Logbook: August 3

Enroute to Endeavour Ridge
Bill Chadwick, Chief Scientist

R/V Atlantis in port at Astoria, Oregon. (click image for larger view)

The research vessel, Atlantis, departed Astoria, Oregon at 6:30am to study and sample active hydrothermal activity several hundred miles off the west cost Oregon and Washington. This expedition will be primarily studying 2 venting areas: Endeavour Ridge and Axial Volcano. If time permits, at the end of the expedition we hope to explore a vent site on the Cobb segment that has never been visited before.

The Endeavour Ridge dives are being led by Daniela DiIorio from the University of Georgia. Bill Chadwick, NOAA Vents Program, is the chief scientist for the Axial operations. Both areas will be using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Jason. The first ROV dive should begin tomorrow morning. Between Jason dives we will be using an autonomous under water vehicle (AUV) from MBARI. Dave Clague is the scientist leading that effort.

The beginning of and expedition like this one always has a frenzy of activity in the ship's laboratories, with all the scientists getting their equipment set up, secured and ready to use during the cruise. This one, like all our NeMO cruises, is interdisciplinary with scientists with many different specialties on board (geologists, chemists, biologists, oceanographers, among others).

At the beginning of every research cruise, the ship's crew conducts drills and discusses safety issues on board the ship. Now we're ready to see what wonders the seafloor will reveal to us.