Operations 



The cruise, originally scheduled for 10 days, was reduced by storms to 

 4 working days. All stations were preselected randomly. The stations on 

 the northern side of the slick boundary were given priority for use as controls 

 and also for establishing the present limits of any contamination. The sta- 

 tions on the eastern limits of the bank and the stations in the area of initial 

 impact around Nantucket shoals were also completed. The southern and mid- 

 sections of the sampling area were omitted. 



Forty- three stations were completed. XBT and surface bucket thermometer 

 for temperature and salinity samples were used at every station. Five seabed 

 drifters were released at each station, except stations 27 and 39. The #36 

 Yankee trawl, with a ring net and pipe dredge attached, was used at 24 stations. 

 The Digby dredge was used at nine stations. At six of the trawl stations and 

 at all the Digby stations, a hydrocast was made. Neuston plankton gear was 

 used through station 38. The 61-centimeter bongos were used through station 

 39, while the 20-centimeter bongos were used in the western part of the study 

 area only (stations 1-11 and 29-39) . 



The general information on these samplers, their use, and the information 

 on the samples taken, is presented in tabular form. This includes informa- 

 tion on the samples taken during both Delaware II cruises: 76-13, December 

 22-23; and 77-01, January 4-10. Also provided is information concerning the 

 types of samples, station plots, data disposition, and the like. 



Bird, Mammal, and oil slick observations were made by an observer from 

 the Manomet Bird Observatory and other scientists aboard the Delaware II. 

 Oil samples from the engine fuel, the winch hydraulic system, the side of 

 the vessel, and from the oil slick were taken (disposition: Woods Hole). 

 All data were recorded in Eastern Standard Time unless otherwise noted. 



Results 



Preliminary on-ship observations showed clean fish, sediment, and water 

 throughout the area surveyed, except at stations 37-39, which were in the 

 vicinity of the wreck and showed some oil (estimated at less than 0.1%) on 

 the surface. All samples await detailed examination. 



R. Wigley of the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Center, Woods Hole, collected 

 samples of surf icial bottom sediments from the R/V Delaware II during two 

 cruises conducted shortly after the Argo Merchant grounding. The first sam- 

 ples were collected in December 1976 at two stations, 4 and 6, on cruise 76- 

 13. In early January 1977, a series of 23 samples was collected on cruise 

 77-01. The location of each sample is plotted in the accompanying figure. 

 The samples were collected by means of a pipe dredge and a Digby dredge. 

 Samples were stored in glass containers; sediment volume ranged from appro- 

 ximately 50 to 750 cubic centimeters. Each sample was analyzed microscopi- 

 cally for tar-balls or other evidence of the presence of oil or oil-like 

 substances. Dominant components of the sediments were found to be sand. 



V-22 



