 through October 1)
Data Manager
Brian Mohr
HSD Pacific Hydrographic Branch Chief (acting)
James Miller (March 15 to October 1)
Pacific Hydrographic Branch Products Team Lead Pete Holmberg
Pacific Hydrographic Branch Hydro Team Lead (acting) Tyanne Faulkes (through May 28)
Data Manager Brooke Maser
HSD Atlantic Hydrographic Branch Chief
Meghan McGovern
Atlantic Hydrographic Branch Products Team Lead
Ed Owens
Atlantic Hydrographic Branch Hydro Team Lead
Gene Parker
Data Manager
Vanessa Miller
Geoff Dipre
Geoff Dipre has joined the Precision Marine Navigation team as a program coordinator. He recently finished his Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship with the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System, where he helped lead interagency teams focused on Arctic marine transportation and innovative science and technology for the maritime community. Geoff has undergraduate degrees in marine science and geology from the University of Miami, and he earned his doctorate in Earth Sciences from Ohio State University by using sediment records to investigate the paleoceanography and paleoclimatology of the western Arctic Ocean. While in graduate school, he also served as an education and outreach coordinator for his research center, which instilled a love for science communication and working with the general public on issues of climate change. In his free time, Geoff loves being outdoors and playing a variety of sports, he is an avid baseball fan, and he thoroughly enjoys cooking – much to the delight of his wife.