Shimada has left Newport for Leg 3, carrying a science party of nine. We've got acoustics, wet lab, Harmful Algal Bloom (HABs), eDNA, zooplankton sampling, and the CytoBot covered! Our first transect is down south, near Crescent City, CA, and from there we will work our way north. The four Saildrones collecting data to support our work continued to work during our inport, and we expect to see all four of them in the coming days. The weather forecast doesn't look great near our first transect, so we're busy stowing gear, tying things down, and ensuring our staterooms are secure so nothing slides around. If weather is alright, we'll be sampling in less than 24 hours.
(Most of) the Leg 3 science party standing under Shimada's net reel. Photo: NOAA Fisheries