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Mariners Weather Log

ISSN 0025-3367

U.S. Department of Commerce

Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & Acting NOAA Administrator Acting Administrator

National Weather Service
Dr. Louis Uccelini
NOAA Assistant Administrator for Weather Services


Editorial Supervisor
Paula M. Rychtar

Layout and Design
Stuart Hayes
NTSC Technical Publications Office

 

Articles, photographs, and letters should be sent to:

Ms. Paula M. Rychtar, Editorial Supervisor
Mariners Weather Log
NDBC (W/OPS 51)
Building 3203
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000

Phone: (228) 688-1457
Fax: (228) 688-3923
E-mail: paula.rychtar@noaa.gov

From the Editor


Greetings and welcome to another issue of the Mariners Weather Log!

In this issue we have some great articles beginning with a submission from our international colleagues, Martin Kramp and Emanuela Rusciano who work at IOC-WMO Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) Observations Program Support Center (JCOMMOPS) located in France. That article is showcasing yet another successful initiative and collaborative effort gathering VOS observations and deployment of autonomous instruments for NOAA/AOML Global Drifter Program in data sparse regions by utilizing a sailing yacht owned by the German NGO Hamburgischer Verein Seefahrt (HVS). HVS gives training and opportunity introducing offshore sailing to young people who could otherwise not afford it. In addition to training, good seamanship and development of teamwork is instilled. What a great opportunity for all involved. This issue also includes the PMO Corner featuring our Seattle PMO, Matt Thompson. He was kind enough to share some insight to his huge outreach activities. As always, Skip provides us with our ever interesting ship wreck stories showcasing the many life cycles of these ships.

A warm welcome to a long awaited PMO for the Long Beach California locality. We have a new fresh face here at VOS, Tim Harris. Take time to read his biography and you will be impressed with his skill sets. I know he will do a great job and find this position as PMO rewarding.

As you can imagine, creating this MWL takes more than me to accomplish such a fine publication. I would like to introduce my right hand, Stuart Hayes, who does the layout and design for the PDF version of the MWL. I couldn’t do this without him and I wanted to acknowledge him in this issue. Creating this on-line magazine, dedicated to the Voluntary Observing Ship Program and its overreaching programs and international colleagues takes time, patience and dedication. So this is my way of thanking Stuart for such a great job.

So now just sit back with a cup O’Joe and enjoy the April issue of the Mariners Weather Log.

- Paula

MWL April 2016 cover image

On the Cover: HASPA HAMBURG watch captain Felix Zahn deploys a NOAA drifter in the Southern Ocean; at the helm: Vincent Weide All photography: HVS

Some Important Web Page Addresses

NOAA http://www.noaa.gov
National Weather Service http://www.weather.gov
National Data Buoy Center http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov
AMVER Program http://www.amver.com
VOS Program http://www.vos.noaa.gov
TURBOWIN e-logbook Software http://knmi.nl/turbowin
Mariners Weather Log http://www.vos.noaa.gov/mwl.shtml
Marine Dissemination http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/home.htm
U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/