50 passagemaker.com July/August 2018
we ran up on the sand nearby. Hogarth was
picking up another group of oceanography
students to work on a fish population
study. I rode back to the campus to make
my appointment with Dr. Philip Kramer,
the current director of FIO.
THE SCIENCE
Dr. Kramer explained that FIO is an
independent organization with a staff of 30.
In addition to W.T. Hogarth, they operate
three other research vessels ranging from
25 feet to 115 feet. They also have a
research lab located on Layton Key.
“We are basically a facilitator providing
assets that are too expensive for individual
organizations to own, operate, and
maintain,” he said. “We also are coordinators
of information that is produced by our
member organizations, and we provide an enhanced educational
experience to oceanographic students above and beyond the
classroom.” The institute provides important research for fisheries,
bottom mapping, and coral habitats, and it has been very involved
in monitoring the recovery following the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill. Because the Gulf of Mexico is fairly contained, this spill
represented a unique opportunity to measure the short- and long-
term environmental impacts of such a disaster.
In addition, detailed mapping of the Gulf floor is underway using
dual-head swath mapping instruments. The Florida shelf extends
200 miles from the west coast and 60 miles from the east coast.
The ultimate goal is to provide mariners with far more detailed
and accurate information of the ocean floor below our vessels.
The collection of this oceanographic data is a coordinated effort
that includes not only the research vessels but also a multifaceted
network of hardware and software. The NOAA diagram shown
above illustrates the complexity of the process.
Hogarth’s assignments are based primarily on research grants
initiated by governmental agencies, independent research
organizations, and educational institutions. These assignments
may take her out on the sea for days or weeks at a time. After
completing sea trials, Hogarth will tour the state, visiting all of
the FIO member organizations to introduce them to the vessel
and her capabilities. She will begin actual research trips in the
summer of 2018. My day aboard this unique vessel and my visits
with FIO personnel gave me a much better understanding of
what is involved in the exploration and maintenance of our
marine environment. QA mix of students and research
scientists await one of the best
breakfasts in Southwest Florida
in the cozy conines of the
saloon.Illustration courtesy of NOAA.gov