Gray's Reef Expedition
Log Day 1: May 17, 2010

By Debbie Meeks & Katalin Zakar
NOAA

CJ Carrol and Randy Rudd prepare the fish tanks. (Photo: Katalin Zakar/Office of National Marine Sanctuaries)

It's a cloudy and warm southern day as we pull away from the docks of Charleston this morning. Day one at sea has begun and the anticipation and excitement has been building. The sun has been breaking through the clouds and warming up the very windy deck as we make our way through some pretty rough seas. Two dolphins jumped out of the water and greeted us as we began our journey to the area in Gray's Reef where all of the dives will start tomorrow.

Getting prepared for tomorrow is on everyone's minds - whether it is preparing the fish tanks for the fish that will be caught, tagged, released and tracked or filling up the air tanks and getting the wetsuits out for the various dive efforts that will go underway.

Today is the quiet before the storm. Tomorrow everyone will be busy with the tasks they came onboard the Nancy Foster to do.

Paul Cheterkin and Greg McFall ready cameras and equipment for their dive tomorrow. (Photo: Katalin Zakar/Office of National Marine Sanctuaries)

Safety is also on everyone's mind as we have had two meetings with the deck officers. There was supposed to be several drills but it looks like those won't happen as the day begins to fade.

Everyone is happy and looking forward to a week-long cruise. The seas are supposed to be calmer tomorrow and everyone is hoping to catch many fish with the help of Gray's Reef vessels R/V Joe Ferguson and Georgia DNR vessel R/V Marguerite. Gray's Reef R/V Sam Gray will be assisting with transportation of fish and personnel to and from the NOAA ship R/V Nancy Foster.

Here's hoping to some good catches!