Bucket sampling is the simplest method for collecting surface water. Usually, a bucket with a rope tied to it is thrown into the sea to scoop up surface water while the vessel is stopped, such as during CTD observations. Water should be collected, avoiding the outlets for wastewater flowing from the ship, engine cooling water, and sewage discharged from the ship's hull. The trick to collecting clean surface water is to throw the bucket as far away from the ship as possible and lift it on board without allowing it to come in contact with the hull. If the bucket comes in contact with the hull, the seawater may be contaminated by hull paint or algae growing on the hull's surface.
