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

Cruise Report - R/V Gosnold 24

PURPOSE: 

Bottom sampling and photography. To complete sample pattern on Georges Bank and off Nova Scotia, continue with sparker profiles in Gulf of Maine.

DESTINATION:

Gulf of Maine

DATES:

TIME ZONE:

1000 24 August to 1000 4 September 1963

EDT

SCIENTIFIC PARTY:

Jobst Hulsemann (WHOI in charge)
Robert Brody (USGS)
Russel K. Paul (WHOI)
John Schlee (USGS)
James Trumbull (USGS)

TOOLS:

• Campbell grab with camera

• 3/4 M No. 10 plankton net, (sparker)

• BT's

• Secchi disk

• Forrel color scale

• misc.

STATIONS:

1209 - 1255

SUMMARY:

33 bottom samples on shelf (including: gen. geology, forams, biol.)
7 bottom samples on continental slope
6 plankton tows on shelf
1 plankton tow on continental slope
19 BT casts, and misc. observations

CRUISE NARRATION:

After passing through Cape Cod Canal in light fog (-3/4 hr. delay before entering the canal) bottom sampling started at 1500 on the 24th of August north of Cape Cod and continued in southeastward direction. During the night the northwest wind increased to gale. After heaving-to for several hours near the next projected station in continuous gale, the ship started to sail northwest to reach shelter in Cape Cod Bay near Provincetown. Here we anchored the night of 25th to 26th of August 1963.

On 26th August bottom sampling and plankton hauls were resumed after having steamed out to southwest of Georges Bank. Late afternoon we passed a herd of some large whales. Also, this day between 20 and 30 Russian fishing vessels were observed in the area

27th August: Working on the southeast part of Georges Bank) developed engine trouble that forced the ship to head for port, leaving the area in the afternoon (leak in fresh water cooling tank and defect hull fitting for generator).

28th August: After some 22 hours of steaming, moored to U.S. Coast Guard dock at Rockland, Maine. Defects repaired with local aid.

29th August: Departed 0830 after re-fueling. Arrived in sampling area, about 60 miles southwest of Nova Scotia, in the early morning hours of August 30th. While passing the northern slope of Georges Bank some 34 Russian fishing vessels were sighted. One of them, which passed close enough to permit reading her number, was the same one sighted on the 26th day of August in the group SW of Georges Bank.

30 August: Resume bottom sampling and plankton tows, working towards Nova Scotia. Canada.

1 September: Complete sample pattern south of Cape Sable, N.S. to southeast of Shelburne, N.S. with station no. 1247 at 0600. Fog, with almost no wind for two days. After all preparations had been completed to work from here on the next sparker profile, some instrumental failure in the power unit became apparent. After it was resolved another more serious one was noticed. At nightfall it was obvious that the sparker could not be brought to operation with certainty within the next 24 hours. Consequently, it was decided to work on an alternate program: bottom sampling along the continental slope. The sampling gear was rigged while the ship steamed out on southwest course (remove camera and strobe light which are not pressurized beyond 500 m water depth from grab, insert lead weights).

2 September: At 0400 started bottom sampling on continental slope southeast of Brown's Bank, working towards southwest. For the first time in its operation the winch became tested in water of more than shelf depth: station 1249 had 1295 m, station 1250 nearly 1700 m, and station 1253 had 1915 m of cable out. Winch performance apparently very good. 1500 m of cable could be reeled in at 75 to 100 m per minute The grab did not close each time when it hit bottom although a rubber band was attached to help pull down the trip arm.

On station 1255 the meter reading for the cable reached a maximum of 2017 m. When the cable was wound on the drum the last winding jumped over the edge of the winch. The grab was hauled on deck by crane. On the way to the next station some 20 m of cable were cut off and it was planned to try the readiness of the winch at shallower depth, i.e. max. 700 m. On our way the echo sounder broke down beyond repair facilities on board (blew a certain power transistor). In this area the ship was now without depth control facilities. When it seemed safe to assume that 600m depth of water had been reached the grab was lowered. It was hoisted again from a maximum wire depth of 567 m upon what appeared to be an indication of "hit bottom" on the tensiometer. When the grab came just in sight about 10 m below the water surface - it had not tripped - the level wind of the winch failed to operate properly and the power drive had to be disconnected. From here it took about 45 minutes to secure the grab on deck. Defect of winch and of echo sounder terminated the sampling program at this place, only about 5 to 10 hours short of scheduled time, and at 2200 course was set for Woods Hole.

4 September: At 10:15 ship moored to home dock. Except for two days at the beginning of the trip, the wind did not exceed 25 knots but shifted between northeasterly and northwesterly. Inspection of the winch by WHOI personnel indicated that the sprocket wheel which controls the level wind had come loose and moved from its place.