Sailing, and doing science - irresistible!

The looks of Statsraad Lehmkuhl betray, the charming century-old tall ship is outfitted as a modern research vessel. An echo sounder is probing the depths, an acoustic instrument is listening for marine life - and for industrial noise. The sea around the hull is constantly checked for temperature, salinity, oxygen-level, and more, and samples are taken and investigated for microplastics and DNA.

Two French scientists, Lucie Cassarino and Natasha Fabregas, have been hired as Science coordinators, responsible for handling the instruments and coordinating the activities on board with scientists on shore. But they also have another duty. They are crucial in building bridges - between science and society, between data and meaning, and between the ocean and those who depend on it.

From Brittany and Marseille

Both Lucie and Natasha come from coastal regions of France, and both are experienced marine scientists.

– I come from Brittany in the Ouest of France, says Lucie. I’m a biogeochemist. I mix biology, chemistry and geochemistry to understand how nutrients travel from land to ocean, how they are used in the ocean by marine organisms and how they are exported to the seabed - and how they can make their way back to the ocean.

Natasha is from Marseille in the south.

– My background is in geology and marine geology, and I've been studying how sediments are deposited on the sea floor.

Their reasons for joining the expedition were both personal and professional. For Lucie, the opportunity to sail and do science was irresistible.

– Being here is a dream job, sailing and doing science at the same time, she says. I wanted a job where I could really be in the field and also engage more with the public.

Natasha agrees.

– It might sound a bit childish, but I have wanted to be an oceanographer since I was six. My parents didn’t even know the word, they had to look it up! And I really enjoyed sailing, so when I saw this opportunity of doing both sailing and science, I was like, yes - I want to do this.

Coordinating and communicating

The title science coordinators barely hints at the breadth of what their job entails. They oversee the ship’s sampling plan, maintain the instruments, troubleshoot data quality, and they coordinate science projects both with researchers staying on board for shorter periods, and with universities and research institutions on shore.

The two are also an important link between the research being done, the voyage crew and the public visiting the ship in port.

– We explain what we’re doing, to engage the public in science, Lucie says. We want the voyage crew to feel involved, not just being passengers, but part of a project that helps them understand more about the ocean and scientific work. Everyone has different levels of understanding, so we try to be approachable and open to questions.

The daily routine

Lucie and Natasha are in charge for one month each.

– The idea is to ensure the samples are consistent and comparable across the journey, so the data can be used later, Lucie says.

The two have a daily routine of sampling going on for the whole voyage.

– But on top of that, for some of the legs, we're going to have a big group of scientists coming with their own projects. We have to coordinate those with the One Ocean Expedition goals. And knowing the instruments we also make sure that the data collected is good data, that’s a really important point, Lucie says.

– One of the samples is collected every 12 hours from the inline system, explains Natasha, a pump that brings seawater directly into the lab. We fill small bottles, and these are later analyzed for water isotopes, which help us figure out how much evaporation from the sea to the air above there is in a given area.

Every third day, they also filter seawater for microplastics, using devices that separate particles by size.

– We’re going to get back filters full of, well, unfortunately, full of microplastic, Natasha says. We store those and send them to scientists on shore.

A third technique involves collecting eDNA, environmental DNA. All organisms living in the sea sheds small particles, and DNA from these particles disclose what species they came from.

– Doing eDNA sampling requires stopping the ship and deploying an instrument to about five meters depth, Natasha explains. We filter the water and store the DNA to later identify which organisms are present.

Instruments on board collect continuous data, too, from weather conditions to chlorophyll levels to acoustic measurements.

– All of the sensors we use are the same quality as those on ordinary research vessels, Lucie says. The only real difference is storage space and lab capacity. But in terms of data quality, there’s no compromise.

Ups and downs

Doing research on a sailing vessel has its ups and downs - literally. The ship heels with the wind, drifts during sampling, and doesn’t always allow for quick stops like a motorized vessel might. But it also offers advantages.

– One benefit is that we can take acoustic measurements without engine noise when we're under sail, says Natasha. And often, it’s actually more stable than a motorized boat in rough seas.

Each day begins with a coordination meeting with the captain.

– We talk about where we are, whether we can stop, and what samples we can take, Lucie explains. It’s a balance between doing science and keeping to the sailing schedule.

They recently tested a new type of CTD, an instrument that measures conductivity, temperature, and depth.

– It’s a lot smaller than regular CTDs, about the size of a water bottle, and we lowered it into the sea on a fishing rod! It was like fishing - fishing for knowledge, Lucie smiles.

Their data showed no sharp layering in the upper meters of water, an indication that the ocean surface was mixed that day.

– It probably means the bloom, the phytoplankton, are going to struggle a bit more to grow because they are deeper in the water where there is less light, says Lucie.

Making a difference

For both Lucie and Natasha, this voyage is as much about raising awareness as it is about gathering data.

– One thing we hope to show is that you can do research from a sailing ship, and do it well, Lucie says. It’s more sustainable, and the data is going to be publicly available. Anyone can use it, students, researchers, even members of the public.

They also hope their findings, particularly about microplastics, will help shift perceptions and policy.

– We really hope not to find that much microplastics, but let’s be honest, we will, says Natasha. We’ll be far from land, in the middle of nowhere, and still surrounded by plastic. That’s a powerful message.

And the impact isn’t only through scientific channels.

– We talk to voyage crew, give presentations, and bring people into the lab, Lucie says. Part of our role is communication. It’s not just for scientists, it’s for everyone.

Hope they listen

As scientists deeply involved in climate research, their outlook is a mix of realism and hope.

– Without the ocean, we wouldn’t be here, Lucie says plainly. It produces oxygen. It regulates climate. If the ocean is in bad shape, we’re in bad shape.

But how bad is it?

– We know the ocean is changing, says Natasha. We know some fish stocks are declining. Coral reefs are bleaching. But the system is so complex that it’s hard to predict exactly how things will unfold.

So you are optimistic?

– I think I’m optimistic about people, says Lucie. The public wants change. But I’m more pessimistic about governments and big corporations. They know the problems, but are they willing to act?

– That’s why this expedition matters, Natasha adds. We want to bring the data to the people who make decisions. Show them what’s really happening. And hope they listen.