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Kim Juniper spotted something strange out of the corner of his eye on the ROV monitor yesterday—even though he was distracted at the time by a phone call. The chance discovery would prove one of the more interesting targets of today’s explorations, and may even have yielded a new species. But that was just one … Continued
Today was a mix of mechanical achievements and pure exploration—in one case unplanned—that led to the discovery of two surprisingly large deep coral habitats. After the launch and long drive to the bottom, the day’s first task was to attach another oxygen sensor, this one at the NEPTUNE observatory’s only instrument package along the deepest … Continued
“OK, let’s fly.” That was Keith Shepherd, general manager for the ROPOS ROV. It was time to quickly back the vehicle away from the large instrument package 1,250 meters below us. The pilot had just pulled a cord that released buoys intended to take the package up for recovery. Nothing happened for what seemed too … Continued
It was hard to tell with all the fog, but as we made our way out of Saanich Inlet through Active Pass, we were threading a precariously narrow needle. Though sailboats avoid it, powerful ferries take this pass, coming close to the steep rock sides that we could only see in places. Our first stop … Continued
Before the sun rose this morning, the ROPOS team was prepping the remotely operated vehicle for our first research dive. The main target was a place nearly devoid of oxygen where, surprisingly enough, some animals are still able to thrive. What they are able to do, a species of sole in particular, inspired a strange … Continued
We left the dock at beautiful Victoria this morning to cut our way through very thick fog to another scenic spot, Saanich Inlet, about 4 hours away. Every two minutes the foghorn blew—and woe to those outside who forgot to plug their ears. En route to Saanich, the first call went around the ship that … Continued
After nearly two weeks criss-crossing the shelf and beyond off Vancouver Island, the team is now safely back to Victoria, where the ship’s crew is quickly preparing for the expedition’s second leg with the ROPOS remotely operated vehicle. “This was a most amazing and highly productive cruise,” says Richard Dewey, Leg One’s chief scientist, “It was … Continued
It’s the penultimate science day aboard Falkor for this cruise, and the team is working hard to tick off the boxes next to jobs that still need to be accomplished. Yesterday they ran the coastal front next to Vancouver Island, then they zig zagged yet again along the continental shelf break. After that it was … Continued
Today the edits to the plan were minor, and we have started our final push. The weather is grey, with low clouds, irregular seas, and cool temperatures. The forecast calls for an increase in the SE wind. The MVP remains in the water nearly all day, with periodic checks on the fish to inspect for … Continued
