View from Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory

Here's a view of pylon (way in the distance) from the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory (click on picture to see it enlarged).

The electronics will be installed next during the week of June 4th.

Jim

Stick in the Water

Unit was succesfully deployed MAY 22-23 by NURP/UNCW divers Mark Hulsbeck, James Talacek, Jim Buckley, and Jay Styron, along with myself as supervisor. Some innovative procedural modifications had to be made in the field, and the UNCW divers expertise was well appreciated! There were also issues with getting the pylon through the shallow water near the ramp and over to the deeper channel. Me and James Talacek stayed on the pylon during the tow out to the site to help keep the proper tilt. The installation now is probably one of our strongest, and we've learned some new techniques. (Click on image to see larger picture.)

Jules Craynock

Pylon Installed!

Pylon now offshore. Adventure and excitement experienced by all. Rebellious pylon in persistent swell sufficiently tamed. We are on schedule. Rigging adjustments to follow. All hands OK. Visit us soon. We will keep a light on! (Light very visible at night).

Jules Craynock & NOAA/NURP Team:

James R. Talacek
Mark W. Hulsbeck
James F. Buckley
Henry J. Styron

Pylon Ready for the Trip

Here's the pylon at the boat dock before towing to the site.

Jim

Station at Dockside

This is the station, at dockside, ready to be installed at Discovery Bay, Jamaica. This completes Phase 1 (Mike Shoemaker and Manny Collazo prepping the station) of the deployment. The installation of the bare station (but with solar panels and navigation light) by Jules Craynock and four NURP divers at the bottom plate will constitute Phase 2, this coming week, and during the week of June 4th (Phase 3) we (MIke Jankulak, Chris Langdon, Nancy Ash and me) will install the electronics and flick the switch to turn the station on. Later this summer Lew Gramer and Derek Manzello will visit Discovery Bay to give instructions on utilizing data and making ecological forecasts.

Jim

Touching Up

Manny Collazo applies some touch-up paint and fiberglass in the middle of the usual afternoon rain drizzle during the week.

Solar Panels Added

Mike Shoemaker (sitting) attaches the solar panels while Manny Collazo assists.

When the time comes to install the electronics, the "brain" will be loaded down the tube from the end you see here. The holes in the collar surrounding the orifice, and just under the solar panels, will hold the masts which support the wind and weather instruments, including the light sensor.

DBJM1 Data Reports

Once the station becomes operational, the data will be available here:

http://ecoforecast.coral.noaa.gov/index/0/DBJM1/station-home

Note that other data sources are available already, including satellite and HYCOM modeling data.

Jim

Update from Discovery Bay

We have leaded the bottom of the tube and re-glassed the top back on. Today we bottom-paint where we glassed over the leading hole, and I requested yesterday that Peter Gayle buy some white or yellow marine paint (while in town for his presentation) for the top fiberglassed area.

The navigation light ran all night; it originally had a bad connector from the battery to the LED dome, but I cut it off and hard-wired it; thats when the programing held. We'll be putting on the masts, light, solar panels and lightning brush as soon as the top is painted. I'll let Jules do the stretch-wrapping just before he does the installation of the stick next week.

-- Mike Shoemaker

DBJM1 Operation Starts

The station has finally been constructed and was packaged up in a container for shipping and left AOML today for Discovery Bay.

Jim