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RV Lough Foyle LF 4902

Cruise summary report

Cruise Info. 
Ship name (ship code)RV Lough Foyle (74LG)
Cruise identifierLF 4902
Cruise period2002-12-04 — 2002-12-06
StatusCompleted
Port of departureBelfast, United Kingdom
Port of returnBelfast, United Kingdom
PurposeResearch
ObjectivesObjectives

1. To maintain a nutrient and remote monitoring programme at mooring stations38A and 47D.
2. To assess temperature, salinity and nutrient distributions over depth at stations 38A and 47D.
3. To characterise deep, high saline Atlantic water in the central Irish Sea.

Narrative

Wednesday 4 December 2002. With the prospect of light winds forecast for the next few days the survey recommenced to complete the outstanding service of the moored instrumentation. In preparation for the cruise, all DANI scientific crew were onboard by 1930 hrs when mooring components and the automated sampler were prepared for deployment. Following a talk on ship's safety and a demonstration of personal life saving equipment, the RV Lough Foyle departed Belfast at 2015 hrs and sailed overnight in a light north easterly breeze towards the mooring site at station 38A.

Thursday 5 December 2002. The vessel arrived on the mooring site at 0600 hrs. The weather was dry with a light north easterly breeze when work for the day started at 0745 hrs with the complete instrument mooring eventually recovered to ship deck at 0810 hrs. The mooring components were inspected for corrosion and parts replaced where necessary. The thermistor chain was removed from the mooring wire, temperature data downloaded and individual units reprogrammed. The CTDs and fluorometer were also removed, data downloaded and reprogrammed. The sub surface water sampler was serviced; samples removed, rebuilt, reprogrammed and attached to the mooring wire. The mooring components were reassembled and readied for deployment. The CTDs and fluorometers were attached and the mooring redeployed at 1540 hrs on position 530 46l .875N 050 38l .113W. Work for the day finished at 1830 hrs. The vessel sailed to coastal station 47D and drifted overnight off the Drogheda foreshore.

Friday 5 December 2002. Work for the day commenced at 0745 hrs when the complete instrument mooring was recovered to ship deck. The mooring components were inspected for corrosion and parts replaced where necessary. The CTD and fluorometer were removed, data downloaded and reprogrammed. The mooring components, CTD and fluorometer were then reassembled and the mooring was successfully redeployed at 0910 hrs on position 530 44l .472N 060 04l .006W. Work on the station was completed at 0930 hrs and the vessel sailed to dock in Belfast at 1630 hrs.
Chief scientistBrian Stewart (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland)
Cruise reportRV Lough Foyle LF 4902 cruise report lf49_02.pdf (0.03 MB) 
Ocean/sea areas 
GeneralIrish Sea and St. George's Channel
SpecificIrish Sea (north); ICES div. VIIa