Record Secchi disc 



Water Transparency. 

 observations only. 



E-3 Testing and Inspecting the Oceano- 

 graphic Winch and Accessories. — Before tak- 

 ing the first oceanographic station, the oceano- 

 graphic winch, wire, A-Frame, and platform 

 should be tested and inspected. 



1. Winch and Wire. 



a. Inspect the winch to insure that all parts 

 are properly lubricated, especially the level 

 wind mechanism. Check the hydraulic fluid 

 level. Check electrical connections. 



b. Check the operation of the winch after 

 the ship has come to a complete stop in the 

 water by slowly paying out wire, with 100- 

 pound Nansen cast weight, to near bottom 

 depths. During the lowering, carefully in- 

 spect wire for broken strands, splices, kinks, 

 corrosion, nicks, and unlayed areas. The con- 

 dition of the wire will determine the need to 

 replace wire or to limit loads and depths of 

 subsequent operations. A continuous wire 

 rope history should be maintained. As the 

 wire is brought in, vary wincli speeds from 

 creeping to nill and check braking action. 



2. A-Frame and Platform. 



a. Inspect A-Frame mounting to insure 

 that all pins are properly seated and safety- 

 wired. 



b. Check A-Frame inboard-outboard travel. 



c. Inspect rigging of meter wheel to in- 

 sure shackle is well seated and safety-wired. 

 A good practice also is to install a safety wire 

 (%- to i/^-inch) through the sheave, beneath 

 the eye, and around the top of the A-Frame. 



d. Inspect mounting of counter block and 

 flexible cable to insure adequate slack to per- 

 mit free lateral travel of block. Inspect point- 

 ers on counter block to make sure they are 

 firmly attached. Tighten flexible cable con- 

 necting nuts only finger tight. 



e. Check that platform fittings, braces, and 

 stays are properly seated and in good condi- 

 tion. Make sure life rails or chains are ade- 

 quate and well secured. 



In addition to testing and inspecting the 

 above items, the following preparations should 

 be considered before arriving on station : 



a. Assure adequate overhead and over-the- 

 side lighting for night time operations, and 

 arrange for communications with the bridge. 



b. Rope off area to exclude nonoperational 

 personnel traffic. 



c. Clear area of unnecessary objects and 

 equipment, and remove all grease and/or oil 

 from thi^- deck. Sand if necessary. 



d. ^ir-.e available life jackets and/or life 

 iiugs; iiai.l '^:"/", safety shoes, safety glasses, 

 safety belts, and gloves also are desirable. A 

 boat hook and a "Come Along" wire gripper 

 should be available in the area. 



On stations when water samples are to be 

 collected, the ship should refrain from back- 

 ing down and from pumping bilges, releasing 

 laundry wastes, and discarding trash and 

 garbage into the surface water. 



E-4 Taking a Nansen Cast. — When the ship 

 is on station and permission to jDroceed with the 

 operation has been received from the bridge, the 

 Nansen bottles are placed on the wire. This oi^- 

 eration requires three persons : A winch opera- 

 tor, a bottle passer, and a bottle hanger (fig. 

 E-3). 



Step. 1. Final Inspection. — Give the Nansen 

 bottles a final inspection for proper adjustment 

 of main valves and connecting rods and secure 

 attachment of thermometer frame. 



Step 2. Placing the Nansen Bottles on the 

 Wire. — Lower the lead weight over the side and 

 into the water several meters to steady the wire. 

 Set the counter dials at zero; record the time 

 (GMT) in the START column of the Green- 

 toich Mean Time block of the A- Sheet ; and enter 

 the day, month, and year (GMT) in the Date 

 (GMT) block of the A-Sheet. The bottle passer 

 should remove the first bottle from the rack; 

 reverse it and return it to the inverted position 

 to check for proper functioning of the mercury 

 columns in the thermometers, and then pass it 

 to the bottle hanger. Repeat this procedure for 

 each successive bottle. It should be noted that 

 the first Nansen bottle to be placed on the wire 

 will go to the greatest depth ; thus, the bottom 

 bottle of the cast is the first bottle placed on the 

 wire. At this time, the bottle hanger should 

 attach the safety line (a snap-hook on the end 

 of a light line) to the Nansen bottle connecting 

 rod. The safety line prevents possible loss of 

 the bottle over the side. Next., clamp the lower 

 end of the bottle to the wire and tighten the 

 wing nut; then, depress the messenger trigger 

 of the tripping mechanism and attach the upper 

 end of the bottle to the wire, making sure the 

 messenger trigger returns to the "up" position 

 and the pin holding the bottle to the wire re- 

 turns to the closed position (fig. E^). Next, 

 check to insure that the drain petcock at the 

 upper end of the bottle and the air vent at the 

 lower end of the bottle are closed. Finally, check 

 that the mercury has drained from the upper 

 portion of the main stem bulb of the thermom- 

 eters. Then remove the safety line. 



Step. 3. Attaching the Messenger to the Bot- 

 tle. — The messenger is a small brass weight con- 

 structed in such a manner that it can be attached 

 to and detached from the wire quickly and can 

 slide freely along the wire. When released, it 

 slides down the wire and trips the next bottle 

 below. Attached to the messenger is a 6- to 8-inch 

 wire with a small loop at the end. To attach 



E-4 



