The Empowering Women in Hydrography project is a global effort led by the International Hydrographic Organization and Canada that seeks to initiate, organize and track a series of activities and initiatives which will enable more women to participate equitably in the field of hydrography and to assume leadership roles within the hydrographic community. NOAA is contributing to the project via an ‘at-sea experience’ on NOAA hydrographic ships for three women each year over the lifespan of the project. After a global call for nominations, three women were selected to join NOAA ships for the 2024 survey season. Chrysanthi Kleanthous, from the Hydrographic Office of Cyprus, joined NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson from 2 to 20 September 2024, while conducting surveys off the coast of South Carolina.
Introduction
My name is Chrysanthi and I was born and raised in Limassol Cyprus. I studied Rural and Survey Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece where I acquired my bachelor’s and master’s in Topography. Upon returning to Cyprus, I got a job as a technical engineer in the Department of Lands and Surveys. At the beginning, I worked as a land surveyor, while four years later I was positioned in the Hydrographic Office of Cyprus. Meanwhile I received my Master of Business Administration from University of Cyprus. In 2018, I received my Hydrographic Category “B” certification.
I applied for the Empowering Women in Hydrography project for the prospect of gaining practical experience and in-depth knowledge in this field which was simply too compelling to ignore. I believed that the hands-on training and exposure to real-world challenges would equip me with the skills necessary to excel. Receiving the acceptance letter was an incredible moment.
Aboard NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson
I arrived in Charleston, South Carolina where a NOAA coordinator, Starla Robinson, greeted me and Naomi Naituivau—a participant in the Empowering Women in Hydrography project from Fiji—with a meal where I had the chance to first meet chief crew members from Thomas Jefferson.
The following day, we embarked using one of the two launches Thomas Jefferson had available, which transferred us to the vessel from the marina—the beginning of a great journey. We reached Thomas Jefferson and were winched aboard and welcomed by friendly faces, and escorted to our room.
Despite the bad weather we were having the first few days, our spirits remained high as we were able to move and participate in activities aboard. The ship’s staff thoughtfully provided a general tour of the vessel, highlighting all the essential security points we needed to be aware of during security drills and emergencies. This proactive measure ensured our safety and well-being amidst the challenging conditions. Additionally, we had the opportunity to meet the esteemed chiefs from various departments and become acquainted with the friendly staff.
The tour ended in the survey room where Chief Survey Technician Sarah Thompson, explained all the procedures involved in all-day work. The survey room is equipped with state-of-the-art computers, which are essential tools for hydrographic data collection, processing, and reporting. We learned about the specific roles and responsibilities of the staff and were also informed that we could acquire a ship survey watch-stander/operator qualification through engaging in questions, conversations, and also by demonstrating the use of specialized equipment available on the vessel.
NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson is a vessel approximately 64 meters long and 14 meters wide with approximately a five-meter draft. In order to survey shoal areas, Thomas Jefferson is equipped with two survey launches and also a DriX—an autonomous operating vessel—that way, in a good operating day, it can have multiple surveys acquiring data in an area. Thomas Jefferson is undergoing continuous operation thus everyone aboard is working on shifts. At all times a survey technician is in front of the acquisition station. Thomas Jefferson is equipped with two Kongsberg multibeam systems, an EM2040 and EM710, side scan sonar and also a moving vessel profiler while the survey launches are equipped with an EM 2040, a side scan sonar and a conductivity, temperature, depth sensor.
During my days on the vessel, I had the opportunity to watch a series of tech-talks that covered topics related to hydrography. One of the presentations covered the hydrographic survey model and how hydrographic health is calculated for different areas, and how the different areas are separated in more manageable blocks. There was also a presentation on the new edition of the Hydrographic Survey Specifications and Deliverables document.
During the tech-talks, I was given the opportunity to present how my hydrographic office works. At the end of each presentation, we all had the chance to ask questions and exchange comments and ideas on the subject we watched.
Once a week there were two safety drills happening. During my stay, I participated in several drills, including fire drills, abandon ship, and man overboard. These drills were essential for ensuring our safety and preparedness in potential emergency situations. Everyone’s active participation demonstrated our commitment to prioritizing safety and well-being.
Last but not least there were trainings which provided participants with valuable insights into the operations and responsibilities of other departments. This enhanced my understanding of the vessels interconnectedness and why participating would equip anyone to offer support and assistance whenever necessary. These trainings fostered a collaborative and supportive work environment throughout the different departments.
A Working Day on Thomas Jefferson
The vessel’s plan of day was prepared the day before and was placed in various sites of the vessel for people to see and acknowledge. Information regarding breakfast, lunch, and dinner times, trainings, presentations, and operations were included. As far as survey operations, each night the operations officer filled in the night orders, where detailed actions related to the survey operations of the coming day were reported.
In the survey room all hydro technicians are working on eight-hour shifts and data acquisition is performed on a 24/7 basis. The data acquisition station features a monitoring system comprised of approximately nine screens. Each screen is dedicated to a specialized equipment or software, ensuring optimal surveillance of all data collected. There is a different screen for seafloor information software, various data collection and processing software, moving vessel profiler, side scan sonar, etc. Additionally, one screen displays live camera feeds from key areas, providing an oversight for potential safety hazards. This advanced monitoring infrastructure plays a vital role in ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of the data acquisition station.
Even though all hydrographic data is logged through the seafloor information software, the Hypack/Hysweep software is used for creating and presenting hydrographic lines. The screen dedicated to Hypack software presents the vessel, the lines, and the area surveyed. This screen is mirrored on the bridge and is used as a communication port between the survey room and the bridge. This is important due to constant communication between the survey room and the bridge, not only to agree which line to survey next, when to start/stop logging, but also for agreeing when to cast the moving vessel profiler.
The moving vessel profiler is a really useful device. It is stationed in a docking position throughout the day. The hydrography technician can cast a sound profile from the acquisition station without needing to get on deck. The moving vessel profiler can also estimate the distance from the seabed. That information is also available during the cast. One of the few restrictions for the use of the moving vessel profiler is the bad weather when it is not advised to leave the equipment in the sea. One of the live camera feeds targets the moving vessel profiler cable. If there is an unexpected roll of the cable, the camera may provide added information.
The navigation data is acquired and logged
During the night shift, there is a processing checklist which includes transferring the data to a specific folder and either processing the data using Pydro Tool Charlene—a specialized software for processing the acquired hydrographic data—or processing manually. This process involves troubleshooting, importing hydrographic and other auxiliary data on marine mapping software, creating and roughly cleaning the surface, and filling in the processing log. Then a quality control check of the data is performed which produces a fliers layer and holiday layer. These two layers are used in the Hypack software to create acquisition lines for the following day in order to fill in data gaps.
Acquiring Ship Survey Watch-Stander/Operator Qualification
During my days on Thomas Jefferson, I was given the chance to use all the available equipment and software. All the hydrographic technical staff were always available to answer questions and provide us with help on different procedures.
One of the things I found incredibly helpful were the detailed and updated procedures. Reading through them in advance allowed me to gain a clear understanding of the specific steps and expectations involved in each task. This prior knowledge proved invaluable as I was able to carry out different tasks, ensuring that I followed the correct procedures and avoided any potential errors.
Acquiring the ship survey watch-stander/operator qualification was a significant milestone of my time aboard Thomas Jefferson. The conversations with the hydrography technicians were particularly valuable, as I had the opportunity to learn from their experience in the field. Their insights into various scenarios and challenges enriched my knowledge.
A rewarding experience and valuable opportunity
Exchanging opinions has been incredibly valuable in expanding my knowledge. By discussing different approaches and perspectives with others, I’ve gained a greater insight of the field. This newfound knowledge will undoubtedly influence my future working procedures, as I’ll be able to adopt and adjust my methods to best suit the specific equipment and resources I have available.
I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Empowering Women in Hydrography project. The connections I made with fellow participant Naomi and all the people working on Thomas Jefferson have created a valuable professional network. The experiences I had throughout the program, coupled with the positive interactions with the people aboard will not only foster my professional growth but also my personal. I am confident that the lessons learned in this program, combined with the relationships formed, will continue to benefit me for years to come. I would strongly encourage other women to participate in the Empowering Women In Hydrography project as a means to advance their knowledge, skills, and career goals.