Setting Out from Cordova

by David Barbee from the Northwest Explorer

Leg 4 is underway, focusing on an area to the south and east of Kodiak Island. Scientists joining us on this leg include Ann Robertson, Jason Waite, Ashley Hovis, and returning for another leg are Ayla Doubleday, Shari Mullen, and David Barbee. A raft of sea otters bid us farewell from Cordova where the Northwest Explorer put in for our leg change. We are in good spirits with good weather and are gathering high-quality data. On this leg, we’re conducting three surface trawls and one mid-water trawl per day, paired with oceanography and plankton sampling at fixed stations.

Left to right: A raft of sea otters hangs out near the Alaska Marine Highway System ferry dock in Cordova. (Photo credit Ray Haddon). Ann Robertson and Jason Waite are on board for Leg 4 to help process the trawls, shown here with a catch of capelin and immature Chinook salmon. (Photo credit: Ashley Hovis). The science team poses with a catch of juvenile walleye pollock — from left to right: Ashley Hovis, David Barbee, Jason Waite, Shari Mullen, Ann Robertson, Avla Doubleday.

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