NOWRAMP 2002

9/25/02 - Rapture

Position:
Latitude: 28° 22.654' N
Longitude: 178° 18.610' W
Area Name: Kure Atoll, SE anchorage

Weather:
Barometer: 1018.4 mb
Winds: 12 Knots North East
Description:
Forecast: Low moving in from NE. Some showers, wind 10-15 knots from N. Seas 4-7' NE in mixed 3' south swell.

Sea Conditions:
Waves: 1-4' NE in lee of atoll with 3'south
Current:
Sea:

Daily Vessel Plan:
Scheduled Activities:

REA (Rapid Ecological Assessment) Team A: 3 dives - all on outer reef. All examples of classic spur and groove atoll habitat. Generally lower fish species bidiversity than other islands. Areas dominated by fast growing smaller coral colonies. Second highest algae cover.

REA (Rapid Ecological Assessment) Team B: 3 dives - one in west channel, 2 outside reef on South side. Great visibility and spur and groove.

Coral Team : Found a 10 meter Porites compressa colony, possibly 300 years old. Found high species diversity and abundance of corals throughout the atoll. Collected 5 coral cores. Groundtruthing information from all habitats (spur and groove, back reef, lagoon).

Maritime Archaeology : Conducted diving surveys of aircraft crash site and an old wooden sailing shipwreck.

Intertidal: Surveyed North, East, and South shore shallow waters; few emergent limestone benches; most/all shallow, hard bottom covered with big alga - Lyngbia. Low species diversity of both limu and inveretbrates.

Terrestrial Team: Cleared a large round area for Albatross landings. Scraped and painted storm shutters on workers quarters.

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