The Team at La Parguera

Left to right: Dr. Francisco Pagan (UPR), Dr. Rich Appeldoorn (UPR), Dr. Dwight Gledhill (NOAA/NESDIS), Milton Carlo (UPR), Dr. Jim Hendee (NOAA/OAR/AOML), Lecia Salerno (NOAA Corps, AOML), Jules Craynock (AOML), Noah Lawrence-Slavas (NOAA/OAR/PMEL).

MAP-CO2 Buoy Installed

Today at 11:00am local time, the buoy installation at Enrique Reef, La Parguera Marine Preserve, was finished. The team included Dwight Gledhill (NESDIS/Coral Reef Watch), Noah Lawrence-Slavas (NOAA/PMEL), Jules Craynock (NOAA/AOML), Lecia Salerno (AOML) and Jim Hendee (AOML). In La Parguera, Francisco Pagan, Milton Carlo, and the crew of the Pezmar assisted.

Photograph shows Jules Craynock in the water helping to guide the buoy into position, while Milton Carlo of the University of Puerto Rico's Magueyes Laboratory looks on. Photo by Jim Hendee.

Cheers, Jim

Tightening the Lines

The buoy has been attached to both wheels. NOAA/AOML Working Diver Jules Craynock supervises from the boat (with Milton Carlo), while Working Divers Noah Lawrence-Slavas (NOAA/PMEL engineer of the buoy) and Lecia Salerno (AOML) tighten the lines below.



Video by NOAA/AOML Scientific Diver Jim Hendee.

Second Wheel Dropped

NOAA Working Divers Jules Craynock and Noah Lawrence-Slavas push railroad wheel attached to salvage float bags into place over the correct spot, while Working Diver Lecia Salerno makes ready aboard boat (Milton Carlo piloting) for the drop. Note the bags pop way up in the water after the 1800 pound wheel is dropped to the sea floor 38' below. Once both wheels are dropped, the buoy will be attached.


Video by Jim Hendee.

Under the Hood

Noah Lawrence-Slavas points out the configuration, while Dwight Gledhill turns the wrench. The buoy is getting ready for its maiden voyage to the mooring spot. Video by Jim Hendee.

Wheel Two On the Way

The second wheel plus flotation has been attached to the stern of the Pezmar and is on its way to La Parguera.

Lifting the Wheel and Bag Assembly

From the harbor at Guanica, the second railroad wheel plus salvage/float bag assembly is lifted from the dock and placed into the water off the stern of the Pezmar, which will then tow the unit to the harbor at the University of Puerto Rico Marine Science Laboratory for deployment early the following morning.

Getting Railroad Wheels Ready

NOAA/PMEL engineer (designer of the buoy) Noah Lawrence-Slavas, makes ready shackles for lifting the second 1,800 pound railroad wheel assembly from the loading dock into the sea where it will be attached to the salvage and float bags, tied to the UPR ship Pezmar, and eventually towed to its final resting spot where it will serve as the second of two wheel-anchors for the buoy.

Photo by Jim Hendee.

Headin' In

The first railroad wheel assembly has been deployed and the small boat crew (left to right), Jim Hendee, Milton Carlo, Lecia Salerno, Noah Lawrence Slavas and Dwight Gledhill (taking video) head back in.

Headin' Out

The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) ship Pezmar gets a start at sunrise as it takes off from the dock, towing the salvage and pillow bags that are keeping the second railroad wheel assembly suspended in the water, to the site where the wheel-assembly will be dropped.

Noah Explains

Noah Lawrence-Slavas explains how the instruments work inside the buoy, while Francisco Pagan (middle) and Dwight Gledhill (right) look on.

Close-up of Buoy Interior

A close-up of the interior reveals the instrumental architecture of the buoy, topside.

Buoy Exterior

Exterior of the buoy before Noah Lawrence-Slavas removes the top for interior work.

Buoy Touchdown at La Parguera

The MAP-CO2 Buoy is lifted from the crane's truck bed to the dock at La Parguera near the Laboratory, where Noah Lawrence-Slavas (in hard hat) will conduct preliminary wiring and installation of instruments before the buoy is lifted into the sea for towing by small boat to the Laboratory's harbor area.

Francisco Coordinates

Dr. Francisco Pagan, oceanographer with the UPR Department of Marine Science Laboratory at Magueyes Island, coordinates by cell phone the arrival of the hydrocrane for lifting the buoy from the dock into the sea, while the ferry for visitors to and from the Island navigates the channel in the background.

Iguanas Break for Brunch

Iguanas are everywhere on Magueyes Island, home of the UPR Marine Laboratory.

Fine-tuning Plans

Dwight Gledhill (at laptop) and Jules Craynock discuss marker buoy and wheel-drop plans.

Planning at the Dock

NOAA Divers (left to right) Dwight Gledhill, Lecia Salerno, Jules Craynock and Noah Lawrence-Slavas discuss field operations on the UPR dock before a preliminary site survey dive. Video by NOAA Diver Jim Hendee.

Arrival at the Island

Magueyes Island on the morning of our arrival.

Proposed Site: Summary

On Tuesday, July 29th, Chris Langdon and Derek Manzello identified a spot near Enrique Island for the MAP-CO2 Buoy. The next day, Dwight Gledhill determined the best spot at:

17 deg 57.224 N
67 deg 03.066 W

Jules Craynock and Jim Hendee joined them to take measurements and inspect the site for proper location of anchors for the buoy. Leg A (deep side) is 120 degrees and 14 meters in length from the center point (lat/long, above), with an endpoint at 37 feet depth, in sand; while Leg B (shallow side) is 300 degrees from center point, 18 meters in length, with an endpoint at 16 feet depth, also in sand.

A possible alternate site was chosen near the ICON/CREWS station (see blog entry immediately preceeding).

Shown in picture are Jules Craynock (left) and Jim Hendee. Photo (click to enlarge) by Derek Manzello.

Possible Alternate Site

During maintenance procedures at the ICON/CREWS station, a possible alternate site was found nearby at,

17°56'18.07" N
67° 3'4.42" W

Derek Manzello has some photos and assessment of the biota in the area. The island shown is Media Luna.

See accompanying image for relation to CREWS station (top of picture is North). Image by Google Earth (click to enlarge).

Aerial View of Site, Enrique Island

This image is a closer view of the proposed site, near Enrique Island. (Image from Google Earth, click to enlarge.)

Aerial View of Site, Region

Attached is an image of the proposed site within the La Parguera Ecological Marine Preserve, near La Parguera (top, in image), Puerto Rico. (Image from Google Earth, click to enlarge.)