SCIENCE LOG

S.S.V. TABOR BOY

CRUISE THREE

This is the first of three cruises manned by students from Tabor Academy which will concentrate on studying the coral reefs of the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. The students aboard included: Shannon Tyler `98, Gillian Sexsmith `96, Bryan Hitchcock `97, Will Pendergast `'98, Sage Grigg `98, Matt Dodge `97, Sasha Strickland `98, Kevin Kyle `99, Lindsey Burke `97, Ben Tripp `97, Steve Soden `99, and Doug Case `98.

Thursday, January 25, 1996

1000 Hrs.
18' 20.242 N 064' 55.881 W Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy Wind 5-7 Kts. NE Air temperature - 80'
Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 82'/78'
Relative Humidity - 70% Barometer - 29.93 " Rain Gauge - 0.04"

Friday, January 26, 1996

0900 Hrs.
18' 20.388 N 064' 47.789 W Caneel Bay, St. John, USVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy Wind 20-25 Kts. NE Air temperature - 80'
Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 82'/78'
Relative Humidity - 77% Barometer - 29.97 " Rain Gauge - 0.01"

Saturday, January 27, 1996

0900 Hrs.
18' 26.389 N 064' 45.069 W Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy Wind 10-12 Kts. NE Air temperature - 80'
Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 98'/74'
Relative Humidity - 79% Barometer - 29.96 " Rain Gauge - 0.24"

Sunday, January 28, 1996

1000 Hrs.
18' 20.249 N 064' 55.894 W Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy Wind 18-22 Kts. NE Air temperature - 79'
Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 88'/74'
Relative Humidity - 79% Barometer - 29.95 " Rain Gau&ge - 0.06"

1500 Hrs.
Student Trainees aboard, Cruise Three Begins
18' 20.249 N 064' 55.894 W Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy Wind 15-18 Kts. NE Air temperature - 81'
Water temperature - 80' Relative Humidity - 65% Barometer - 29.90 "

Monday, January 29, 1996

0800 Hrs.
18' 18.957 N 064' 50.099 W Great St. James Island, USVI
Weather Sky - Nearly Overcast Wind 18-20 Kts. E Air temperature - 80'
Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 86'/76'
Relative Humidity - 65% Barometer - 29.95 " Rain Gauge - 0.0"

0930 Hrs.
Students observe a sea turtle surfacing frequently in vicinity of our
anchorage. Never gets closer than fifty yards. Species is not identified.

1230 Hrs.
18' 21.239 N 064' 46.259 W Trunk Bay, St. John, USVI
One green sea turtle observed starboard bow.

1530 Hrs.
same location. One very large Loggerhead Turtle spotted starboard side.

1330-1530 Hrs.

Students snorkel the National Park Underwater Trail at Trunk Bay, St. John. Their assignment is to identify five different species of fish. Each group completes this assignment then reports their finds to other in a debriefing afterwards. Species included Sergeant Major, Blue Tang, Stoplight Parrotfish, Bar jack, Fairy Basslet, Nassau Grouper, Trumpetfish, Yellow-tail Snapper, and Queen Triggerfish.

Tuesday, January 30, 1996

0830 Hrs.
18' 21.803 N 064' 44.895 W Francis Bay, St. John, USVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy Wind 0-5 Kts. E Air temperature - 79'
Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 90'/74'
Relative Humidity - 72% Barometer - 30.00 " Rain Gauge - 0.02"

1535 Hrs.

One Loggerhead Turtle observed off port side. When thirty feet away from vessel, turtle disappeared.

1500 Hrs.

Group snorkeled "The Caves" at Norman Island, BVI. Here they were assigned to identify three more species of fish, and five different species of hard corals. These assignments were carried out successfully.

Wednesday, January 31, 1996

0830 Hrs.
STATION SAMPLING 18' 27.642 N 064' 31.822 W Marina Cay, BVI
Weather Partly Cloudy (70%) Alto cumulus Air Temperature - 81'
Water Temperature - 79' Relative Humidity - 75% Wind - 15 Kts. E
Barometer - 30.04" Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 86'/74' Rain Gauge - 0.01"
Wave Height - <1 Ft. E
Bottom Soil possibly volcanic, gray, looks like cement, very fine sediment grass-like plants (Syringodium filiforme ) scattered in sample. Cylindrical leaves, green stalk, red roots, noticeable absence of shell material.
Water Depth - 30 feet or 3.9 fathoms, visibility - clear to bottom
Depth Temperature Specific gravity (density)
9m 77' 1.025
7m 78' 1.025
5m 78' 1.025
3m 76' 1.025
1m 78' 1.025
surface 78' 1.025

1500 Hrs.

Students snorkeled the area of "The Baths" on Virgin Gorda, BVI. Each group was assigned to investigate and identify five different types of hard coral and add three new fish names to the list. A very successful exercise.

Thursday, February 1, 1996

0830 Hrs.
STATION SAMPLING 18' 30.014 N 064' 21.796 W
North Sound, Virgin Gorda BVI
Weather Mostly Cloudy (80%) Alto cumulus Air Temperature - 79'
Water Temperature - 78' Relative Humidity - 71% Wind - 25-35 Kts. E
Barometer - 30.05" Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 86'/74' Rain Gauge - 0.01"
Wave Height - <1 Ft. E
Bottom Very fine (clay-like) material, gray with small black flecks, no plants or animals
Water Depth - 18 meters, visibility - 5 meters

Depth, Temperature, Specific gravity (density)
18m, 76', 1.026
15m, 76', 1.025
10m, 76', 1.025
8m, 76', 1.024
6m, 78', 1.026
4m, 78', 1.026
2m, 78', 1.026
surface, 77', 1.025

1430 Hrs.
18' 28.951 N 064' 27.761 W "The Chimney" Great Dog Island, BVI

A spectacular location, Reef is in pristine condition, lots of fish, wonderful rocks and caves. The Gorgonia here are as plentiful and as lush as any seen anywhere.

Friday, February 2, 1996

0800 Hrs.
18' 27.529 N 064' 31.815 W Marina Cay, BVI
Weather Sky - Mostly clear (5%) Cumulus Wind 20-25 Kts. SE
Air temperature - 80' Water temperature - 78' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 92'/76'
Relative Humidity - 77% Barometer - 30.07 " Rain Gauge - 0.0"

Saturday, February 3, 1996

0800 Hrs.
STATION SAMPLING
18' 27.955 N 064' 42.788 W Green Cay, BVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy (10%) Cumulus Wind 18-22 Kts. E
Air temperature - 81' Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 90'/74'
Relative Humidity - 79% Barometer - 30.10 " Rain Gauge - 0.04"
Bottom gray clay, no plant or animal life observed
Water Depth - 18 meters, visibility - 5 meters

Depth, Temperature Specific gravity (density)
18m, 77', 1.024
15m, 76', 1.025
12m, 76', 1.024
9m, 76', 1.024
6m, 77', 1.024
3m, 77', 1.024
surface, 77', 1.024

1430 Hrs.

Snorkeled patch reef area of Cane Garden Bay, Tortola. Concentrated focus on finding sponges, worms, anemones, and other creatures. Nine different types of sponges were identified, three bristle worms, and several large Trunk fish. Also saw clusters of Caulerpa racemosa .

Sunday, February 4, 1996

0800 Hrs.
18' 25.618 N 064' 39.741 W Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy (10%) Cumulus Wind 12-15 Kts. E
Air temperature - 79' Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 92'/74'
Relative Humidity - 76% Barometer - 30.07" Rain Gauge - 0.03"
Monday, February 5, 1996

0800 Hrs.
18' 20.377 N 064' 47.744 W Caneel Bay, St. John, USVI
Weather Sky - Partly Cloudy (15%) Cumulus Wind 5-8 Kts. E
Air temperature - 80' Water temperature - 80' Previous 24 Hrs. Max/Min 90'/78'
Relative Humidity - 80% Barometer - 30.06 " Rain Gauge - 0.01"

Tuesday, February 6, 1996

Group packs and departs.

END OF CRUISE THREE

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