Hello from Madison on the R/V Endeavor!

So far the cruise has been very fun and packed with science. Today was the fourth of seven stations that I’m required to sample for my senior capstone project. I’m taking water samples at the deep chlorophyll maximum and the depth of the bottom of each station. I’m primarily focused in looking at the limiting nutrients at each site, phosphorus and nitrogen, and whether inorganic or organic nutrients are more abundant. To do this, I take filtered water samples to be further analyzed for nutrients at UNH, and onboard the ship I do enzyme assays to look at enzyme rates. The enzyme assays are measurements of how enzymes in the water samples react with two different substrates over a 24-hour time period. The measurements I get from the enzyme assays are able to give me a rate of the enzymes. The enzyme rates can tell me whether inorganic nutrients are more abundant or if organisms get nutrients from organic matter already in the water.

The weather has been beautiful and in our favor. The water is becoming a little rougher as we make it up the coast. I was definitely feeling it yesterday morning. The sunsets are beautiful and different every day and I always look forward to seeing them. The other day we got to see a small pod of dolphins come along the boat. It was so cool and such a unique experience.