September 7 2024
Last night was a much-needed break from standing watch. After two weeks, it was starting to take a toll. Mostly from spending more than just our watches in the van. While we’re in transit, there’s no need to stand watch, which gave me some time to relax. While I enjoyed being on watch and learning everything I could, it didn’t leave much time to really get to know the other students that either we relieved, or they relieved us. Morrigan and I are pretty close after this cruise, and I am going to miss them immensely.
We spent the evening in the ship’s library, chatting and working on our blogs. Chef Sara came in, asking if I could help her with a menu dilemma. She was out of chicken wings for the next day’s planned meal, and asked if I could come up with a substitute. After a little brainstorming, I suggested chili cheese fries since she had fries, cheese, and could make chili. She loved the idea and immediately started preparing the meat for the chili after coming back to read for a bit. We had a laugh about how, at the end of a long trip, it’s easy to run out of ideas, and how sometimes you just need a second person to help out. I’m a big believer in teamwork, and it’s amazing what can come from bouncing ideas off someone else—no matter the size of the problem. Plus, I love chili cheese fries, so that was an easy win!
Later, we moved to the galley for some popcorn. We were all planning to stay up later than usual to help adjust our sleep schedules. We had just been told that the last dive was canceled, and our only remaining task was a CTD (Conductive Temperature, Depth) sampling at 10:00 AM. Before this cruise, I had no idea what CTD sampling was, or how to prepare the equipment or collect the samples. But after going through the process a few times, I now understand how and why we collect the samples the way we do. It feels good to see the bigger picture after learning each step.
In just two weeks, I’ve learned enough to assist in research, which is a credit to the RCA techs and undergrad ambassadors that have sailed on prior VISONS cruises, who spent countless hours teaching us. Special thanks to Alex, Andrew, and Jolee for their guidance and patience!
Earlier, I had a chat with Mitch about cleaning the RAS and PPS systems (two pieces of equipment on the RCA cabled observatory). He mentioned that the software used for cleaning these systems is outdated—it runs on older computers and takes over an hour to complete. While he plans to update it someday, it’s not a priority since it still works. I asked if I could take a look at the code, even though I’m not an expert. I confirmed my approach with Will, a senior computer science major in our group, and he offered some useful tips.
The program is written in Python 2.x, which was released back in 2000, and hasn’t been updated since before 2008 when Python 3 came out. The current system uses a command-line interface, which means whoever runs it needs to be fairly tech-savvy. My idea is to create a graphical user interface (GUI) to make the program easier to use. This way, anyone could run the cleaning process without needing technical skills. I also noticed that the code doesn’t include any testing features, so I’d add troubleshooting steps for future updates. This sounds like a fun project to dive into, and I could even build a mockup of the system for testing before presenting my updates to the RCA team. Ideally, the new program would be simple enough for any student to use after minimal training.
As I reflect on the cruise, it’s amazing to realize that there were 68 TOV dives completed during the cruise, with about 25 during Leg 3. The remotely operated vehicle ROV Jason, which we’ve been using, has completed 1,669 dives in total! That’s a lot of time underwater, and it’s been incredible to be part of the process. We also got back some cups that we had sent down to 1,800 meters—where the pressure shrinks them as a fun keepsake.
Today, we gave our presentations. Each of us had about five minutes to present, with seven students in total, plus an outreach project for the next student team. I was nervous since we were only allowed two slides, and it was challenging to fit everything I wanted to say. There were more people in the audience than I expected, including the RCA students and techs, visitors, the APL chief engineer, and our Chief Scientist and Director of the RCA, Deb. I got a lot of great questions about my project, which explores the idea of using small geothermal plants to power robots under the sea. It’s a big idea, but I’m excited to see where it could go. After building a small prototype during a previous project and watching ROV Jason in action, I’m even more interested in pursuing research related to robots and energy systems.
September 6, 2024
Last night, there was a special survey, but despite my efforts, I missed it. Morrigan was kind enough to wake me, but they mentioned it took at least two attempts. Instead, I had one of those "getting ready" dreams, where you’re preparing to go somewhere but never quite make it. In my case, I got ready and reached the stairs leading out of the cabin area, but couldn’t get up them. I did a dream test—looking at my hands and counting my fingers—and realized I was dreaming. I finally woke up at 0021, far too late for the Dymond Survey. I was upset, but also recognized that I probably just needed the sleep. After Will informed me there wouldn’t be a dive until around 0800, shortly after telling me to go back to bed. I woke up at 0540, feeling well-rested, collected, and clear-headed, which is unusual since I typically get up at 0300. Although I regretted missing the dive in real-time, I consoled myself with the thought that I could always review the videos and pictures later when they were posted to the server.
Later that morning, I learned that the second dive would also be a survey of Dymond, and I was thrilled. This time, since it was during the day, I wouldn’t miss it. I headed to the van as we reached a depth of 1950 meters, just about ready to start exploring. I was super excited, especially since everyone had been raving about the site. The last visit to the site was in 2014, and last night’s survey was reportedly amazing. Paige and Victoria were on watch, and I knew there would be questions about whether the 4k camera was running—an inside joke, as everyone had been teasing Victoria about it during a previous dive. I waited with bated breath.
The dive began with small rocks, then we spotted a purple octopus, followed by more rocks. This was a good sign—we were likely going to find something interesting as we continued. The rocks appeared to be some type of iron oxide. There was a lot of life surrounding them, and as we climbed a steep underwater pinnacle at 1950 meters, I was struck by the vibrant colors—yellows, oranges, and browns among the rocks, with a green fuzz possibly being borzoi algae. Salmon-colored soft coral was scattered among the rocks, and I kept asking the experts about the various forms of life.
We moved to another pinacle, and the screen filled with light blues. A small vent on the side was teeming with worm life. Then we encountered another tower that resembled Totoro, the character from My Neighbor Totoro. Upon closer inspection, the tower was covered in green, with light blue spots where the vents were active. Further along, we saw an orange, powdered-sugar-like coating on top of a cupcake-shaped rock. It was an incredibly unique dive—I had never seen anything like it.
By the time I went to lunch, the dive had finished, and I had downloaded numerous pictures. I can’t wait to share them with the faculty at Peninsula College; I’m sure they’ll be excited to see all the amazing things I experienced on this cruise. This was the last dive before we head back, though there might be one more work-related dive near the coast. I feel bittersweet that it’s coming to an end, but I’m also grateful for the experience. I’ve made some great friends, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.
During today’s student meeting, Deb (Dr. Kelley) mentioned I was missing blog posts from the last four days. I double-checked the server files and confirmed they were there on my end, so it seems digital gremlins are at work. Deb said she would check again after I showed her the files on my iPad. I had been working hard to get them done daily, so it was surprising to here they were missing. That’s life. The meeting continued with discussions on what we need to finish up—our projects, blogs, and final presentations. We also discussed the upcoming tasks: taking pictures of our macramé, cleaning out our rooms on the last day, and the procedures for when we arrive at port. It’s all useful information, but it’s a bit sad to realize that the cruise is coming to an end. We’ll have some time to hang out in port before we depart, and there’s some free time during transit over the next day. I’m hoping to spend more time with everyone before we part ways.
September 5, 2024
Yesterday, we didn’t have a 1600 watch, but we stayed up and prepped just in case. I felt pretty useless after waking up at 0127 in the morning. I would have taken a nap, but I had promised Kyle the room since they had gotten really bad sleep the night before. I had snored badly the previous night because I was extremely tired. Kyle appreciated the gesture, but they ended up passing out without setting an alarm. As a result, they didn’t wake up for their watch, but we all have been looking out for each other so it was an easy catch. They were only 10 minutes late, and since there were three people on their watch, it wasn’t a big deal. I covered while Kyle got ready, so it all worked out. As a student team, we’ve been doing really well at making all our watches, so one hiccup on this entire leg is phenomenal in my opinion.
While waiting for a possible watch, I ended up helping Mitch. I started by putting caps on the RAS and securing it to the 1/2 frame (a large rectangular box similar to the J-box frame). Mitch is very laid-back, and we work well together. I appreciate that he has chosen to grab me on more than one occasion. There’s a lot to do on this ship, and as I continue on this journey, I realize how much needs to be done and how little time there is.
We were also going to clean out the RAS, but Mitch was called away to deal with a camera issue between the ship and shore. Something to do with the bandwidth of the signal of the camera going back to shore, a bit above my trouble shooting knowledge. The RAS cleaning app is an old Python program, so it requires an older computer. I thought about asking if I could look at the code to modernize it, but that might be beyond my skill set. I learned Java in college and dabbled a bit in Python during my summer undergraduate research project, where I programmed an Arduino board for the lunar rover prototype. Python has enough differences from Java to potentially cause problems. The cleaning process would have taken about an hour, and Mitch didn’t want to start it during dinner. By the time he had resolved the camera issue and was ready for my help again, my watch was over, and I needed to get some much-needed sleep.
I let Mitch know I’m always available and that if he needs my help tomorrow, he should come find me. I’ll probably ask him about the RAS cleaning program to see if I can help with reprogramming it. If nothing else, it would get me some more experience coding in a professional environment.
I also filled out a wellness survey as part of Nic S.’s from Leg 1 research project on shipboard well being. There were three recommended morale boosters. The first was a friendship bracelet, which I didn’t make. Instead, I made a Monkey’s Fist keychain, as I mentioned before. The second was a sensor disk, which was an imaginative exercise designed to help others gauge your well-being. I put a lot of thought and effort into mine, as I tend to do with projects. The disk is about an inch in diameter, and I used Sharpies to color it. I started with a compass to represent my time in the US Navy, which gave me a solid foundation to navigate life. The compass is cracked, but sealed with gold in the style of “Kintsugi,” symbolizing my time in Japan and the healing and growth I’ve undergone. I assigned the four directions to different aspects of my personality: North is blue, representing my calm and collected side; West is green, symbolizing curiosity; South is purple for my sensitive, deep emotion, and introspection side; and East is red, representing my passion. Overall, I’m happy with how it turned out. This exercise pushed me out of my comfort zone, as it involved sharing with others, but Jolee convinced me and the other students to participate.
The third well being activity involved two Styrofoam heads and a cup, which we planned to shrink at 1500 meters. The Styrofoam is full of air, so it would compress at depth. I decorated mine with a wave theme. For the heads, we were asked to illustrate what helps us thrive on one and what we struggle with or survive on the other. Everyone was asked to contribute. For the "thriving" head, I drew a sine wave to symbolize keeping my head above water. I didn’t add anything to the "struggling" head, as I couldn’t think of anything at the time.
I woke up feeling somewhat refreshed after about six and a half hours of sleep. I could use another two hours, but a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee should perk me up. Morrigan and I have a morning routine before our watch, and since the dive launch wasn’t until 0500, we had time to sip our coffee instead of gulping it down. We chatted for a while and were soon joined by Jolee and Tony (SSSG). We spent about an hour talking and getting to know more about Tony. The camaraderie on this small ship reminds me of what I miss most from my time in the Navy. It’s nice to experience it again.
The dive was long, and our watch was nearly over. We had been surveying an area that hadn’t been traveled in for over a decade at the northern end of the caldera. Deb (Dr. Kelley) was about to give up, as there was a problem with the navigation and a high resolution map was not yet available. We were getting ready to pull out, with both pilots discussing plans, as Cory continued to drive forward, and suddenly, out of the darkness, a towering figure emerged. It was one of the vents Kelley had been searching for, standing about 9 meters tall. From that moment on, things started looking up. Mitch arrived with a new drive containing a map showing where the 3 main venting sites were, and it worked. We now had maps and a bearing on our location. We spent the next two hours exploring and marveling at the thriving ecosystem. It was a great way to end the morning, knowing we had seen something that hadn’t been observed by Kelley in decades. We even saw a flange—a pocket of vent fluid trapped under a ledge that formed a reflecting pool under the flange. Deb mentioned she’s only seen a few in her life, and this might be the only chance I’ll get to see one. I’m incredibly thankful for the experience. Cory, the pilot, was vigilant and spotted the flange. He worked hard to position the vehicle at an angle where we could capture a few shots. It’s so rare that he immediately recognized the signs, usually an overhang with worms flourishing around it. You could hear the excitement in his voice when he thought he saw it.
September 4, 2024
I was woken by Morrigan at 0127 with the news that we were going to see what we’ve been calling "the canyon"—though it’s actually a lava channel. Despite being exhausted, with only a few hours of sleep since my watch ended at 2000, I made my way to what felt like a personal Discovery Channel deep dive. Words fail to capture the emotions I experienced as I stepped into the van. The stunning images of the dive left me speechless. Although there was chatter around me, it all faded away as I stared in awe.
The vibrant blues, whites, and reds of life at 1500 meters were breathtaking. It was life-altering. A sense of wonder overwhelmed me as I reflected on the cosmos and glimpsed the origins of life on Earth in flashes of inspiration. I began questioning my place in life and what had brought me here, realizing how lucky I was to witness something most people only read about in books. Moments like these make me wish I had the skill of a poet to better articulate my feelings.
As we ascended, everything felt quieter, more disconnected, like a jolt back to reality. I felt quiet inside, yet centered and more connected than ever. The moment carried a melancholic beauty, reminiscent of Debussy’s Clair de Lune or Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp minor.
After such an extraordinary morning, the rest of my watch seemed quiet and uneventful—though in truth, my mind was still processing the morning’s events. If anyone could peer into my thoughts, they’d see me traveling through the underwater world, pondering its mysteries. I had more questions than answers. After my watch, I took time to reflect, meditate, and read, finishing Critical Thinking by Jonathan Haber.
I feel incredibly grateful for where I am—thankful that the RCA and Visions ’24 cruise offer opportunities like this to students who might never have had such an experience. I’m grateful for the people around me who are committed to building a brighter future by pushing the boundaries of our collective knowledge. This brief cruise has taught me so much, and the hands-on learning has replaced outdated doubts with more meaningful questions about what can be achieved.
I’m also thankful for the other students here, who have welcomed me into their group despite our generational differences. We’ve become a tight-knit team, bonding through shared experiences. I appreciate the guidance of those who came before us, now teaching us how everything works during this cruise.
Kellen’s talk later made me reconsider my previous project, and I’m now updating my misconceptions. I’m always striving to stay intellectually humble, regardless of how much life experience or knowledge I’ve gained. The wealth of knowledge and expertise on this ship is invaluable, and making connections here will be a great asset moving forward.
I’m eager to refine my project and absorb as much as possible while I’m aboard. Morrigan has been a fantastic watch mate. We support each other when we’re tired and are always quick to help out the crew when needed. This dynamic has been a tremendous help, especially when I tend to get engrossed in my project and reflective writing. Morrigan’s reminders to "look up" every once in a while keep me grounded.
Memory reconsolidating has been crucial for me, and I find that recognizing the need for updated mental models—a skill I developed during my physics courses—has been a great asset. Moments when I realize that what I previously believed isn’t true are opportunities to learn and grow. I was reflecting on this when we were suddenly interrupted by the excitement of dolphin sightings. I managed to capture a fleeting glimpse, randomly snapping shots with my iPhone.
The other day, we had a BBQ on deck with hot dogs, snacks, sodas, and great company. It was a fun gathering for the whole crew. The Cptain and I continued a previous conversation from the bridge, where he jokingly yelled, “I got the last beer!”—though he was holding a soda. We had been talking about old naval traditions before 2006, and I recalled the "beer day" tradition in the U.S. Navy. After 45 consecutive days at sea, the commanding officer of a U.S. Navy vessel can request a "beer day" to boost crew morale. However, our beer day ended up happening on day 61. We were underway for a total of 98 days, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The extra beers were raffled off to those who wanted more than their allotted two, with a maximum of five. Swapping sea stories with someone who understands these traditions was a great experience.
Today has been busy, but I’ve spent much of it journaling. Writing helps me collect my thoughts and reflect on all that’s been on my mind. I have a watch at 1600, and I’m hoping to get to bed around 2000. There’s another tour tonight, and I’m debating whether to stay up to watch another night of awesome or get some sleep. I’ve been given a lot to think about on this cruise, and I’m grateful that I’ve had some time to reflect while still onboard.
September 3, 2024
Last night during our watch, we encountered some incredible sites and a 4 m tall hydrothermal vent called Mushroom. It had a small black vent on the side, and the light refracting through it made it look like it was on fire. We spent at least 30 minutes exploring the area at the end of my shift, and I stayed an extra 15 minutes just admiring the sight. We did a fly-around with 4K video, which should be great to show once we’re back on land.
For the 0400 watch, we collected more samples for Rika and the UFO, along with Niskin samples at 1,500 meters. Before doing so, we explored a bit, and I captured about 7 minutes of stunning 4K footage. There were open holes large enough for ROV Jason to fit in. The pilot, Cory, took us into one, where we saw the columns inside, some covered with worms—some white, others light blue. It was amazing; even at 0500, people were arriving in droves to watch the big 4K screen. About 15 people squeezed into the van, which usually has six on watch.
The dive plan was to go through the canyon and see the castle. However, a ground fault on ROV Jason delayed the mission. The engineers couldn’t resolve it, so we woke Dr. Kelley (Deb) for further instructions. Since the channel and castle are must-see spots, Deb decided to bring Jason up for repairs and remove the UFO as well. The tour should resume later today, possibly around lunchtime. I plan to catch some sleep and be up before lunch to see the canyon and castle tour.
There’s nothing quite like sleeping after the 0400-0800 watch—just collapsing into bed for a few hours to recharge. After a brief shower and shave, I’m ready for the day. Hopefully, today is canyon and castle tour day. I also need to work on my two-page mini-presentation for the 7th and continue developing my personal project. Standing watches and observing dives have given me new insights into my project, prompting me to consider a few adjustments.
During yesterday’s dive, we came across a much more precise map, accurate down to the meter. The ROV Jason team navigated with incredible ease, knowing exactly where they wanted to land. With such precision, they had more time to explore and discover new sites. Rika even commented on how much the site had changed over the past year, making it almost unrecognizable.
I’ve been thinking about how equipping site markers with small beacons detectable by an autonomous mapping AUV could enhance map accuracy. It’s an idea that’s been on my mind since the watch, though I was too tired to articulate it clearly at the time.
Instead of our usual student meeting, Kellen Rosburg gave a detailed talk about the RCA. His passion for mentoring was evident, and I learned a great deal in just two hours. He filled in gaps in my understanding, allowing me to rethink parts of my research project. Specifically, I realized that the RCA isn’t designed to handle incoming power from external sources like a geothermal plant. This means my micro geothermal plant concept would likely need to be located outside the RCA, feeding data into it instead. Kellen’s clarification was invaluable, and I now have a clearer direction for my project. I didn’t get to ask all my questions, as I was called to watch before he finished, but I hope to follow up with him when he’s available.
Tonight’s 1600 watch was a bit different with Deb in the van. She’s direct, vocal, and knows exactly what she wants—precise and to the point. For some, this type of leadership style might be jarring, but having served in the US Navy, it felt familiar to me. You have a job, and when given orders, you follow them. My Navy habits kicked in, and I found myself using standard commands: “4K Video, aye,” “Picture grab, aye,” repeating the command to confirm understanding, followed by “aye” for compliance. I appreciated Deb’s directness—there was no ambiguity about what she wanted, and I knew exactly what I was doing. This kind of communication works well for me personally, and I ended up taking far more 4K video than usual, which helped me better understand what to capture in the future. I’ve always enjoyed learning from different leadership styles, as it helps me refine my own processes and find what works best for me, and for the project as a whole.
September 2, 2024
Last night’s 1600 watch featured Rika’s dive retry, which this time proceeded successfully, albeit with minor issues related to the pump’s performance. We had to adjust the pump to 4000 mA to increase its power output. However, we observed that the bag intended to collect bacteria and viruses was not filling up. We were collecting samples from International District 1, specifically from three different hydrothermal vents. I captured some stunning 4K footage of worm blooms, with the vibrant reds standing out brilliantly. The footage was so impressive that Deb sent Kellen up to confirm I was indeed recording in 4K. After the watch, I heard music coming from the scientific analysis lab, and noticed Julie, Mitch, and all the students processing samples in an assembly line while listening to Christmas music for some reason. I joined in to help process the final samples before heading to bed. Mike later entered and insisted that Jolee leave, as she needed to get some rest since her watch is over at 1600 and it was already 2000.
Mike is always looking out for everyone. I asked Juliet if she also needed to go to bed since she had the 0000 to 0400 watch and it was nearing 2100. She departed shortly after, and I left once the last sample, number 40, was processed at my station. It was a long day, and much work remains, but when everyone pitches in, it becomes more manageable and enjoyable.
During the 0400 watch, ROV Jason was already ascending when we arrived in the van this morning. Jolee stopped by to say hello, asked if we needed anything, and mentioned that some stars were visible. While the stars weren’t particularly bright, it was still something. I’m still waiting for a truly clear night when the stars pop out, but even during my time in the Navy, seeing the Milky Way in all its splendor was a rare occurrence. Consequently, the first hour of our watch involved primarily the recovery and transit of ROV Jason.
Once ROV Jason was recovered, the younger students began introducing me to the music they enjoy listening to. While most of it didn’t appeal to me, I appreciated their willingness to expose me to new sounds. It’s good to know that Morrigan and Kyle are well-versed in the music of my generation. The remainder of the shift involved an hour-long transit from East Caldera to the Axial Base area. During the transit, I watched Jolee skillfully craft a green macramé rope design as I wanted to make sure I was near by should I need to go back on watch. I dozed off intermittently, having stayed up later than usual last night to help process samples.
The next dive is planned to reach a depth of 2608 meters, taking roughly 2.5 hours, meaning the majority, if not all, of our remaining shift, will involve screening ocean water, with little to observe. Occasionally, we might encounter something interesting on the way down, but such occurrences are typically brief, making it difficult to capture screenshots. Once everything is proceeding smoothly, we tend to relax, play some music, chat, and get to know each other better. It’s a relatively calm shift when ROV Jason is in transit, either descending or ascending. Morrigan and I just realized, after a week, that we could switch our control monitor to view the sunrise during our watch. We laughed at how long it took us to figure that out and then took turns going outside to witness the stunning sunrise.
I took a nap after the watch and was abruptly awakened by someone yelling “fire,” or at least that’s what I thought they were yelling. Later, I discovered it was a crew member checking on our neighboring cabin because they had left their door open, triggering a sensor on the bridge. We all laughed about it during the morning meeting.
Some students planned to create a video to help future students acclimate to life on the ship. They intended to cover topics like the two different lights in the bathrooms: the red heat lamp for nighttime use and the regular light. It’s something that can be confusing if you’ve never been on a ship before, especially since one light switch is outside the shower and the other is inside. I recall taking some time to explore my cabin when we first arrived, yet I still missed some details myself. For instance, I found a small, battery-operated light magnetized to the cabin ceiling. It’s convenient because I don’t want to turn on the main cabin light as Kyle and I have different watch rotations. The light isn’t too bright but provides just enough illumination for me to see what I’m doing without bumping into things or making too much noise.
During a student meeting, Vitoria discussed a community engagement project aimed at helping future students navigate the ship. Given that there have been a few mishaps and things that students only figure out over time, a ship’s tour would be beneficial. It would allow us to explain minor details such as how the bathroom lights work, the two ways to reach the galley, and the locations of the washer and dryer, as well as the library and entertainment room. The bridge is also an excellent spot to showcase. The students are right; it would have been nice to know some of these things before boarding the ship.
The 1600 watch involved two dives, as far as we know. The first dive was an ascent from 1000 meters, likely followed by a transit before conducting another dive for Rika with the UFO, allowing her to capture more bacteria and possibly viruses near hydrothermal vents. The sites are beautifully colored, reminiscent of a bouquet of flowers. We had an issue with the deck cam not being switched over, so I had to log a few events without visual confirmation. Fortunately, the deck crew is excellent at calling out their processes.
September 1, 2024
For the 0400 watch, the CTD’s intake and outtake rubber caps were still on. The outtake cap ended up getting vacuumed into the plug, and the intake was difficult to remove. All of this occurred at 1500 meters deep, but Cory, the skilled pilot that he is, managed to get both caps off. We played "He’s the Best" once he removed the outtake cap, which was the more challenging one. The alternative would have been to bring the CTD back to the surface to remove the caps by hand, wasting four hours.
Having multiple experts in the room ready to tackle the problem made it much easier. Understanding how the CTD works and knowing that the equipment wasn’t damaged to our knowledge, the only thing left to do was to turn it on and see if data came through. It was a tense moment for everyone, but the sheer difference in size between the arm claw and the cap on the outtake made it an extremely challenging piloting endeavor.
I finally finished my Monkey’s Fist. It’s my first attempt, and it doesn’t look too bad. I had some issues tying it to the keychain ring, but ended up using an old technique I saw one of the crew from my Navy days use. I used wax cord, burning the ends to seal them in. Looking back, I probably should have cut the blue and white rope a bit earlier and sealed the ends rather than cutting them after finishing the knot. Creating interesting keychain pieces has definitely been a learning experience. I did end up burning the blue rope a bit near the end, as I’m not really used to working with wax string. I’m pleased with the outcome and learned a lot about being tenacious and seeing things through to the end.
Now I’m at the point where I need to start considering data points for my project. Some of the autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that can handle multiple different loads range from 18 kWh to about 50 kWh. I need to translate that into how much power I’ll need to provide for recharging from the geothermal plant. The good news is that I’ll only need a small plant to provide enough power for a year-round mapper of an area around the plant. Interestingly, the AUV I was looking at has a solid range of around 100 km to 160 km before needing a recharge. Recharging takes about three hours according to the documentation. This means, at 1 m/s, it would take around 27 hours before needing a recharge, and another three hours for recharging and sending the data back through the RCA (Regional Cable Array), making it a 30-hour cycle. With 365 days per year and 24 hours per day, that’s 8,760 hours in a year. The number of cycles in a year equals the total hours in a year divided by the cycle time, so 8,760 hours / 30 hours per cycle = about 292 cycles. Total operating time in a year equals the number of cycles multiplied by the operating time per cycle, so 292 cycles x 27 hours = 7,884 hours. If the given speed is 1 m/s, the distance covered per hour equals speed x time = 1 m/s x 3,600 seconds/hour = 3,600 meters/hour. The total distance navigated in a year equals the total operating time x distance covered per hour, which is 7,884 hours x 3,600 meters/hour = 28,382,400 meters, or roughly 28,382 kilometers over the course of a year. This is provided there are no interruptions in operations and that the documentation for the ISE Explorer is accurate. If C = 2πr, then the radius would be r = C / 2π = 28,382 km / 2π = 4,519 km². I’ll have to check all these numbers again, but that’s the direction I’m going for my project.
Today, I went to the bridge for a tour and met up with Andrew Chen, the Chief Mate. It turns out he served on the USS Curtis Wilbur in early 2005, a little over a year after I did. We started talking about people we both knew and who was still on the boat shortly after I left. It’s funny to think we met and served with the same people just a year or so apart. We talked about the places we visited, the people, and our experiences.
Captain Derek Bergeron was giving us a hard time because we were talking in Navy slang, and the other students didn’t understand what was going on. It was a good reminder of my time served, with fond US Navy memories. It’s not often you run into someone who was on the same ship so close to the time you served, and who knew most of the people you served with. Reminiscing about the past was a unique experience.
I have yet to see the stars at night, which has been a bummer. I’m trying to get out when it’s dark enough, but it seems to be a bit harder than I thought it would be. Paige mentioned she found a good spot to gaze last night and could see the whole Milky Way. With any luck, I’ll get a great view tonight.
August 31, 2024
Last night, we got to see hydrothermal vents as a detour from our normal dive since we were so close. It was after my shift, so I finished my blog, got ready for bed, and then headed up. It was like watching a 4K National Geographic documentary, but interactive. Since Deb aand Mike were in the Van, we got instant answers to our questions. We even received a "data unknown and not available" response for one of our questions, meaning we are literally on the edge of research. This experience gives the students, myself included, all kinds of ideas for our projects. It’s an event that sparks inspiration, creativity, and imagination—all within the span of a regular dive.
I took tons of pictures, and there was plenty of 4K video taken during that hour. I plan to go through the imagery to find some really choice shots. At one point, everyone, had their phones out taking pictures. The mind really starts to roam when you see all the teeming life at 1,500 meters and how breathtaking it is. Even though my project is more about mapping, cataloging, and providing more time and tools for researchers to do research at these depths, it definitely inspires me to work hard to reach my goals.
I was so tired during my 0400 watch, and the Van was extremely cold today. It was an interesting watch as we were moving the RAS-PPS platform to make room for 2024 platform. The measurements involved taking temperatures through a vent cap that helps prevent hydrothermal fluids from mixing with seawater. Essentially, it’s a vent cone to collect data from diffuse flow around 20°–50°. This specific site was full of new life surrounding the vents, and you could literally see the areas where the vents supported life, like the lines of a city for bacteria.
There was a snag during this dive: one of the ports had power that should have been shut off. Since many of the junction boxes communications and power are controlled via RCA team members onshore, the boat crew makes calls to get things powered off or on. In this case, two of the pins were corroded, and one had bacteria collecting on it. Pins 1 and 6 weren’t needed, and 12 was a data collection ground. We were able to salvage the dive, but there was a lot of fuss over the issue. People were woken up, and calls were made to shore to ensure the power was off. Again, everyone seems to be on deck and available 24/7 if things go wrong. The science crew operates in what can be described as organized chaos, as things change constantly at any time of day. It’s not chaotic per se, but more of life just happening while we’re in the middle of the ocean.
Organizing my time is increasingly challenging with a 4-on, 8-off shift, where one of the 8-offs is sleep. If something comes up, I have to break my sleep between the two 8-off shift times. So, for my second 8-off shift, I slept 2 hours to make up for the loss, woke up, and ate lunch. Then I proceeded to write a paragraph in my blog before starting laundry. While laundry was going, I helped Julie with processing the chloroform samples, which will be sent to a lab for analysis after we return to shore. Kyle and I started the process, but Morrigan showed up later to help. Since Kyle had done these before, Morrigan stepped in to assist while Kyle documented all the samples we needed to process, with Julie mentoring us through the procedure. Julie is excellent at explaining what she wants.
During this process, you have to use a filter with a vacuum system to pull the seawater through the filter—all in the dark, mind you. The filter collects all the samples, and during this process, Morrigan thought she had put a filter on, and I swore I watched her do the same as we were processing in sync. We all looked for the missing filter, and there was no way that if she put it on, it didn’t just fall out somewhere. We even turned on the lights to search for it and couldn’t figure it out. We tested the vacuum, and the section she was working on had poor suction.
I left to get my laundry, only to find out that the filter was so filled with particulates it looked like the screen where you put the filter. Luckily, Morrigan thought to double-check the base and pulled off the darker-than-normal filter that seemed translucent. A great save by Morrigan.
During our 1600 watch, which was for Dr, Rika Andersons’ dive to collect microbe and virus samples, there was a ground fault right after the ROV Jason reached 50 m. So, they had to pull it back. It was a lucky event because they discovered that all the bags meant to collect the water had become disconnected when the vehicle went into the water.
Will ended up helping Rika redo the bags while the engineers were fixing the grounding fault. It made the first hour of our watch interesting. However, there were some problems with the video grabber station as well, but they were fixed once we pulled the ROV Jason back and could stop recording the event.
Now that I have some time to blog a bit more after reflecting, I realize that time is of the essence during this cruise. There is almost no downtime because there are so many different moving parts on the boat for a student to learn. Planning is key, and getting sleep between your two watches is critical. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself sleeping a few hours during your second downtime rather than working on your project.
There are also fun events that take place, like working on a monkey fist keychain loop. It’s a lot to adjust to for such a short cruise. Working on my project will be my priority tomorrow. I’ll also work on my blog during watch since we have an hour of transit time to get to 1,500 meters. Using every moment you have is important, and while hanging out is great and I enjoy making sure everything gets done, trying to figure out the timing has also been difficult.
August 30, 2024
This morning at 0400, we had a van watch, and we were able to complete a dive from start to finish. Experiencing the entire process really solidified things in my mind. We started and finished an SPA (Science Pod on the Shallow Profiler Mooring) replacement at a depth of 200 meters. Since it was a quick replacement, our watch only lasted a few hours. We also witnessed the previous dive surfacing at night, which provided an excellent photo opportunity. Seeing the ROV Jason emerging from the dark water against the night backdrop was incredible, and the pictures turned out great.
I’ve also started to get a better feel for the atmosphere in the van, learning when it’s appropriate to joke around and when it isn’t. Andrew shared a story about his experience with hawks, which was part of one of his senior projects. Apparently, when you capture a hawk—a conservation practice for their species—you have to wear a mask, in this case, a gorilla mask, to avoid traumatizing the bird later after capture, as they have good memories. It was a funny story, and I wasn’t prepared for all the laughs as Andrew recounted his experiences. He told the story so much better than I ever could repeat here.
After breakfast, I took a nap and slept for about 90 minutes to catch up on some rest after our early morning watch. When I woke up, I took a shower and shaved for the first time this trip. Time tends to blend together after a while.
During lunch, I found out that a cable from a CTD deployment got caught up on the ROV Jason, requiring it to be brought all the way back up from the seafloor at 1500 meters. When they brought the ROV up, it was easy to see the line was all tangled. It might not seem like much, but a small hitch in the plans can cause hours of delays. Repairs are being made, and another attempt will be made to deploy the research project.
We had some downtime today, and I continued to work on a monkey’s fist—a specific knot type that the ROV Jason’s mechanical hand can grab onto for pulling levers that don’t have great handles. I’m on me fifth attempt and finally got the ball part finished; now I’m working on completing the end. It’s a complicated mess of ropes going in multiple circles, pulling each one tighter and tighter until the ball is formed. I’m hoping to finish it into a keychain. The whole team made macramé bracelets the day before during our downtime. We also discussed continuing our Dungeons & Dragons game, but unfortunately, we haven’t really had the time. It’s a lot of work and great experience.
1600 watch! For this watch, Morrigan and I switched seats—I was video grabbing, and Morrigan was logging. It was a busy dive with a lot of work to do. Video grabbing is pretty easy, except for the tabbing between different software, which was a bit glitchy this watch. Chris, one of the pilots, lightened the mood by placing the cable right in front of what I needed to screen grab as I struggled with the software switching. The dive involved swapping out a junction box, requiring the unplugging of all the power connectors one by one, moving the j-Box out of the way, and then deploying the new one. It was a lot of work over four hours, not to mention that the new rack had a different setup. The team was trying to figure it out, but my watch was over, and Paige and Victoria took over so Morrigan and I could get some sleep. It was an eventful watch, and I got to experience how the team troubleshoots problems, organizes their work, and communicates during watch changes all while at 1500 meters below sea-level.
August 29, 2024
Last night, right before bed, I noticed my cabin had turned into a sauna. I asked Victoria, my neighboring cabin mate, to check her room to see if she had the same issue. It turned out that it was just our room that was hot. I fiddled with the temperature gauge but couldn’t get the hot air to stop. I went on a quest to find TR, our local SSSG and one of the troubleshooters for our research group. He has the best attitude and is always willing to help. He had about four people looking for him at the same time, so my issue was last on the list. When he came down to check the temperature, he showed me a trick: sometimes turning off the temperature gauge and removing the filter fixes the issue. Our cabin was freezing in no time. I’m thankful that we have TR to help address our concerns on the crew, and that he is so approachable. I ended up recommending the video game “Islanders” to him today as he stated he liked more casual relaxed games.
I slept like a champ after the boat reached our next site and we stopped transiting. I woke up at 0300 for my watch, but found Kyle still sleeping. I was supposed to relieve Kyle, so I knew something was up. I went to the science lab to find out that the ROV Jason had been pulled up due to weather.
My shift was officially canceled, and the next check would likely be around 0600. Someone would come grab me if I wanted to get some more sleep, which I did. I slept well past 0600, until about 0700, then took a quick shower and headed down to the science lab.
Jolee updated me and suggested that I grab a bite to eat before heading to the Van (command and control for the ROV), as we would need to be seated around 0730.
Jolee and I talked more during breakfast about the different projects we were working on. She told me about her marine parasite research and her interest in studying how parasites absorb metals from their hosts. She was curious about how this relationship works in polluted areas, either in favor of or against the host or parasite.
It was fascinating to listen to her, and it made me curious to learn more about the topic. I always enjoy being exposed to different fields and people’s areas of study because you can see their passion, and it’s contagious. She also mentioned that she had tried to get a Dungeons and Dragons game going last summer with her group, but they never started. I invited her to join our group the next time we play.
A few of us went back to the ROV control van for an hour or two to hang out and learn more about how things work. Morrigan and I wanted more time since we felt like we got cheated, with our watch being only about 15 minutes. Juliet and Will ended up joining us later, as they wanted more time in the Van as well.
I guess when a dive gets canceled, you feel the need to spend more time learning the skills for watch. The students are responsible for two different watch stations: the sea log station, where every small detail of the dive is recorded, and the video logger station, which ensures that all video capturing is working. The video logger also handles 4k video captures when requested and takes 4k screen captures when something interesting appears on camera that someone might want to identify or use in research later. The video logger ensures that all cameras are outputting to the correct drives and different stations on the ship. For example, the Main Lab has the 4k output going to two different LED TVs.
Jolee and Andrew were our shadows, making sure we were supported in our roles on watch. Jolee and I talked at length while I wasn’t on watch. About how she felt out of the loop because she did an internship in New Orleans and missed the pre-cruise meetings. About her internship, and other topics. She was a great support to the students on watch, myself included as I didn’t have a lot of time in the logger chair as of yet.
Andrew tends to be more hands-off, with a "ask if you need help" mentality. He knows a lot about the two student positions and is a great resource when you need help. He always says, “I won’t leave you hanging,” and I’ve found that he’s always there to support you when you have questions.
Morrigan and I were asked to help secure a piece of research equipment on the fantail (the back of the ship). We needed to tarp the equipment so that salt wouldn’t get all over the experiments while ROV Jason was on another dive. While we were working, we got to know Mitch, who turned out to be a Coast Guard veteran. We started talking about our service, where we were stationed, and found out that we had both been to Guam during our service. It’s an odd place that most service members likely won’t end up going since it’s in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean near the Philippine Sea. Mitch was open about his experiences, and we ended up chatting about that while putting the tarp over the research equipment. I always enjoy getting to know new people and learning about their life experiences. It’s always interesting when you find out that someone has been to the same rare place you’ve been to, and now you’re in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean together on a research vessel.
There were many different projects we participated including the CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) sampling. Which I’ll talk about more in tomorrows blog, but enjoy the picture below.
August 28, 2024
We began our transit to the next location after retrieving the ROV Jason yesterday. The seas were rough, especially for a vessel of this size, and I found the experience quite different from my time in the U.S. Navy. As the ship autonomously navigated to our next research site, aided by human pilots, I was abruptly awakened by a loud thud, followed by alarms, which I assume originated from the engine room. The sound was familiar, and I later learned that the autopilot had been pushing the vessel a bit too hard for the weather conditions, prompting an adjustment.
The R/V Atlantis is a research vessel with propulsion capabilities unlike typical U.S. Navy ships, as it can maneuver 360°. During transiting in rough seas, at times the vessel slams into the waves, creating loud booming sounds as the water interacts with the hull. In contrast, the USS Curtis Wilbur, on which I was stationed, had a sonar dome, and we couldn’t maneuver in the same way. It was a surprising adjustment, and such conditions are only encountered outside of our research sites when the Atlantis is transiting during rough seas.
My cabin mate, Kyle, and I ended up going to the entertainment room, where we watched Death Match starring Jason Statham.
Later, I went to the library and slept there for a few hours, waiting for the seas to calm down. There was a small craft advisory, and all the sea maps indicated 4-6 foot waves in the area we were transiting. From my experience, if you can find the ship’s center of gravity, the rocking is less intense, making it easier to take a nap. These rough transitions serve as a reminder that the Northeast Pacific tends to be more active as summer ends and fall begins.
I have many tools in my arsenal to navigate challenging situations on board, which might otherwise be difficult to handle. These include reading—I’ve brought Critical Thinking, Algorithm, and AI Assistance from MIT—watching movies, getting to know other students, playing tabletop games, and simply taking a nap.
The key to getting through any difficult time is your mindset: staying positive and working towards a solution. It’s important to plan for downtime and find ways to keep yourself busy and engaged while waiting for the next research site.
Before lunch, I finished creating my Dungeons & Dragons character for our campaign. I’m playing a mountain dwarf noble paladin named Oskar Redstone. It was enjoyable to create a new character, and the other students and I had fun playing for about an hour before our student meeting.
During the meeting, we discussed our projects, ideas, and upcoming watch schedules for the next research site. Some maintenance work will be performed, but most of our time will be spent at the underwater volcano site Axial Seamount.
I asked about the specifics of my project, as it involves a lot of uncharted territory for me. I’ll be gathering data to determine if the vents can support micro geothermal plants for future autonomous or ROV drones year-round, with the capability of replacing and swapping them when the R/V Atlantis returns on its next voyage.
Dr. Kelley suggested drilling a hole in the side of a vent and using a titanium pipe, as this would provide a reliable conduit for fluid flow and resist corrosion over time. This advice started me thinking about what data I could collect and how to measure pressure. Dr. Kelley guided me in the right direction, giving me more to work through for my already ambitious project.
August 27, 2024
The night before, I was restless, attempting to get to sleep with my mind running wild with excitement. I slept pretty well, but acclimating to a new environment will take a day or two. Without the rocking of the sea, I found it a bit harder to fall asleep in my rack (bunk). As warned, it was cold in our cabin, and even my cabin mate Kyle, who likes to sleep cold, noted the chilly temperature the night before. To prep for tonight, I’ve grabbed an extra blanket from the extras. I had packed all that I could, and an extra blanket simply wouldn’t fit in my sea bag. A few folks commented on how cool it was to see me rocking a Navy Sea Bag.
The day started with a safety briefing and a daily meeting at 0800, followed by a preparedness session and evacuation training. We conducted man overboard and abandon ship drills, all standard practice for first-time crew members. It served as a good refresher for me, bringing back fond memories of my time in the US Navy. We also practiced donning and doffing the “pumpkin suit,” a cold water survival wetsuit used in case of abandonment. This was a nice upgrade from my Navy days when we only had our coveralls to rely on until we reached our life raft. The life vests we used today were bulkier than those I was accustomed to in the Navy, but the wearable daily vests with CO2 cartridges for overboard situations were much better. The strobe light on the Navy vests was also much larger. We covered EEBD training for smoke events, using a unit very similar to what we had in the Navy.
Overall, I’m grateful for the training provided by the crew and science team—I’d much rather be prepared and not need it than need it and not be prepared.
Next, we toured the “Van,” the operation and command center for the ROV Jason. It was a lot of information to absorb at once, but I know it will be easier to learn through hands-on experience. My watch rotation is 4 hours on, 8 hours off, from 0400 to 0800, and again from 1600 to 2000. Morgan is my watch buddy, and we quickly became friends. I’m excited to work with Morgan over the next few weeks as we learn the new skills that will be crucial during this cruise.
Juliet got seasick today, and I offered her some advice from my time at sea in the Navy: go with the flow of the boat’s rocking and don’t fight it. It’s also important to eat regular meals and explore what makes you feel better. I recall seasoned sailors rocking with the motion of the ship as if in a trance—a common practice after hundreds of days at sea. I have over 800 days at sea myself and tend to just let my body drift with the motions as if it’s just part of the flow. It calms you after a while and feels like you’re gently being rocked to sleep.
We also got to take a closer look at the ROV Jason, which is much larger in person. There are many components, and it’s directly connected to the ship via a fiber optic cable. This is particularly relevant to my research, which focuses on figuring out how to power an ROV year-round without the need for a research vessel for its operations. If we could harness power from a geothermal plant on the ocean floor, it might be possible to have an ROV on-site year-round, operated remotely. It was fascinating to learn about the power consumption, staging, and what might be required to operate an ROV with power provided from a local source that isn’t the ship.
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the students started an impromptu Dungeons & Dragons campaign on the first night aboard. There were a few seasoned players, but many were newbies as well. I teamed up with Juliet to help her create a Forest Gnome Sorcerer with a Draconic bloodline, aptly named Gnomio. Gnomio is a charlatan with an alter ego named Dr. Valtis Boltrock, who sells his memoir to those foolish enough to believe it’s authentic.