At Sea with the EWH Project: Member State Participants Gain Hydrographic Survey Experience

Mentari Khoerunnisa Azzahra (Indonesia), Luissiana Nicolle Anchante Jurado (Peru), Maria Navarro (Spain), and Elizabeth Davis (United Kingdom) boarded the oceanographic research vessel Pourquoi Pas? to join the third phase of the SOLMINEUR campaign, led by the French hydrographic service, where they gained experience in oceanographic and hydrographic surveys. Their training focused particularly on oceanographic instrumentation, including Vertical Microstructure Profilers (VMPs), Argo floats, CTDs, and other equipment.

The candidates also learned about the Nautile, a deep-sea submersible capable of reaching depths of up to 6,000 metres, which enables biologists and geologists to observe and conduct operations directly on the seafloor. In addition, they gained insight into how Shom and Ifremer use data collected from these instruments to support scientific research and improve understanding of the marine environment.

During their two weeks at sea, the participants also attended learning sessions delivered by scientists on board. Topics included sediment processes in submarine canyons, numerical model development, and internal tide simulation.

The candidates also gained practical navigation experience, including measuring bearings manually, learning how radar works, inputting coordinates, navigating the ship, and reading digital charts.