Totally Tow-Yo Time!

Hi, fellow ocean lovers! My name is Emma Schindler, and I am a second-year master's student in Dr. Sutton's Oceanic Ecology Lab at Nova Southeastern University. This is my first time sailing with the DEEPEND team, and it has been such a blast. 

Caption: Sunrise from our porthole in the lab.

My research focuses on the trophic ecology of deep-sea snipe eels. So, it has been thrilling to expand my horizons and spend time with folks who are passionate about different deep-sea critters. 

Caption: Me with a fangtooth fish!

Along with our typical trawls, on this cruise we are also doing “Tow-Yo” trawls. Think like a yo-yo, these trawls bounce between a tighter range of depths. Tow-Yo trawls also tend to be shallower than our typical max depth of 1500m.

Caption: A tray full of specimens collected during a Tow-Yo. 

In coordination with acoustics data, we target specific layers with high densities of organisms. Specific layers, called oblique layers, are then sampled within one range. For example, rather than having a net capture specimen from 600-800 m, we would specifically target 650-650 m. 

Caption: Fun under the microscope with an angler! 

Overall, I am happy to be here and immersed in the sea so far. Here's to smooth sailing for our second week!

- Emma