*** Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series by science writer Judith Garfiield detailing her recent work on the effects of biofuel emissions on the environment and on our health. The first part of the article was printed in the Feb. 13 edition of La Jolla Village News. The cruise around California’s Channel Islands, about 180 miles northwest of San Diego, was conducted by La Jolla’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. *** Ship’s Log Day 3 Sleeping in a bunk atop fair seas is akin to swinging in a hammock. This morning, I look out my porthole and see in the distance San Nicolas Island, set off by blue sky and smooth, blue water. On deck, a dove has inexplicably landed atop the trailer. Out-of-place wildlife occasionally appears, possibly after becoming disoriented or blown out to sea by strong winds. After a respite, the dove was off again, lost to the sky. News from the bridge: Despite checking with the U.S. Navy’s schedule prior to the cruise, a call into the marine radio notifies us that target practice is under way ahead, so we must exit their space. At least we had some hours of successfully capturing the plume in clean air. We’ve traveled far to find it. The walkie-talkies are now mostly on the fritz, so, after troubleshooting, it is decided we will take turns reading out wind speed and direction instead of relegating that info to the equipment in the trailer. I’m here to help. We spelled each other an hour at a time, sitting in front of the meteorological station monitor behind the captain. The captain and crew continue to be upbeat while making labor-intensive incremental compass alterations to get the plume to flow into the snorkel. SIO graduate student Jun is measuring emissions from the smokestacks to determine if any particulates are known to negatively affect climate or be carcinogenic. Jun’s work nicely segues with UCLA grad student Michelle’s. She is also collecting particle emissions to identify potential aerosol toxicities as they interact with and function in human tissues. SIO grad student Kevin is tackling the same questions as Jun but is using more highly sensitive equipment in order to reveal precise information about the emissions at the molecular level. Ship’s Log Day 4 The cook is a prickly character, and my being a vegetarian hasn’t endeared me to him, but no one can go hungry on this ship. Rise and shine to two kinds of prepared eggs, oatmeal, breakfast meats, pancakes or French toast, some kind of potatoes, biscuits, doughnuts or pastries and salad. Lunch always includes soup and maybe sandwiches, mac and cheese, french fries, cooked veggies and salad. For dinner, there’s soup, steak, enchiladas, baked fish, cooked veggies, rice or potatoes, lasagna and salad. For dessert, there may be ice cream sundaes, brownies or apple pie a la mode. In between meals, snacks are set out, with the fridge and freezer always available for raiding. Of course, coffee brews 24/7. We are coming to the end of the day, and I spot a tiny rock in the distance. It is Santa Barbara Island, the smallest Channel Island. Even with the constant droning of the engine, I appreciate these views and, later on, cruising under a starry night sky enveloped in unseasonable warmth. As we motor around Catalina, Kevin’s phone picks up a signal from Avalon. He offers it to Michele and me so we can take a break and access the app SkyView. Hold the phone up to the sky; it identifies the stars, planets and constellations “seen” in the phone’s camera. Cool! UC Riverside grad student Derek’s work augments all the onboard science in that his data is collected using a federally mandated protocol established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Put another way, he is essentially conducting a smog check, not unlike those required for cars. In this case, Derek is generating standardized benchmarks for all cruise data collected. Jun is following Derek’s work with another project, that of developing a new and improved technique for measuring particle emissions. This work has potentially far-reaching implications for determining emissions standards in the future. Ship’s Log Day 5: Port o’ call We are heading back to San Diego, collecting emissions data from polluted air close to the coast. In fact, there is a bonus. A fire rages in the distance at Camp Pendleton. Not part of our objective, but a welcome coincidence. Again, there are military operations on the water, but we expect this around San Clemente Island. An incoming radio call warns all mariners to exit the area. Don’t need to tell us twice, even though changing direction means losing the mercurial plume we have enjoyed for more than an hour. No matter. We’ve had a successful cruise, with good data being collected every minute. This is only a snapshot of work and life on one oceanographic cruise. I saw firsthand that when it comes to shipboard science, unpredictability is the norm. Out at sea, there is no additional technical support, no running to the store for parts, no ability to control the weather and no way to make the floor hold still. I found the scientists and crew an unfailingly optimistic and dedicated group. Russell agreed, saying, “The crew was really supportive of the science and made sure we got all the data we wanted. It is amazing how they adapt and accommodate to what needs to be done. They quickly grasped the science while also contributing their expertise.” After a year, when all data have been collected and analyzed, I will follow up with another article on the results. But for now, when reflecting on my adventure, I feel privileged to have participated in contributing to the betterment of our ever-changing natural environment.