sailors to participate in global scientific survey

[Odontella]

Hi Resolution

The study of 100 years of data was published in 2010, in that way it was recent study of a long-term time series of data,

You can read the actual study here http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v466/n7306/full/nature09268.html

A more accessible synopsis is given here http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100728/full/news.2010.379.html

There is a link to the above synopsis in our online tutorial that gives more background, which you can find at http://www.secchidisk.org

Best Wishes. Are you going to take part ?

 

[Resolution]

Thanks for your quick and interesting reply. My cynical reactions have been put back in their box!

 

[Odontella]

Hi Resolution

We are really pleased with the response so far, enjoyed your comments, the fact the project generates all sorts of comment is encouraging.

We had our first data submitted two days after launch, some from New Zealand and some from the Mediterranean Sea.

We have been contacted from sailors in every ocean.

It is now just a case of spreading the word and hoping that people are inspired to take part, and help understand the ocean's biology.

With a lot of goodwill and help, we hope to generate a spatially extensive, long-term time series that will be appreciated more and more with time. Early days though.

You can follow events at www.facebook.com/secchidisk

All the best.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Thanks for taking the effort to reply Odontella (even if the newbie process has stacked all your posts up!!!!)

Look forward to helping out. Anything to help improve the understanding of our precious oceans!

 

[Odontella]

Thanks for taking the effort to reply Odontella (even if the newbie process has stacked all your posts up!!!!)

Look forward to helping out. Anything to help improve the understanding of our precious oceans!

Happy to reply

If you would like to help spread the word that would be great.

If anyone reading this thread would like to place an A5 poster in a club house or chandlers etc I can send a pdf by e-mail.

If so, please contact the SecchiApp team at:

contact@secchidisk.org

Put "poster request" in the subject line.

Best Wishes

 

[Odontella]

Just thought I would return and let you know how the project is going now that is a month since we launched.

Although still early days, it is going well according to the feedback we are getting. We have already had some data from waters off New Zealand, Thailand and from the Mediterranean Sea and e-mails from some very interesting sailors in some equally interesting places.

With luck and a fair wind the project will take off.

We have had some e-mail requests for posters as well, which I think came from here, so thank you.

Please keep spreading the word about the project.

 

[Odontella]

Season's Greetings from the Plankton

I am just returning to wish you all Season's Greetings and bring you some news about the Seafarer Secchi Disk Plankton project www.secchidisk.org in terms of "Sailors' Data"

You can see the spread of data from the data button on the project website or at the following link, and if you zoom in and click on a balloon you will see the measurement submitted www.playingwithdata.com

We (the Secchi App team) would like to thank everyone taking part or helping to spread word of the Secchi Disk project by talking about it. We are very pleased with progress after the first 10 months. Please continue to take part if you are doing so, or spread word.

We are especially pleased that the project has been recommended/adopted by the Seven Seas Cruising Association, the Cruising Club of America, the Blue Water Cruising Association and the Ocean Cruising Club. Participants in Jimmy Cornell's Blue Planet and Atlantic Odysseys are also taking part. Marine Science organisations have also adopted the Secchi app and so, with a fair wind and your help, the project will grow over the years into a valuable resource for future generations and scientific study. Again, Thank you.

In the meantime, Season's Greetings from the Plankton

 

[Odontella]

A year has passed and we wanted to let you know that thanks to sailors the Secchi Disk Citizen Science study is going from strength to strength.

In fact, sailors have made it the largest marine citizen science study in the world in just under two years since its launch.

This year saw some notable highlights, not least the first Secchi Depth recordings since the Northwest Passage became navigable again.

You can read about it in Northwest Passage Voyage of Scientific Discovery

All the data is accessible by visiting the map under the DATA button on the project's home page www.secchidisk.org. A map of the data as it stands this month is given at the end of this message.

Every single contribution by sailors is valuable and goes towards making this an incredible and unique citizen science study.

As you will see the Southern Ocean, perhaps understandably, is represented by less data than the Northern hemisphere.

The project will carry on indefinitely and has no end-point and we are always looking to recruit more participants.

To that end, we are grateful for any publicity you can help give the project. Perhaps you could display a project poster in your club or at the marina, or even just tell friends ?

We have a range of resources to help publicise the project in the PRESS PACK section of the website.

Best wishes, thank you and A Happy New Year.

You can follow the project on Facebook /secchidisk and on Twitter @Secchiapp

 

[Thistle]

No smartphone?

Can you accept readings from folk who don't have smartphones and who, therefore, can't run the app?

 

[Odontella]

Hi

Thanks for your question and interest.

First, you can also run the Secchi App from a GPS enabled tablet that can obtain a location without needing a network connection, for example 3G and 4G iPads

However, I expect you're question relates to a web-based entry or paper-based submission.

At the moment the project only runs by mobile App. Using the mobile device to obtain the GPS location verifies the Secchi depth data was collected at sea in order to maintain the integrity of the database protecting sailor's efforts; it also helps mitigate 'entry errors'. The other reason is that this is a huge project and we are a small team.

A mobile app, interestingly combined with one of the oldest pieces of marine science equipment, has enabled this project to take place so far.

We appreciate this is disappointing to some otherwise willing participants.

Of course, it doesn't have to be your mobile device. Any companion onboard and with a phone can submit the data.

Happy to answer any other questions or follow up questions you may have. This project relies upon sailor's interest, efforts and goodwill.

 

[Thistle]

Many thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately I and all my various crews rely on steam-driven mobile phones.

 

[Odontella]

We would welcome any opportunity you take to tell friends about the existence of the project, if you'd like to do so.

Best Wishes for the New Year.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Good to hear its going well.

Thank you for taking the time to provide an update.... its all too uncommon on here!

 

[Odontella]

Good to hear its going well.

Thank you for taking the time to provide an update.... its all too uncommon on here!

It is not effort, it is a real pleasure. The project has had a great many highlights for us and it is still not 2 years old.

However, we still realise that we need to recruit more participants and also keep the interest of those who are taking part already.

The project really can be something great. Already we have useful data.

One aspect of the project that is a particular pleasure are the cruising families home educating at sea and who have been in touch to tell how the project is a gateway to marine education.

While the study has a serious scientific purpose, I always hoped that the citizen science aspect would engage interest in the plankton.

I'll therefore post this link to a short film narrated by David Attenborough, in case anyone is interested in finding out some more.

Ocean Drifters

Finally, I'll close with that map again, which shows remarkable progress.

 

[Odontella]

The Secchi Disk project, an update

The http://www.secchidisk.org project is now midway through its third year and thanks to sailors and other seafarers it continues to grow with data on the phytoplankton submitted from around the globe. You can see the most recent data by clicking on the DATA map on the website. [If it is your first visit to the data map you will need to accept cookies (top right) and then refresh the page.]

You may have seen the project in July in COAST on BBC Two in http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b062sfbt (12 days left on IPlayer) or on the BBC Online Science and Environment pages: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33434517.

I hope you don't mind the fact that I resurrected an old thread. But awareness of the project is key. In that respect, it would be appreciated greatly if you would like to help spread word of the project to fellow sailors. Or perhaps you could display a project poster at your club or harbour office, or e-mail it to a club secretary for them to do so. You can obtain a poster from the Press Pack section of the project website (or directly from this https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t45y87a9rgp4u16/AABmE9ll_OwS-m5CjVXUfSTba)

In just 3 years, the Secchi Disk project has become the world's most extensive marine citizen science study. Thank you, and please carry on taking part if you are doing so, or perhaps consider joining the study.

Best wishes, Richard Kirby (project leader)

 

[Odontella]

Hi to everyone,

I'm returning to a thread that was started 3 years ago. Because, with the arrival of February 2016, the Secchi Disk project http://www.secchidisk.org enters its 4th Year, so Happy Birthday is in order! Already, due to sailors' participation around the globe, the Secchi Disk project has become the World's largest marine citizen science study. I have provided the map of Secchi Depth data as it appeared in January 2016. If you go to the project website and click on the map on the front age, and zoom in, you will see the true extent of the data collected so far, and if you click on a marker on the map you can see the data.

An essential element to the Secchi Disk project's growth is awareness of the study among seafarers, so we are always grateful to anyone who is willing to help by displaying a project poster at their yacht club or on your local marina notice board. If you would like to do so, project posters in A4 and US letter sizes can be downloaded from the Press Pack section of the Secchi Disk project website given above.

You can find out much more about the project's progress in the monthly updates that are posted on the project Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/secchidisk

To every single sailor taking part, thank you. To anyone thinking about helping to understand the biology of the sea you sail upon, why not take part ?

With Best Wishes,

Richard

http://www.planktonpundit.org

 

[Odontella]

A brief update to provide some news about the global Secchi DIsk project http://www.secchidisk.org

1) There is now a free Secchi app for Windows phone users, this operates as a web app and it is called Secchi Web. The app is available on the Microsoft app store. This means that the Secchi app is now available for iOS, Android and Windows.

2) There is a new visualisation of the Secchi Depth data collected by sailors.

The above two developments were made possible by a generous sponsorship from the Whirlwind Charitable Trust http://www.whirlwindcharitabletrust.org.uk/. You can read why the WCT supported the Secchi Disk study here: http://www.whirlwindcharitabletrust.org.uk/index.php/wct-at-work/the-secchi-disk-project

3) There are new project posters available from the project website at the Press Pack section in US Letter, A4 and A6 sizes (or directly from here: http://bit.ly/1KPlfui. The success of the Secchi Disk project relies upon seafarers knowing about its existence. If you would like to help us promote the project we would be very grateful if you would display a poster on your local marina or yacht club notice board. We hope you don't mind that request.

Best wishes and thank you to anyone taking part or helping the project, even if just by talking about it. The Secchi Disk study is now the largest marine citizen science study.

 

[Odontella]

Hi,

Just back to give a brief update on the Secchi Disk study as there are a couple of developments I hope you will find interesting.

First, we are proud to announce that Susie Goodall has become the Secchi Disk study's first seafaring ambassador. Susie Goodall is an accomplished sailor and is the only female, and the youngest, competitor in the 60th anniversary Golden Globe race. that will take place in 2018. You can find out about Susie at her website.

Secondly, the Secchi Disk study has just become a UK-registered charity with the creation of The Secchi Disk Foundation parent organisation. This step will enable the project to receive sponsorship and to grow further.

The Secchi Disk study was launched in 2013 and in just 3 years it is has become the World's largest marine citizen science study of the phytoplankton. Thank you to anyone on this forum who is taking part.

Kind regards

 

[Odontella]

Hi,

Just back to provide a brief (well it turned out to be long) round up of the Secchi Disk citizen science study for 2016.

But first I'd like to introduce the study's long overdue video that describes why the study was begun and how it makes an interesting addition to activities out on the water. This video was released in December and its production was made possible by a grant from the Whirlwind Charitable Trust

Secondly, in the last post to this thread I introduced the study's Seafaring Ambassador Susie Goodall and you can now read about her and the Secchi Disk study in this article

Now to the roundup of 2016

Thank you to all seafarers taking part. It has been another year full of progress for the study as the project map shows.

2016 highlights include, month by month:

January 2016 >>
After several requests we began to offer Secchi Disks for sale. Although we still recommend the DIY approach for economy, you can now buy a Secchi Disk for £25 +p&p by sending an e-mail to request@secchidisk.org.
Raising awareness of the Secchi Disk study is an ongoing task and so we were pleased that the study appeared in Cruising Helmsman to help promote the study in the Southern Hemisphere.

February 2016 >>
This month, the Secchi Disk study entered its 4th year.
We successfully, completed a move of the Secchi Depth database to a new server.
We published a blog about What's happening to Phytoplankton for the Blue Planet Society.
A Hindi Translation of the project quick guide was made available
BBC News cited the Secchi Disk study in an article about changing phytoplankton in the oceans

March >>
We released the Secchi Web app. The web app runs within a mobile device's native internet browser (Internet Explorer on Windows, Safari on iOS, and Chrome on Android). The Secchi Web app was developed primarily to enable Windows phone users to participate. We still recommend that users with iOS and Android phones continue to use the original native Secchi App that will continue to be supported; it is just that new iOS and Android users now have a choice of apps.
New project posters were made available. You can download the posters from the Press Pack section of the project website, or directly at this link. Please help advertise the study by displaying a poster on your yacht club notice board or at your marina office.

April >>
Secchi iOS 1.35 app update was released

May >>
More press coverage this month with an article in the Ocean Digest of India and a blog by the Blue Planet Society 'Studying the phytoplankton with citizen science'.

June >>
We received the first reading from the Galapagos. Hopefully, many more readings will follow.

July >>
We were featured on Boat Radio. Boat Radio is a new radio station and it is the first talk station aimed at boat owners, world cruisers, ocean sports enthusiasts, and armchair adventurers everywhere. So, given the audience, we were delighted to be featured so early on.

August>>
During August, the family onboard the yacht Laridae were taking part in the Barbados 50, an event organised by Cornell Sailing to commemorate 50 years since Barbadian independence. The family made a Secchi Disk from a white plastic, food chopping board and used it to collect Secchi depths on their passage across the Atlantic. The family on Laridae wrote a great blog about making their Secchi Disk.

September >>
The Secchi Disk Foundation charity was launched www.secchidiskfoundation.org to support the Secchi Disk study. The Secchi Disk study relies wholly, on sponsorship and donations to the Foundation. Funds are used to maintain the Secchi Depth database, develop the Secchi apps, and to promote and develop the project.

October >>
Our Seafaring Ambassador Susie Goodall and her yacht Ariadne visited the project in Plymouth. We got some photos and some great press coverage. You can read about Susie Goodall in this online article.

November >>
We released the Secchi Disk study video (see above). For a long time we have wanted a short promotional video to describe the Secchi Disk study, to tell why it is important, and to encourage seafarers to take part to create an ocean legacy. We hope you like it. The video has already had some good reviews and positive feedback.

December >>
We released The Secchi Disk Foundation fundraising video to show to sponsors why they should get involved with the study.

We also commissioned a flag for our Seafaring Ambassador's yacht. Look out for it flying from Ariadne. Susie Goodall our Ambassador received their flag in time for Christmas.

If you made it this far, you will know it has been another year of progress for the Secchi Disk study. In 2017, the study enters its fifth year. The study is now well established and our main goal for 2017 will be to secure sponsorship to help fund the work, increase participation, and develop the study to provide more enjoyment for participants. Without seafarers part however, the study would not be a success, and so this roundup concludes with sincere thanks to everyone collecting data.

Best wishes for the 2017

 

[Odontella]

The Secchi Disk study reached a key achievement today with the publication of the first scientific paper entitled:

Seafarer citizen scientist ocean transparency data as a resource for phytoplankton and climate research

The paper is published in the journal The Public Library of Science ONE or PLOS ONE, and it can be accessed for free HERE

As you will see, the seafarers taking part in the Secchi Disk study are the first authors as it is very much a result of seafarer citizen science.

The key findings of this first publication are

1) Sailors acting as citizen scientists can collect useful scientific data using a simple DIY piece of equipment matched to a Smartphone application,

2) The sailors' data is vital to help us better understand the ocean’s phytoplankton. While satellites now survey the sea surface from space to determine phytoplankton by measuring ocean colour, the Secchi Disk data collected from the sea is important to help interpret the satellite data,

3) Using sailors as citizen scientists it is possible to obtain measurements from far more places than scientists could achieve alone,

4) In years to come, as the sailors' data continues to accumulate, the data will help us better understand the long-term changes in the phytoplankton.

I hope you find this first publication interesting and hopefully, it will be the first of many more.

Why not take part in the Secchi Disk study if you are not doing so already ?

The publication is Open Access, which means it is free to download and distribute.

Best wishes to everyone