Eastern Area Cruise #27 16-26 October 1967 including Eastern Grid Survey #15 Cruise Itinerary: 16 October 0800 - Depart Alameda 17 October 0300 - Enter Grid at Point "Ash" 25 October 2115 - Depart Grid at 35°00' N, 122°38' W 26 October 1800 - Arrive San Francisco Survey Personnel: Richard Chandler (Biologist-in-Charge) Robert L. Pyle Thomas J. Lewis Methods Diurnal observations were held from the helicopter deck on the 16th through 18th. The watch was moved to the lee wing of the bridge from the 19th onward due chiefly to strong winds. Two periods of nocturnal watch were held at the searchlight on the port (lee) quarterdeck. The skiff was used for 1-1/2 hours on 17 October, but collecting conditions were not favorable again during the remainder of the cruise. No birds were secured from the skiff, but several errant landbirds were shot as they rested on the deck. Bathythermograph soundings were made at 2-hour intervals from 0400-2000 and at 2400 while in the Grid area. The BT instrument was lost overboard on 25 October at 2345. Other methods and procedures followed those established on previous cruises. Cruise Track (See Figure #1) The two non-Grid legs between San Francisco and the Grid are over essentially the same area and save for the influence of weather are roughly comparable. (See non-Grid discussion.) The nominal Grid track was covered, with little deviation from Point "Ash" to a point about 70 miles west of Point Oak. At this point, sunset of the 24th, it was prudent to turn north in order to make best use of the diurnal hours in the two sections "T" and "W" which needed the additional coverage. The 900 diurnal Grid miles were divided among the nine sections fairly equally (average deviation from 100 miles = about 11 miles; see Table #2). Excellent cooperation was received from Captain Keiser, the deck force, weather personnel, quartermasters, and all concerned with the operation. Conditions During most of the survey period a moderate high pressure system to the west of the Grid and a trough of low pressure over the southern California area produced a gradient that resulted in moderately strong (20+ Kt.) northwest winds. Seas and winds were low on the 17th before the