A couple months ago, Captain Matt Edwards and small boat technician Lance Crum took FSUCML’s Research Vessel (R/V) on the Intracoastal Waterway to Miller Marine in Panama City to undergo its biannual hull inspection, cleaning, and maintenance. From fresh paint to cleaning sea valves to fixing broken toilets, the R/V received an overhaul in all aspects of the ship! Check out the pictures below to learn more:
Researchers from the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab and the University of North Florida returned to port on August 5th after completing the maiden extended day voyage aboard the Research Vessel Apalachee. The purpose of the trip was to study deep sea fish communities of the northern Gulf of Mexcio and examine these organisms for exposure to and metabolism of toxins that may be related to the Deepwater Horizon oil blowout.
Today staff at the FSUCML welcomed the brand new Zodiac named "Sebod" (pronounced "sea-bod"). Thank you to The Dobes Family Foundation for this generous donation to the R/V APALACHEE. "Sebod" is an appropriate name as it comes from the Dobes family name spelled backwards. This Zodiac MilPro SeaRider is about 13.5 ft. (approx. 4 m) long by 6 ft. (approx. 2m) wide and can carry up to 6 passengers. The SeaRider has been proven in operation use around the world, by both military and professional operators, with its unique water ballast system and deep "V" hull, giving the craft exceptional sea keeping capabilities, yet still offering high performance and maneuverability in the heaviest of seas. The Zodiac MilPro SeaRider has been at the forefront of the design and development of RIBs since its onset. We are thrilled to add this as a scientific resource to the R/V APALACHEE!
On Wednesday, April 24, 2013, history was made! The Academic Diving Program (ADP), consisting of Alex Chequer, Sonja Bridges, and a few of their students, was accompanied by the Marine Field Group on the very first dive taken from the R/V APALACHEE. They traveled from the lab to K-Tower and it was a sight to behold with the clear blue skies above and calm, blue waters below. The dive platforms worked out perfectly. This was just the first of many dive trips to come from the R/V APALACHEE. The ADP plans on utilizing it in many of their future dives.
On Friday, March 22nd at 5:30 pm FSUCML staff and Vice President for Research, Dr. Gary K. Ostrander, welcomed FSU administration, board members, and guests to the dedication of the R/V APALACHEE. The night was filled with mingling, food, and fun. After a speech by Dr. Ostrander and another from FSUCML director, Dr. Felicia Coleman, the R/V APALACHEE was officially christened and is ready to take the seas!
Dr. Nico Wienders, a research faculty member in the Florida State University Department of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Science, led an expedition onboard the R/V APALACHEE to launch a sailbuoy that will traverse the Gulf of Mexico over the next two months, gathering data that will help us understand how the oil moved from the Macondo well to the shorelines of states bordering the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, from Louisiana to Florida.
On Friday evening, January 25, 2013, at 5 PM EST the R/V APALACHEE rounded Dog Island and sailed into the channel here at the FSUCML lab. Staff members and scientists waited anxiously for her to dock and jumped onboard to have a look around. This vessel exceeded our expectations, thanks to the dedication of Geo Shipyard, Inc. A special thanks, as well, to Dejong and Lebet Marine Architect, who worked with FSU scientists and colleagues at the National Marine Fisheries Service to help us design the vessel we all wanted.