The cruise is back on! The REU students were able to go on ODU’s research ship the R/V Faye Slover. We started from our dock in downtown Norfolk in the Elizabeth River and rode out about 70 km or 40 miles to their first station at the Chesapeake lighthouse. Along the way, the students learned how to take sediment samples using a sediment grab. In the sample, we could see anoxic sediment, worm casing, shells and a few isopods. Another sample on the coastal shelf showed the sediment was much lighter and different grain size. The students got plenty of practice with the CTD sampling system which measures conductivity (salinity), temperature, and depth (pressure) and can collect water. Three of our students were collecting samples on this cruise for their summer research projects. They collected water samples at 4 stations and analyzed them down in the lab of the ship. Alison Stouffer filtered water and stained the samples so that she could quantify microbial biomass. Josh Calderon filtered large amounts of water to get an estimate of carbon and nitrogen in the samples. Overall it was a very successful trip. The students got most of the samples they needed, and the other students learned about oceanic instrumentation and how to deploy and use it properly. On our way back to the dock we got to enjoy the waves with a few dolphins greeting us on our way back to the dock.
