HALE-ALOHA 5A: Chief Scientist Report

Chief Scientist: T. HOULIHAN

HALE ALOHA 5a
Chief Scientist's Cruise Report
R/V Moana Wave
16-19 November 1998

Departed:  16 November 1998 at 0900 (HST)
Returned:  19 November 1998 at 0800 (HST)
Vessel:  R/V Moana Wave
Operator:  University of Hawaii
Master of the Vessel: Captain John Stahl
Chief Scientist: Terrence Houlihan


We departed Pier 45 at Snug Harbor at 0900 for the 5th deployment of
the deep water mooring HALE ALOHA, the 7th deployment of the bottom
moored sediment trap and the deployment and recovery of a Free Vehicle
Grab Respirometer in conjunction with Ken Smith's work at Station
ALOHA.  The FVGR deployment will be the first and last operations
undertaken to allow for the longest possible sample collection time.

A fire and emergency drill attended by all hands was conducted after
leaving the harbor.  We proceeded at full speed to the FVGR station,
22 52.5'N, 157 59.0'W, arriving at 2135 with deployment completed at
2318.

We began deployment of the mooring the following morning after
breakfast.  The start point was 6.0nm SW of the desired anchor drop
site.  The buoy was launched at 0829 17 November and deployment began
with instrument attachment and wire and line offspooling.  Some
difficulty was encountered with the wire burying itself into the
underlying nylon line on the winch.  This problem was cleared and the
deployment continued without any further delays.  The anchor was
dropped at location 22 27.77'N, 157 08.00'W at 1420.  The deployment
operation took 5:40 minutes, approximately two hours faster than the
last comparable deployment.  This was primarily due to the
incorporation of the SeaMac winch and with the experience gained we
should be able to cut another :30 off the operation.

After anchor release we did a CTD winch test cast to 1000m followed at
1657 by a 1000m CTD cast with samples collected for salts, DO and
temperature.  Problems were encountered on the previous HOT cruise with
the WOCE owned Sea Bird pylon.  Another cast was done at this point to
try and determine the cause of the misfiring.  It was discovered that a
small crack had developed which allowed water to leak into the pylon
with corrosion resulting.

The following morning, 18 November at first light, we began deployment
of the bottom moored sediment trap.  At 0657 the trifloat was overboard
followed by hard hats and the first sediment trap.  An accident
occurred during deployment of the trap.  The baffle on the trap had
become dislodged and with the trap lying on its side about 7m from the
stern we reattached the baffle.  While this was going on a large wave
washed up the back deck and as it drained away it caused the trap to
bang into the shin of Dan Sadler causing a gash to open, the wound was
later determined to require two stitches.  The wound was cleaned and
dressed by the captain of the vessel.  The accident occurred at
approximately 0720.  The deployment was completed without further
incident.  The 3700# anchor was dropped at 0851 with the final trap
location triangulated at 22 51.82'N and 157 55.42'W.

We proceeded to the FVGR recovery site where it was programmed to
release at 1630, it was spotted on the surface at 1726 and the recovery
buoy was grappled at 1736 and recovery was complete by 1740.  The
sampling was completed by 1843 and the back deck was secured and we
headed for Snug Harbor at full speed.  We passed by HALE ALOHA and its
position was determined to be 22 25.7'N and 158 08.8'W.  We arrived
at Pier 45 with the first line ashore at 0757.

The batteries were replaced on all four releases and the sediment trap
computers/motors.  HALE ALOHA was deployed with a complete set of new
wire and line.  We will need to replace the hard hat chain for both
moorings in May 1999.  The baffle for the shallow sediment trap needs
to be replaced as well as the upper and lower bridles on both traps.
They are currently Esmet aluminum terminations and are showing signs of
corrosion.  They can be replace with bridles similar to the mooring
line with soft thimbles.



Cruise Participants:

1. 	T. Houlihan	UH
2.	S. Nunnery	UH
3.	D. Sadler	UH
4.	L. Fujieki	UH
5.	M. Valenciano	UH
6.	D. Wright	UH
7.	S. Poulos 	STAG
8.	D. Gravett	STAG
9.	P. Walz		MBARI
10.	K. Smith	SIO
11.	R. Baldwin	SIO
12.	R. Glatts	SIO
13.	A. Jones	UH