2010 NRDA CRUISE #5
December 3-4, 2010
aboard the R/V MANTA
The purpose of this expedition was to continue data collection as part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) in response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
Participants
R/V Manta crew
Sanctuary research team
Overview
During this trip, the sanctuary research team changed out semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) at Sonnier Bank. They also retrieved the temporary mooring (an anchor) and deployed a more permanent mooring anchor (cement block) for the SPMD buoy line.
SPMDs are attached to a submerged buoy line at each of the sanctuary banks and Sonnier Bank. These are changed out at regular intervals. Photo: Nuttall/FGBNMS
Conditions
Water temperature at Sonnier Bank was 73F (23C) and visibility was down to 25 ft (8 m). Seas were 3-5 ft (1-1.5 m), winds 15-18 knots (17-21 mph).
After tasks were completed at Sonnier Bank, we headed to East Flower Garden Bank where conditions were clearer. Visibility was 100 ft (30 m) and seas had dropped to 2-3 ft (.6-1 m), but the team headed back to Galveston ahead of a weather system.
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