DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.33072024
Plankton Dynamics on the Africana Voyage 089, February 1991

The Plankton Dynamics cruise on the Africana Voyage 089 was conducted from 12-23 February 1991. The objectives of the cruise were to complete a summer transect to provide information on zooplankton vertical migration patterns during the period of maximum upwelling; to contrast hydrological and planktological conditions across the shelf just north of the Columbine divergence, at a time when pelagic fish larvae transported in the jet current were crossing the shelf to the nursery area; to measure rates of primary and secondary production in different size classes of planktonic organisms at offshore (shelf-break), mid shelf and inshore locations; to examine the influence of recent feeding history on the condition of pre-recruit pelagic fish; to measure time-dependent fluctuations in the currents using the acoustic doppler current profiler; and to make measurements of nitrogen dynamics within the planktonic community.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.15072024
Anchovy Recruitment Survey on the Africana Voyage 092, May 1991

The Anchovy Pilchard Recruitment Survey on the Africana Voyage 092 was conducted on the 7 to the 24 May 1991. The main objectives of the cruise were to estimate the abundance and size-structure of anchovy; a description of the distribution and behaviour patterns of anchovy and pilchard of recruits and the oceanographic variables on these; a collection of biological data on pelagic fish species; an examination of the distribution, abundance and production of plankton in relation to the environment and to recruit distribution and condition; an examination of feeding ecology and food selection of pilchard recruits; an investigation of the vertical distribution and behaviour of feeding juvenile hake in relation to their food environment; an examination of the feasibility of mackerel collecting live horse with the midwater trawl, and of keeping them alive on board and the retrieval of a current meter mooring off Hondeklip Bay.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.14832023
South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 061, December 2023

The South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) is an annual voyage undertaken by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to change the overwintering teams in Antarctica and to replenish the supplies at the SANAE IV Research base. This voyage was to deliver the SANAE 63 over wintering team to the research base and return with the SANAE 62 team. The cruise was undertaken between 26 December 2023 and 20 February 2024 with full scientific complement. For this voyage, the cruise track was adjusted to accommodate stop-overs at the Prince Edward Islands (PEI) on both the south bound transect and north bound transect to and from Antarctica. The main ship-based research objectives was to undertake underway sampling along the transects, which include XBT sampling between PEI and Antarctica; Underway PCO2; nutrient and chlorophyll sampling and the deployment of ARGO floats.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.43042026
Processed CTD discrete observations from the Pelagic Pre-Recruit Survey on the Africana Voyage 143, March 1997

Here we present processed Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) discrete data from the downcast collected between 08 March and 25 March 1997, during voyage 143 on the Africana, in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) on the west coast of Southern Africa and in the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ACLME) on the south coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

(No DOI)
Raw TSG data from Gough Island Relief on SA Agulhas II Voyage 017, September 2015

This is raw Thermosalinograph (TSG) data from the SA Agulhas II voyage 017, Gough Island Relief 03 September 2015 to 06 October 2015. The Gough Island Relief Voyage is an annual cruise undertaken by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to change the overwintering team in Gough Island and to replenish the supplies at the British’s leased Gough Island Research base. The cruise also serves as a means to transport the residents and/or visitors to Tristan da Cunha using a signed agreement between South Africa and United Kingdom (UK). This voyage was to deliver the Gough 61 team to the island and return with the Gough 60 team. The scope of ship-based science for this takeover voyage was limited to underway observations and SAWS drifting buoy deployments.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.14872023
South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 056, December 2022 - February 2023

The South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) is an annual voyage undertaken by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to facilitate the overwintering team change at SANAE IV Research Base in Antarctica and replenish supplies. This voyage, SA Agulhas II Voyage 056, took place between 07 December 2022 and 13 February 2023, delivering the SANAE 62 overwintering team and returning with the SANAE 61 team. The primary ship based research objectives included underway sampling along the Good Hope transect from Cape Town to Antarctica and back, as well as hydrographic sampling and mooring recovery in the Maud Rise area as part of the South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (SAMOC) program.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052220
Mooring Cruise on the Algoa Voyage 199, June 2013

The Mooring Cruise was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 199 from 29 June - 3 July, 2013. The area covered includes Slangkop, off of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa to Port Edward, south of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.250121-13
St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) on the Africana Voyage 275, August 2011

This St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) cruise was conducted on the Africana Voyage 275 from 1 to 5 August 2011. This is a long-term monitoring line conducted off the coast of Elands/St Helena Bay on the west coast of South Africa. SHBML started in 2000 as a BENEFIT-driven project on "shipboard monitoring" which linked with similar lines run in Namibia and Angola. The aims were to obtain seasonal and interannual information on the hydrology and productivity of the area. It was incorporated under the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela (IEP:SB) in 2013 consolidating a long-term, multi-decadal time-series (from 1951 onward) of information for this important region and has continued monitoring in the form of the IEP:SB. The programme is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative and capacity building platform undertaking relevant science, including updating technology, with the aim to develop ecosystem indicators that can be used to effectively monitor and understand the...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.18042024
SEAmester and Agulhas System Climate Array (ASCA) Scientific Cruise on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 058, June 2023

The SEAmester and Agulhas System Climate Array (ASCA) Scientific Cruise was conducted on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 058 from 19 June 2023 to 29 June 2023. The cruise operated from Cape Town to the ASCA transect (~ 34° S) off Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, South West Indian Ocean. The objective of the SEAmester cruise was to undertake the ASCA transect across the Agulhas Current and sample the 20 CTD stations done previously. In addition, SEAmester shallow (200 m) CTD training stations took place each day at 10am and 4pm for student training.

DOI: 10.15493/dea.mims.26052315
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Dedicated West Coast Cetacean Distribution and Abundance Survey on the Algoa Voyage 188, November 2011

This dedicated West Coast Cetacean Distribution and Abundance Survey was conducted on the Algoa Voyage 188 from 10 to 20 November, 2011.The main objective of this cruise was to develop and test approaches to a dedicated cetacean cruise. This objective, along with the research aims and proposed methodologies are consistent with internationally acceptable protocols. This work provided hands on experience of logistical and technical cetacean specific problems with dedicated cetacean cruises. This cruise was conducted from the Algoa and two smaller boats. This work precluded the long-term monitoring surveys that were conducted annually from 2012.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.05242023
Processed CTD continuous observations from the West Coast Hake Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 059, February 1988

Here we present processed downcast Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) continuous data collected between 02 February and 25 February 1988, during the West Coast Hake Biomass Cruise on the Africana Voyage 059, in the southern part of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) region on the west coast of South Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000. The main objective of the cruise was to survey by means of trawling the abundance of adult and recruiting hake in South African waters; to investigate the diurnal cycle of hake and other demersal species; to make some experimental trawls in deep water to collect deep-water specimens of fish and squid; to collect routine biological material on demersal species from South West African waters; to investigate the occurence, distribution and abundance of squid and squid larvae; to...

(No DOI)
Raw TSG data from the St Helena Bay Monitoring Line (SHBML) on the Algoa Voyage 195, March 2013

This is raw Thermosalinograph (TSG) data from the St Helena Bay Monitoring Line, which now falls under the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela, on the Algoa Voyage 196, 4 to 8 March, 2013.The St Helena Bay Monitoring Line was initiated as a BENEFIT-driven project on "shipboard monitoring" which linked with similar lines run in Namibia and Angola. The aims are to obtain seasonal and interannual information on the hydrology and productivity of the area. Data on harmful algal blooms, low oxygen water and intrusions of Agulhas Bank water along the west coast will also be collected. A long-term, multi-decadel time-series (from 1951 onward) of information already exists for this important region and has continued in the form of the IEP:SB to detect long-term changes in the hydrology and the plankton, which are important for the detection of regime shifts.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.15072023
South Coast Inshore Demersal Biomass and Horse Mackerel Acoustic Survey on the Africana Voyage 125, September 1994

The South Coast Inshore Demersal Biomass and Horse Mackerel Acoustic Survey was conducted on the Africana 125 from 21 September to 18 October 1994. The primary objective is to conduct a stratified bottom trawl survey to assess the biomass, abundance and distribution of hake, sole, horse mackerel, squid and other trawl species on the Agulhas Bank up to 200m, but biased in terms of number of stations in depths up to 120m.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.22072024
Processed CTD continuous observations from the South Coast Demersal Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 095, September 1991

Here we present processed downcast Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) continuous data collected between 12 September and 03 October 1991, during voyage 095 on the Africana, in the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ACLME) region on the south coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.17072024
Processed CTD discrete observations from the Anchovy Recruitment Survey on the Africana Voyage 092, May 1991

Here we present processed Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) discrete data from the upcast collected between 07 May and 24 May 1991, during voyage 092 on the Africana, in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) region on the west coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.15112024
West Coast Hake Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 109, January 1993

The West Coast Hake Biomass Survey was conducted on the Africana Voyage 109 from 19 January to 08 February 1993. The objectives of the cruise were to survey by means of bottom trawling the abundance of hake and ither demersal species on the West Coast of South Africa; to investigate the environmental and ecological interrelationships of hake and other demersal species; to study the biology of chondrichthyan species; to investigate the evolution of chondrichthyan immune systems; to obtain coverage of chlorophyll-fluorescence distribution at the sea surface as part of an ongoing monitoring program; and lastly to obtain information on the hydrology and currents on the West Coast.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.16112024
Processed CTD continuous observations from the West Coast Hake Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 109, January 1993

Here we present processed downcast Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) continuous data collected, between 19 January and 08 February 1993, during voyage 109 on the FRS Africana, in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) region on the west coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.33042026
Processed CTD continuous observations from the South Coast Demersal Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 135, April 1996

Here we present processed downcast Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) continuous data collected between 11 April and 29 April 1996, during voyage 135 on the Africana, in the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ACLME) on the south coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.09852023
Southern Ocean Seasonal Experiment 2022 (SCALE-WIN22) on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 053, July 2022

This cruise, conducted on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 053 in July 2022, was included as a final component of the SCALE programme (Southern oCean seAsonaL Experiment, https://scale.org.za), a bottom-up endeavour of the SA scientific community to address the limited multidisciplinary knowledge on the seasonal cycle of the Southern Ocean. The seasonal cycle is an important mode of variability that couples the physical mechanisms of climate forcing to ecosystem response in phytoplankton diversity, primary production, and carbon export. Model simulations of the Southern Hemisphere tend to misestimate the magnitude and miss the timing of the Southern Ocean seasonal cycle both in terms of the seasonality of surface ocean warming and cooling, sea ice advancement/retreat, carbon dioxide exchanges and simulated primary production. Our capability to predict the ongoing shifts and future responses is therefore limited. This drives the need for more physical and biogeochemical data sets that...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.05292023
Processed CTD discrete observations from the South Coast Hake Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 063, May 1988

Here we present processed Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) discrete data from the upcast collected between 10 May and 03 June 1988, during the South Coast Hake Biomass Cruise on the Africana Voyage 063, in the southern part of the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem (ACLME) on the south coast of South Africa and the southern part of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) region on the west coast of South Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000. The objective of the cruise was to survey by means of trawling the abundance of adult and recruiting hake, sole and other trawl target species; to investigate the environment and interrelationships of hake and other demersal species in various depth strata; to study demersal community relationships; to investigate the occurence, distribution and abundance of squid; to...

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.39042026
Processed CTD continuous observations from the West Coast Demersal Biomass Survey on the Africana Voyage 139, January 1997

Here we present processed Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) continuous data from the downcast collected between 9 January and 30 January 1997, during voyage 139 on the Africana, in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) on the west coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.09942023
Processed underway Thermosalinograph (TSG) observations from the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela (IEP:SB) on the Algoa Voyage 262, August 2019

Here we present the 6-second resolution processed Thermosalinograph (TSG) data between 13 August 2019 and 19 August 2019 during the Integrated Ecosystem Programme: Southern Benguela (IEP:SB) on the RS Algoa Voyage 262. A SeaBird SBE45 TSG is used to opportunistically collect underway near-surface temperature and conductivity measurements during research and monitoring cruises. Water is continuously pumped to the TSG from an intake located in the hull of the vessel, and the observations are continuously interfaced with navigational information. A temperature sensor close to the intake provides temperature measurements of the incoming water (T1). The temperature of the water inside the conductivity cell (T2) is used to accurately compute salinity (S) from the conductivity measurements (C). The programme is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional platform undertaking relevant science in the Southern Benguela; it also functions as a platform for collaboration and learning. All...

(No DOI)
Raw SADCP data from the Walters Shoal Cruise on Algoa Voyage 207, May 2014

This is raw Shipboard Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (SADCP) data collected on the Walters Shoal Cruise on Algoa Voyage 207, 15 May to 11 June 2014. The purpose of this cruise was to survey the oceanographic conditions and plankton distributions around Walter Shoal seamount, from beyond the 1000m contour line across the plateau.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.36042026
Processed CTD continuous observations from the Agulhas Eddy-Filament Interactions on the Africana on the Africana Voyage 138, December 1996

Here we present processed downcast Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) continuous data collected between 19 December and 24 December 1996 during voyage 138 on the Africana in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME) on the west coast of Southern Africa. Neil Brown MK3 and MK4 CTD instruments were used to measure pressure, temperature and conductivity through the water column during research and monitoring cruises between 1983 and 2000.

DOI: 10.15493/DEA.MIMS.05312023
South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) on the SA Agulhas II Voyage 049, November 2021

The South African National Antarctic Expedition (SANAE) is an annual voyage undertaken by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to change the overwintering teams in Antarctica and to replenish the supplies at the SANAE IV Research base. This voyage was to deliver the SANAE 61 over wintering team to the research base and return with the SANAE 60 team. The cruise was undertaken between 30 November 2021 and 28 January 2022 with full scientific complement. The main ship-based research objectives was to undertake underway sampling along the Good Hope transect from Cape Town to Antarctica and on the return leg from Antarctica to Cape Town and to complete hydrographic sampling and mooring deployments in the Muaid Rise area for the South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (SAMOC) and Southern Ocean Carbon and Heat Impact on Climate (SO-CHIC) research programs.

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