3 . To determine through oceanographic 

 techniques, the flow pattern of the 

 maior currents of the region, and 

 trends in temperatures and salinities . 



The program developed as a cooperative 

 venture between the Fish and Wildlife Service 

 and the several agencies: the Navy Hydro - 

 graphic Office and the Office of Naval Research 

 in physical oceanography and related studies; 

 the Georgia Game and Fish Commission in the 

 biological inventory and nutrient studies; and 

 the Florida State Board of Conservation 

 (through the Marine Laboratory of the Univer - 

 sity of Miami) in biological studies . The Woods 

 Hole Oceanographic Institution is cooperating 

 in the processing and analysis of data relating 

 to physical oceanography. 



Field operations comprised nine cruises 

 over the established station pattern during the 

 period January, 1953, to December, 1954. 

 It was agreed by the cooperating agencies that 

 the basic data from the cruises of the 

 Theodore N . Gill would be made available in 

 an assembled form for each cruise. This re- 

 port is to explain the program, operational 

 procedure, and methods; and to present the 

 assembled data for Cruise 1. 



PROCEDURES ON STATION 



Regular and Special Stations 



1 . General observations including 

 barometer reading, wet and dry 

 bulb air temperatures, wind direc- 

 tion and velocity, and observed sky, 

 sea, and wave conditions were re- 

 corded 



2. BT casts were taken on each station. 

 Three bathythermographs with 

 ranges of 180, 450, and 900 feet 

 were available: 



3. Nansen bottle casts were made at 

 standard wire depths, using 12 

 bottles or less per cast. A 30 cm. 

 Secchi disc was attached directly 



to the hydrographic cable, and 

 readings taken on stations during 

 daylight hours. 



4. Oxygen determinations were con- 

 ducted aboard vessel immediately 

 after each cast, using Wooster's 

 modification of the Winkler method 

 of dissolved oxygen analysis. 



5. Salinity samples were collected for 

 each cast (determinations were 

 made in the Service's laboratory at 

 Brunswick, Georgia). 



6 . Water samples for use in the deter- 

 mination of inorganic phosphate, 

 total phosphorous, carbohydrates, 

 proteins, and nitrate -nitrite were 

 collected for each cast (analyses 

 were accomplished in the Service's 

 laboratory at Brunswick, Georgia. 



7. Bottom sediment samples were ob- 

 tained, using a modified orange 

 peel dredge (lead weights were added 

 and covers were placed over the 

 blades to prevent the sample from 

 washing out) . Half of each sample 

 was furnished to the Navy Hydro - 

 graphic Office for analysis . 



8 GEK measurements from the Gill 



9. 



were found impractical, and use 

 of the instrument was abandoned 

 very early in the program . 



Plankton tows with a half-meter 

 silk net were made on each station . 

 The continuous plankton sampler 

 was run continuously. 



10. Dip-net fishing was conducted on 

 each station as conditions permitted. 



11 . Feather and bone jigs were trolled 

 between stations. 



