U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-154

Cruise Report - Asterias 1

PURPOSE: 

Bottom sampling and photography; test new piston corer.

DESTINATION:

Nantucket Sound and just east of Nantucket.

DATES:
TIME ZONE:

0840 22 April - 1700 23 April 1964
EST

SCIENTIFIC PARTY:

James Trumbull (i.c.)
John Schlee
Roland Wigley (BCF)
Frank Manheim (first hour only)

TOOLS:

• Smith-McIntyre bottom sampler (supplied by BCF)

• Ewing-Paul single-shot bottom camera with black-and-white film
  20-cm Secchi disc

• Forel color tubes; surface temperature thermometer

• Also Dietz-LaFond snapper and new piston corer

STATIONS:

1407 - 1413

CRUISE NARRATION:

22 April - Departed WHOI 0840 and tested new piston corer in Great Harbor, Woods Hole, for one hour. Made one lowering with Dietz-LaFond snapper to check bottom material: black clayey sand or sandy clay, strong H~S smell. Snapper worked fine. Rigged corer with 105 pounds of lead and 1-meter butyrate barrel of 6.5 cm 1.D. Corer worked well on all three drops but lost core at water level first two tries because not using core catcher. Used leaf-type catcher on drop 3 and retained 63-cm. core of black clayey sand, sample 1413. At 0940 left corer and Manheim at WHOI dock and sailed for Nantucket Sound.

Made three stations (1407-09) in Nantucket sound: bottom sample, bottom photo, Secchi, Forel, and surface-water temperature readings at each. Tied up at fish dock in Nantucket Harbor 1830. Dinner ashore, slept aboard. Uncomfortable day because of rain, cold (38 F), and motion of boat.

23 April - Underway 0715, made 2 stations (1410-11) east and southeast of Nantucket, continued south and west around Nantucket, made Station 1412 in Muskeget Channel between Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, and docked at WHOI 1700. Operations on station same as stated above. Light winds, sea state 2 or less, and warmer air (43oF in morning) made this day comfortable.

ASTERIAS is a comfortable and well-fitted-out boat. She has a good skipper, a good winch, and good deck room, and should do very well for coastal work.