Marine Chart Division presents tech talk to U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and Sea Scouts

Hiram Escabi presents LCDR Michael Doig with a coin and certificate from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary for outstanding cooperation and assistance.

On March 28, Marine Chart Division, Production Branch G Chief, LCDR Michael Doig gave a presentation on NOAA's Marine Chart Division: Understanding Nautical Charts for the Sea Scouts and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. The hour-long tech talk, geared toward high school students, explored how NOAA's Marine Chart Division makes and maintains nautical charts. LCDR Doig discussed how to read nautical charts, what types of information gets added to charts, where that information comes from, and what the future of nautical charts looks like. He demonstrated the NOAA Custom Chart application, the NOAA ENC Viewer, and shared the various student opportunities available at NOAA including the Hollings Scholarship Program and William M. Lapenta NWS Student Internship Program. The Tech Talk is posted to YouTube on the CGAUX channel, and the Sea Scout channel. In recognition of his efforts, Hiram Escabi (NWS, USCGAUX) presented LCDR Doig with a coin and certificate for outstanding cooperation and assistance furthering the purposes and principles of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. For more information, please contact Michael.E.Doig@noaa.gov.

Inland waterways meeting commences in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A group image of attendees at the Inland Waterways Users Board meeting with the Monongahela River and Charleroi Lock and Dam 4 in the background.

NOAA senior advisor and deputy director to the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System, Heather Gilbert, attended the 99th Meeting of the Inland Waterways Users Board from April 12 to 13 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on behalf of RDML Ben Evans. The meeting focused on the Inland Waterways System and consisted of a trip out to Charleroi Locks and Dam 4. As the NOAA federal observer to the board, Heather talked about NOAA's 2023 Spring outlook and the impacts on the inland rivers from increased snowmelt—a decrease in droughts, but an increase in flooding in some areas. Additionally, she talked about the upcoming hydrographic survey season, highlighting those areas that align with the board's area of operations, and NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services 2022 U.S. relative sea level trend update. The board's 100th meeting will be held later this summer. For more information, contact Heather.Gilbert@noaa.gov.

NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson provides public outreach in Galveston, Texas

An image of NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson with information booth and gangway at the 2023 Tall Ships Galveston event.

On April 13-16, NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson tied up alongside Pier 21 in Galveston, Texas for the Tall Ships® Galveston festival. The festival hosted tours of participating ships and numerous special events and activities. Thomas Jefferson hosted 1,840 visitors on April 13-14 and at times, the line of visitors waiting to tour the ship was longer than the ship itself. The National Weather Service set up a booth for public outreach and the ship also had a booth with information available to the public. Western Gulf Coast Navigation Manager Quentin Stubbs was also available to assist and capture some images. For more information, contact Quentin.Stubbs@noaa.gov.

Transportation Research Board tours NOAA facilities in Norfolk, Virginia

Members of the Marine Board tour the dock at the Atlantic Marine Operations Center as NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow sits tied up alongside in the background.

Atlantic Hydrographic Branch and Marine Operations Center-Atlantic hosted a tour on April 19 for the Transportation Research Board's Marine Board, during their spring meeting in Norfolk. The Marine Board hosts an impressive roster of maritime professionals, including our very own former Director of Coast Survey, retired RDML Shep Smith. The group toured the facilities at the center, spoke with NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow crew members, and were shown a live demo of BlueTopo™ via nowCOAST™. Thanks to Heather Gilbert with the U.S. Committee on the Maritime Transportation System for helping coordinate this activity. It was a great opportunity to connect with industry partners and give them a behind the scenes peek at the important work NOAA and Coast Survey do every day. For more information, contact AHB.Chief@noaa.gov.

Pacific Hydrographic Branch provides outreach assistance in Seattle, Washington

An image of Colin Stewart, Tyanne Faulkes, and Jessica Murphy at the Seattle Port Event.

On April 29, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer along with NOAA's Western Regional Center hosted a public outreach event at Pier 46 in Seattle, Washington. The Okeanos Explorer provided ship tours while representatives from NOAA's Western Regional Center highlighted their work and offered hands-on activities. The Pacific Hydrographic Branch's Tyanne Faulkes, Jessica Murphy, and Colin Stewart discussed seafloor mapping and nautical charts. Visitors had an opportunity to conduct mock surveys using sounding boxes that contain models of the seafloor. An estimated 1,000 visitors showed up to learn about the diverse work that NOAA does, making this the largest event for NOAA's Western Regional Center since 2019. For more information, contact Jessica.Murphy@noaa.gov.

Emergency preparedness conference commences for the Texas Coast

A group image showing Western Gulf Navigation Manager Quentin Stubbs (far left) along with several conference attendees at the 11th Annual Coast Bend Hurricane Conference.

Western Gulf Coast Navigation Manager Quentin Stubbs recently attended the 11th annual Coastal Bend Hurricane Conference in Robstown, Texas. The Coastal Bend Emergency Management Association and Nueces County hosted the conference which consisted of professionals from the lower Texas Coast. The audience included professionals with experience ranging from those new to emergency management, to expert emergency managers, which included the full range of local, state, and federal government responders and policy makers, volunteer organizations, healthcare professionals, private business, and industry representatives. In addition to attending training sessions from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Texas Department of Transportation, Quentin also participated in a table top exercise with more than 200 professionals, including National Weather Service teams from Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Texas. For more information, contact Quentin.Stubbs@noaa.gov.

NOAA assembles at the International Hydrographic Organization in Monaco

A group image of the NOAA delegation at the third IHO Assembly. From left to right, RDML Ben Evans, Jennifer Jencks, Julia Powell, Megan Bartlett, Andy Armstrong, Alexis Maxwell, Jonathan Justi, John Nyberg, and Peter Oppenehimer.

The International Hydrographic Organization's (IHO) Third Assembly took place from May 2-5, 2023 in Monaco. The Assembly is the principal decision-making organ of the IHO, and invites the 98 IHO Member States to convene every three years. The U.S. interagency delegation list included nine NOAA representatives from Coast Survey, National Centers for Environmental Information, and the Office of General Council, along with colleagues from the U.S. Navy, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Department of State. Coast Survey Deputy Hydrographer John Nyberg, ran for IHO Director, and won in an election that took place at the Assembly. This is a reflection of the esteem in which John, the United States and NOAA are held in the international hydrographic community. NOAA exhibited its Science On a Sphere®, which won first prize at the Assembly Member States exhibition, and displayed a series of more than 1,000 datasets for audiences to visualize and appreciate a variety of earth science topics, including the role of hydrography in sustainable development. A memorandum of understanding signed by NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad was featured as a part of the Assembly, reaffirming NOAA's relationship with the IHO as the host of the IHO Data Center for Digital Bathymetry at the National Centers for Environmental Information. The agenda also included topics such as S-100, empowering women in hydrography, the work programme budget, several thematic sessions, and the IHO Strategic Plan. For more information, please contact Jonathan.Justi@noaa.gov.

NOAA Ships and Contractor Operations

Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report—April 9 through April 15, 2023

Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report—April 16 through April 22, 2023

Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report—April 23 through April 29, 2023

Weekly Hydro Ship Activity Report—April 30 through May 6, 2023

Navigation Response Team Activities

Navigation Response Team-Fernandina Beach surveying off the coast of Georgia in 2023.

The Navigation Response Branch started data collection for the 2023 season with several surveys underway. All teams are working diligently on calibrations, and have either completed or nearly completed their annual hydrographic systems readiness review activities. NRT-Fernandina Beach completed data collection for their Coast of Georgia and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary surveys. NRT-New London completed data collection for their Tappan Zee Bridge project and started collection for the first part of their Cape Cod project in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. Bay Hydro II completed data collection in Elk River, Maryland and is currently en route to the Delaware River for their next project. NRT-Seattle, NRT-Stennis UxS and Stennis Boat team are due to begin data collection on their first projects of the year this week. Good luck on a successful season and fingers crossed for a below average hurricane season! For more information, please contact Mike Annis at chief.nrb.ocs@noaa.gov.

Alex Dawson and Kyle Ward attended the College of Charleston's Benthic Acoustic Mapping and Survey Program Symposium on April 20-22, 2023. Alex presented an overview of Coast Survey's mission and highlighted Coast Survey's 2022 hydrographic survey projects. Together, Alex and Kyle hosted a booth to talk with students about Coast Survey and future career opportunities.

On April 24, RDML Ben Evans, Grant Froelich, Christy Fandel, Martha Herzog, and Michael Stephens completed an all-interested staff briefing of NOAA's 2023 hydrographic survey plans. The briefing was attended by multiple congressional staffers and highlighted Coast Survey's mission, funding sources, and hydrographic survey planning drivers. The briefing was well-received and included several follow-up questions related to how hydrographic surveying supports coastal resilience.

Staff Updates

LT Caroline Wilkinson is joining Coast Survey as the incoming Alaska Navigation Manager. She previously worked in Alaska on NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson, in the Central Valley of California with the National Marine Fisheries Service, and most recently on NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown studying global oceanography. She is excited to be back in Alaska and working in support of the maritime community and safe navigation. Caroline graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Physical Oceanography. In her free time she enjoys swimming, reading, and is currently learning to cross country ski.

Tammie Herrin will rejoin Coast Survey effective Monday, May 22, as the Chief of Coast Survey's Resource Management Staff. The staff chief, also known as the business manager, is a critical leadership role in Coast Survey, and a position that has been vacant since April 2022. Tammie brings a wealth of business management experience with her, as well as direct experience with Coast Survey's business manager role during her detail last spring/summer. She will be able to hit the ground running and we are thrilled to have her back!