Interviews: Seaman Ed "Catfish" Popowitz

Atlantis Captain George Silva (left) and Ed “Catfish” Popowitz have sailed together on research vessels from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution since 1996.

Question:
What’s the story behind your nickname “Catfish?”

Ed:
When I was eight or nine years old, I went fishing with friends and I was the only one who caught a catfish, so they started using it as my nickname. When I was a roadie I was known as Fast Ed but when I started working on boats, I brought Catfish back because it seemed more appropriate. I have the Catfish insignia on hundreds of T-shirts, my safety helmet, my safety vest, and my foul weather gear. I have it on my business cards, too. My next big thing will be Catfish coffee mugs and guitar picks.

Question:
You work on a science research vessel, so do people assume that you have a background in oceanography?

Ed:
The ship’s crew comes from all different backgrounds. Before I began work for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in 1996, I was a roadie in rock bands. Most of the bands were local, Boston-based groups. When I was just out of high school, focusing on music was what I wanted to do with my life. Then a friend on the Atlantis II suggested that I check out work on research vessels. Liking it had a lot to do with good crewmembers. They taught me what I needed to know.

	Ed “Catfish” Popowitz earned his nickname after a childhood fishing trip in Massachusetts. He works as an able-bodied seaman on Atlantis.

Question:
From rock bands to oceanographic work… how do your two careers compare?

Ed:
You know, this job is a lot like being a roadie. You set up all kinds of technical stuff, get prepared for these important events, and then you break it down, go somewhere else, and do it again. First as a roadie and now as a seaman, I feel like I’m helping people accomplish something important. I can't say if the scientists or musicians are harder to work with. With both, you just have to form a good working relationship, and I've been lucky to have that with just about all the people I've met. There are some differences, of course. I used to get free concert tickets and backstage passes. Now I get tickets to the New England Aquarium.

Question:
Is the excitement level that exists in the music industry there with oceanographic research?

Ed:
There are definitely moments when it is just as exciting. This job can be an exciting challenge because you can't let anything go. So much is riding on what you have to do. If one thing slides, the whole expedition may slow down. But it's great because we do so many different things. You're never bored, that's for sure.

Question:
Did you grow up near the sea?

Ed:
I'm from Hanover, Massachusetts, south of Boston. Now I live in Middleboro Massachusetts. But of course I don't really live there much, because I'm at sea eight months a year.

Question:
There are two types of seaman on this ship. There are ordinary seamen. And then there are people like you—called able-bodied seamen. What is the difference?

Ed:
Entry-level people working on the deck often start as ordinary seamen. Then you can take tests and demonstrate seamanship skills, like knot tying and boat launching, and you can move up to be an able-bodied seaman. The next step after that is third mate, second mate, and so on, if you want to keep progressing.

Question:
The ship sails worldwide for research. Where are some of the places you have visited?

Ed:
I've been able to go all over the world: England, Ireland, the Seychelles, Brazil, South Africa, Istanbul, and Malta. My favorite places are Astoria, Oregon; San Diego, California, and Massachusetts.

Back in 1999 we went to Easter Island. That was so cool! I remember reading about that place when I was a kid, dreaming about going there. I've been to Stonehenge, too. Visiting these places are good perks of the job.

Question:
What do you wish young people knew about your job?

Ed:
I hope that high school students know that this is a career option if they don’t want to go to college right away, or work a 9 to 5 job, or flip hamburgers for a living.

Question:
What are the best aspects of work on Atlantis?

Ed:
Meeting new people all the time. The scientist groups keep rotating so it is never the same place. Also, Atlantis rides really smooth in the water, and we've got a great DVD collection, a library, e-mail, a workout room, and even ping-pong. Plus the crew is great. There are so many experienced people here. A lot of us live near Woods Hole, so when we're home we keep in touch. We're close as friends, not just as coworkers. The friendships help us work better as a team.