The Lazarette Gazette NEWS FROM The University of Texas at Austin MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE Port Aransas, Texas 78373-1267 (512-749-6760 -fax 512-749-6777) (internet: thompson@utmsi.zo.utexas.edu) Vol. 4, Issue 15, 4 August 1995 In this·issue of Lazarette Gazette--' Tony Amos: San Jose Island Turtle Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cover Holt& Martindale: FAML's late lamented ling 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 25-year anniversary of Hurricane Celia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Regular sections: toily's tidings __;__ p. 1, attaboys -p. 3., irish pennants ~p. 3, egabrag woes -p. 4, personnel -p. 4, trip reports & travel__;__ p. ·5, seminars -p. 5, cruise reports & bo~t operations -p. 5, facilities & equipment -p. 6, editor's note -p. 7 The First Ever San Jose Island Turtle Survey -As we crossed the Aransas Pass Ship Channel on a bright, sunny (and hot) July day, people in passing boats did double-takes or just stared, open-mouthed at us. We, of course, thought nothing of the fact that we were towing a bright green and yellow six-wheeled vehicle in a skiffbarely bigger than the vehicle itself. After all, boatman Mark McGarity was an old pro at this job (it was the second time he'd done it). Occasionally, we had to make appropriate gestures to speeding boats with big wakes, and all ofthem understood and slowed down. Even so, the sightof our brand-spanking-new "Gator" utility vehicle bucking and rolling behind the Whaler gave us some anxious moments. Why would we be towing a Gator across the ship channel, you ask? To get to the other side, we'd answer. For on the other side is San Jose Island and its 18.3 miles of beach bordering on.the Gulf of Mexico. San Jose Islarid is privately owned and has no access other than byboat. . The Jetty Boat regularly plies to and fro between Port Aransas and San Jose and the public can fish the North Jetty or enjoy the first mile or so of the beach on what is commonly called the Government Land. Beyond that, special permission· is . required to enter private property and we have obtained the landowner's permission to do our weekly ·.. ..... surveys, I have a contract with the National Marine Fisheries Service to survey local barrier island beaches for sea turtles, bot_h for evidence ofturtles nesting there during the season, and for any which wash up dead or injured on the beach. Being able to survey San Jose Island now gives sea turtle researchers coverage of the entire Texas coast from the Mexican border to the Sabine River. My interest in sea turtles began when I started to do a regular bird count on Mustang Island Gulfbeach in 1978. Often I would find a dead sea turtle on the beach and report my findings to Steve Rabalais who was then the local observer for the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN). When Steve left I obtained the necessary state and federal permits and took over as the local turtle person. I have dealt with about 1,000 sea turtles since then, including some live • ones which were rehabilitated in our 11TurtleArium11 NearJy a hundred have been released back to the wild. For the past few years I've been ably assisted by Andi and Chuck Rowe who do nearly all the feeding and caring work now. Andi accompanied me on the first San Jose Island Turtle Survey last Friday. We found five dead turtles there, four ofwhich were nearly skeletal and had been on the beach for some time. One was comparatively fresh (you don't know what "Yuk!" is until you have had to deal with a dead turtle that is not so fresh, under the blazing Texas sun). Normally we will recover turtle carcasses for necropsies to learn more about turtle mortality. This one had been partially consumed by turkeyvultures and was not recoverable. Driving the Gator on that long stretch of beach and back was fun, but no joy ride. It does a maximum speed of 15 mph and can rattle your bones over rough terrain. As there are·no mile markers on the island and the Gator has no odometer, we kept track of our location with a portable Global Positioning-System (GPS) mounted on the Gator's "hood". We drove to Cedar Bayou which separates San Jose from Matagorda Islands. The bayou mouth was almost bone dry, as would our mouths h_ave been, had we not brought along plenty of water. We also brought a cellular phone in case we got stuck or ran out of gas. We were most grateful for the Gator's yellow canopy which kept off some ofthat blazing sun during our six-hour journey. San Jose Island's beach was a fascinating, yet harsh place. It makes you realize just how tough it must have been for the original native inhabitants and for the early European pioneers to survive along the South Texas coast without any of the conveniences which made our journey possible. -Tony Amos Weather Report for July 17 -30 11 -23 :tot t995 T..-. . M:c>~;:, ~ ) /: Tuit ..<.~w-sl;) . -~ -'THO: 'iL.-~ ::t :Fm-~•->D2 ?s~-;f:J.:;·r.·~· .': ~ i§IN:At.:,~-i~~ttN ,,, ; _><;®3>-.· ___ _ DATE ................ 17 ...... 18.. . >. .•. l9 ...... 20 ~., >• . . 21 . ~.; ; . 2:~:--~ .' ~ .___.__ . . _l·.-·._·•. ·._···.·-_ •_·._··.••.••_•.•__•_·_._. ·._ .-.•_•-__•.-_•.._·_-_._·_·-·._ ·--.•-.' AIR TEMP . . . 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(XOO ..... 0.00., ... ~ ,.Y;.!n at 6 a.m. Monda:/ ar:d it was possible to dismiss almost all perS~; .r1el by 9 a.m. ~y ~oon most personnel had left the island. Tht research vessels MARCIA K. and the LORENE and the targe FLAT CAT II were sent to the Turr:ir:g Basin at Corpus Christi. 2lgie Wingfield, Boat . Captain, Jae~ Shanklin, Boat Captain, and Johnny Rollins, Deckhand stayed aboard -the .boats and/or in the immed:.ate vicinity of the boats during t:he storm and the following nig·ht_. Without their attentions and preparations all the boats wculd certainly have been lost complete':\-y. Dale Solomon (Ph.D., 1980) visited the Marine Science Institute August 3. Dale is now an Anesthesiologist at The University ofTexas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dale was accompanied by his wife and three young sons, 14 months and twins, six years-of age: Ms. J. J. now Mrs. J. J.-(details unknown) 4 Travel ending between July 22 and August 3 +Rick ·Tinnin, July 9-22, Santa Cruz, California to attend UC-Berkely MARE Summer Institute as Texas MARE PI and lead teacher, and Oakland, California to become a GEMS (Great Explorations in Math & Science) Associate Trainer. +Peter Thomas, July 21-23, Racine, Wisconsin to attend Reproductive Effects of Chemicals in Fish workshop. • Dr. Jean Boal, UT Marine Biomedical Institute, The social lives ofCuttlefish (Mollusca: Cephalopoda), Friday, July 28. • Dr. Paul Dayton, UCSD/Scripps Institute of Oceanography, Ethics in Science: Issues and questions, Monday, August 7, 11:00 a.m. in the Visitor Center ·Auditorium (presented by the Graduate Student Association). Cruise #95-645 was conducted on July 2land 22. This was a student cruise to 49 miles southeast of Port Aransas for Lee Fuiman's Biology of Fishes, MNS354C. Dr..Fuiman was assisted by Teaching Assistant Kirsten Poling. Sixteen students.were aboard. 25 mph winds gusting to 30 mph and 6' to 8' sea.s prevented anchoring as planned but successful trawls were made at 30, 18, 9, and 7 fathoms. Cruise #95~646 was conducted from July 24 through 26. This was an NSF-sponsored REU cruise. with . William Slingerland as the Chief Scientist, assisted by A. Claire Fernandez, REU Mentor. RIV LONGHORN left Port Aransas at 1830 on the 24th and proceeded southeast ·to Renzelli Rock, making several trawls along the way. Some problems with the CTD were experienced, but were corrected on the 25th.· The ship anchored on the rock and the winds declined. The Chief Scientist reported: Everything was fine! This trip marked the return of Billy Slingerland to the RIV LONGHORN. As reported in the June 16 issue oftheLazGaz, Billy was cookaboard the RIVLONGHORN for several years before pursuing a teaching career and has recently returned to Port Aransas as a High School Science Teacher. Billy was brought aboard as.Chief Scientist when scheduling problems had already forced two cancellations of the REU Gulf Cruise. From all reports, Mr; Slingerland did a splendid job of stepping in at the last moment and conducting a successful cruise. Cruise #95-647 was conducted on July 27. This was a day trip for Paul Montagna's Marine Invertebrates class, MNS354. Dr. Montagna was assisted by Teaching Assistant Greg Street. Eighteen students were aboard. Captain Cantu reported: weather was great and seas were only two feet, no current made snorkeling around the rig very easy for the students. 5 Cruise #95-648 is currently underway. The scheduled departure of0700 on August 1was delayed 24 hours awaiting a com.mitment from Hurricane Erin that it did not plan to intercept the RIVLONGHORN on her cruise track. This is a major NSF-sponsored cruise for the work of Ron Benner and Ellery Ingall. Bopi . Biddanda and Ellery Ingall are Co-Chief Scientists~ Others aboard are Andy Biersmith, Brenda Black, Lauren-Clark, and Marisa Garza, all from UTMSI. MattMcCarthyofthe UniversityofWashingtonis also a participant (Matt works with John Hedges, a former MSL student-Ph.D.; 1974). August 3, the RIV LONGHORN conducted successful coring operations in the Horseshoe Basin. As the LazGaz goes to press (August 4) RIV LONGHORN has just arrived at the Orea Basin. The winds are from the east at 5 mph and the seas are 1 to 2 feet. Her position is 225.19 miles SW.of New Orleans and 357.63 miles east of Port Aransas. A port call at Key West on August 11 is planned, and a return to Port Aransas on August 21. Gator -MSI now has a . Gator. Gator is the name John Deere has given its small utility vehicle. Although the manufacturer says it is not an ATV (all terrain vehicle); it sure looks like one (almost). The Gator seats two people and has a small pickup-like bed behind. Ithas six high flotation tires, with the rear four wheels driving. The Gator was purchased·bothfor the island turtle work as described by Tony Amos in this issue ofthe LazGaz and for several projects, bothcurrent and anticipated, in the Nueces River Delta. Several MSI employees have already experienced difficult times in the Nueces River Delta with our two 4wheel drive vehicles. Someday, when the rains return, the Gator should permit work to continue on those stations in the delta which cannot be easily reached by boat or conventional vehicle. Cost for the use ofthe Gator is $50 per day, including fuel. This also includes use of a special transport trailer if needed. To be authorized to drive the vehicle, one must first read the manual and view an operator's video. Physical Plant Projects -(status report) • Video Classroom: The project to convert almost 1,000 square feet of space from storage to a Video Classroom is well underway. The equipment and furniture is on order. Maintenance personnel have already built the,stage along one long side of the room and prepared the walls to receive acoustic panels. The ceiling will be dropped slightly and new lighting installed. New paint and carpet will complete the project. Paul Montagna, with the aid of a consultant, has been overseeing the project with help from Lynn Amos in ordering the furniture and equipment and from John Shaw in remodeling the room. When completed (target date September 1), MSI will be able to both send and receive video. 6 • • Paving: Mark Jones, Engineer with UT's Architectural and Engineering Services, conducted a pre-bid meeting July 28, for a project to provide parking lot improvements in the boat basin and pier areas. Three contractors attended. Bids will be opened August 8. Improvements at the boat basin will provide a safe oneway drive and parking area for vans and buses unloading students for trips aboard the RIV KATY. Improvements atthe pier will provide a paved driveway and small amount ofparking at the pier laboratory and a sidewalk to Toxicology Building #2. Currently the area is unpaved. Those who have been walking through the sand to the Pier Laboratory and Toxicology #2 will particularly appreciate these improvements. • Freezer Room: Equipment is on order to build a new Freezer Room in the Physical Plant complex area. The new Freezer Room will occupy space in what is now a covered storage area. The new Freezer Room will replace the old room which is in the Boat Shop (and was acquired when UT purchased the Boat Basin in the early 70's). The Tony Amos turtle project is providing much ofthe funding for the new freezer room. • Marine Technical Services: An overhead door has been removed and replaced with a new concrete block wall, window, and pedestrian doorway, and partitions are now going up to provide a small office and a secure storage area for oceanographic instrumentation. The adjacent garage area will continue in use as a staging area for work aboard the RIVLONGHORN and other field work. This project should be complete within the next few weeks. Hurricane Erin visited the Gulf August 3 to remind us of the anniversary of Hurricane Celia, twenty-five years earlier. Any time a· hurricane enters the Gulf we at MSI are more than idly curious, and in this instance the RIV LONGHORNs departure had already been delayed a day by Erin. But by noon of the first it appeared Erin was staying well to the north, so there was agreement the RIVLONGHORN could depart on the second. Then came the 25 year Celia annivers·ary on the third and along with it early morning TV weather news that Erin had slipped into the Gulf and was rebuilding. l really had not counted on celebrating Celia's anniversary with that funny feeling in the pit of the stomach. But it only lasted until I could get to the lab and plot Erin's location and direction and RIV LONGHORNs position on the same chart. A special thanks to Tony Amos for his feature article. I am guilty of asking Linda Yates to draw the comic strip dead turtle with the "X" eyes and tongue out. Therejustwasn't a way to depict the equally important other tasks carried out with the Gator-besides it looked good to Charlene. (The Gator being made by John Deere, I passed up naming the little boat "LCG" for Landing Craft Gator for a favorite Country/Western Song, John Deere Green.;.they said he shoulda used red instead, but it looked good to Charlene ... . ) Thanks for help with this issue also to Joan Holt, Carole Martindale, Rick Tinnin, Terry Whitledge, Andi Wickham, Linda Yates, JoAnn Page, Lynn Amos, and Patty Webb. -John Thompson 7