Cruise Experience Spotlight: A Sea-Bird Scientific Perspective from the R/V Sally Ride

My name is Marialena Christopoulou, and I am a Customer Support Scientist in Physical Oceanography at Sea-Bird Scientific. From November 9th to 18th, I had the opportunity to join a CalCOFI cruise aboard the R/V Sally Ride.

The CalCOFI program relies on the SBE 911 system to collect oceanographic data (temperature, salinity, oxygen, chlorophyll a), supporting one of the longest continuous ocean time series in the world which is over 75 years. As a Customer Support Scientist at Sea-Bird, getting out in the field and seeing how our customers use our sensors is not just important, it is vital to understand how we can support them effectively.

During the cruise, I assisted with sampling, filtering, and storing seawater collected from Niskin bottles on the SBE 911 system. These samples will be analyzed onshore by CCE-LTER (California Current Ecosystem–Long Term Ecological Research), which is another program that participates in the CalCOFI cruises, and studies ecosystem changes in the California Current System by measuring key parameters such as total organic carbon, chlorophyll a, and taxonspecific phytopigments.

One of the most unforgettable moments of the cruise was a visit from humpback whales, who kept us company near the ship while we were deploying the SBE 911. As an oceanographer, being at sea is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and I’m grateful to the crew, technicians, and scientists who work so hard to keep these essential research programs thriving.