NOAA Research Vessel

 Thomas Jefferson,

   Sandy Hook Channel,

    New Jersey

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce, and has a number of chartered responsiblities; besides weather forecasting, NOAA also monitors changes in and under the sea along America's coastlines. To that end it has a fleet of research vessels, including the Thomas Jefferson, formerly a U.S. Navy research ship.