Commander Guy Noll, commanding officer of the NOAA Ship RAINIER, maintaining watch as the RAINIER traverses constrained waters in Alaska.

NOAA Ship RAINIER underway in Alaskan waters with snow-dusted mountains as backdrop.

Standing watch in the engine room of the NOAA Ship RAINIER.

Standing watch in the engine room of the NOAA Ship RAINIER. Lots of circuits and wires to keep track of.

NOAA Ship RAINIER at anchor in Alaskan waters.

"Old Glory" waving from the stern of the RAINIER at sunset.

NOAA Ship RAINIER anchored in Columbia Bay at the terminus of the Columbia Glacier.

NOAA Ship RAINIER

NOAA Ship OSCAR DYSON at launching ceremony at VT Halter Marine, Inc., shipyard.

NOAA Ship OSCAR DYSON being launched at VT Halter Marine, Inc., shipyard.

NOAA Ship PISCES during launch ceremony at VT Halter Marine, Inc., shipyard. NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher is standing to left of speaker stand and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Deputy Assistant Administrator John Oliver stands on far left of platform. Ship's sponsor Dr. Annette Shelby stands between them.

Dr. Annette Shelby, sponsor of the NOAA Ship PISCES, breaks the ceremonial bottle of champagne on the prow of the PISCES prior to launch.

The NOAA Ship PISCES is launched at VT Halter Marine, Inc., shipyard.

NOAA Ship HI'IALAKAI in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands

NOAA Ship McARTHUR II conducting operations for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. During search for airship MACON.

Looking over the anchor of the NOAA Ship HI'IALAKAI as spray flies off the bow while the ship is underway.

Survey launch off the NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON conducting hydrographic survey in New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty.

Survey launch off the NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON conducting hydrographic survey in New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty.

NOAA Ship RAINIER and its reflection in Peril Strait on a very calm day.

NOAA Ship OSCAR DYSON.

Capt. Bob Wallace mans the stern controls of the R/V AUK during the removal of marine debris from the historic shipwreck PAUL PALMER

NOAA Ship TOWNSEND CROMWELL is rimmed by a rainbow while it stands by during a deep diving operation with down line and diver's PAM nearby.

NOAA Ship OSCAR ELTON SETTE during a lull in diving operations

During Small Boat class Biological Technician Joe Laughlin is the rescuer during a Direct Pickup exercise.

Electronic technician at work giving new meaning to the term "Conehead".

NOAA Ship JOHN N. COBB conducting research for NMFS Auke Bay Laboratory.

NOAA Ship MILLER FREEMAN getting ready for acoustic trawl survey, starboard view .

NOAA Ship MILLER FREEMAN getting ready for acoustic trawl survey, bow view.

NOAA Ship JOHN N. COBB in Tracy Arm Fiord during a harbor seal pupping survey

Bos'n Stryder operates the NOAA Ship JOHN N. COBB's skiff during harbor seal pupping surveys in front of Sawyer Glacier.

Bos'n Stryder operates the NOAA Ship JOHN N. COBB's skiff during harbor seal pupping surveys.

Bos'n Stryder operates the NOAA Ship JOHN N. COBB's skiff during harbor seal pupping surveys against the backdrop of Sawyer Glacier.

Ed Lyman, large whale disentanglement expert from NOAA's Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, instructs participants during a disentanglement simulation held in Juneau, Alaska.

Ed Lyman, large whale disentanglement expert from NOAA's Hawaiian Island Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, instructs participants during a disentanglement simulation held in Juneau, Alaska.

Small boat operations off the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN

Mast of the NOAA SHIP DAVID STARR JORDAN at night.

Small boat returning to the NOAA SHIP DAVID STARR JORDAN after marine mammal observation operations.

Small boat DS 3 alongside the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN.

Small boat operations off the DAVID STARR JORDAN in support of marine mammal observations.

School of dolphin maybe hurrying to see if they can catch the bow wave of the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN as taken from a small craft off the DSJ.

Time for a little exploration and R and R on Cocos Island. Photographers and dreamers on the bridge wing of the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN approaching Cocos Island.

Heading ashore for some exploration of Cocos Island. NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN almost framed between two fishing vessels.

The NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN is seen on an azure sea from the heights of Cocos Island.

The ship's barber shop is open on the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN.

Offshore rock as seen from the bow of the NOAA Ship DAVID STARR JORDAN.

CTD equipment is being pulled up manually off the Mexican ship BIP during a coastal oceanographic cruise off the waters of Xcalak between NOAA and ECOSUR.

Crew on watch at sunrise during MOCNESS sampling off the NOAA Ship GORDON GUNTER .

Launching the small boat AR1 from McArthur II for large whale photo id

Small boat AR1 from the NOAA ship McArthur II. Leaving to track whales spotted close to the ship during the SPLASH cruise in Alaskan waters.

NOAA boats pulling pair-trawl used to detect PIT-tagged salmonids in the Columbia River Estuary.