A short-period seismometer being installed on a sheet flow at the summit of Axial Seamount to measure seismic events. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF, V14.

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Max Schrempp controls the Digital Still Camera as part of his watch.  Good luck figuring out what monitor is actually showing the image he logs.  It might seem like overkill (and there's at least another half dozen outside the image), but each one has a purpose.  Navigation, monitoring, manipulation.  It all starts here, and finishes down there. Photo Credit:  Trevor Harrison, University of Washington, V14

In the dark of night, ROPOS with the tool basket mounted beneath, eagerly awaits its mission.  A cruel crane operator, hidden the shroud of darkness(bottom left), holds it tauntingly dangled over the water, a meter from the glory of immersion. Photo Credit: Trevor Harrison, University of Washington, V14

University of Washington undergraduate and graduate students from the College of the Environment, School of Oceanography and Engineering gather on the bow of the R/V Thompson as part of the student at-sea program. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

Wire baskets full of 85 syntatic foam "football" floats to be placed on the Axial Base EOM cable. The mooring platform, 46" and 31" mechanical leg floats can be seen in the background streamed out behind the ship. Credit: Giora Proskurowski

The Axial Base vertical mooring EOM cable terminates approximately 10m above the anchor (left) in a "strongback" (right)-- a cage designed to protect the EOM cable termination and provide a strong mechanical link to the mooring. The strongback is connected to the anchor via a pair of acoustic releases, a 31" syntatic foam float and short lengths of chain. The anchor slid into place approximately 100m from the secondary node, causing some nervous moments as that distance was at the limit of the cable reach. Credit: OOI-RSN/UW/CSSF

The UW-APL mooring team (l-r) Keith Magness, Avery Snyder, Paul Aguilar and Eric Boget ready the 200m platform and EOM strongback cage for deployment at the Axial Base site. Credit: Mitch Elend

Photo Credit:  Hannah Delapp, University of Washington, V14

Photo credit:  Hannah Delapp, University of Washington, V14

Knot Making 201, Monkey Fist Knot Photo Credit:  Jae Jose, University of Washington V14

Photo Credit: Skip Denny, APL, V14

Photo Credit: Trevor Harrison, University of Washington, V14

 Skip Denney provided the students of Leg 5 a tour of the fantail which included a detailed explanation of all of the parts to the vertical moorings and a descriptrion of the equipment utilized in the deployment of it. Photo Credit: Colin Katagiri, University of Washington, V14

Equipment on the back deck Photo Credit:  Hannah Delapp, University of Washington, V14

Credt: Hannah Delapp

Heading under the Newport Bridge Photo Credit:  Hannah Delapp, University of Washington, V14

The VISIONS '14 Leg 4 Science, Engineering, and ROPOS team gather on the R/V Thompson for a group photo at the end of Leg 4. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

Keith Tamburri led all ROPOS operations during Leg 4 of the VISIONS'14 Expedition. He is the Assistant Manager for the Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility. During Leg 4, he directed 30 ROPOS dives. Image Credit: Ed McNichol, V14.

A before and after image of the fantail on the R/V Thompson the day we left port (August 26) and came back (September 10). In between these two port calls, we came back into Newport and loaded another complete set of gear to install on the seafloor. Photo Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V14.

Lauren relaxes during a sunny day on the R/V Thompson, Leg 4, VISIONS'14. Photo Credit: Ed McNichol, Mumbian Enterprises, Inc. V14 

Myesa Legendre-Fixx on the R/V Thompson on Leg 4 of the VISIONS'14 Expedition. Photo Credit: Ed McNichol, University of Washington, V14

Sunset at the end of Leg 4. Photo Credit: Kevin Simans. Image Credit: Kevin Simans, University of Washington, V14.

The VISIONS'14 team was presented a gift near the end of Leg 4  -  a beautiful sunrise. Photo Credit: Billy Medwedeff, Umiversity of Washington, V14.

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The ROV ROPOS samples jets of methane bubbles with a hand-held Niskin bottle. Photo credit: NSF-OOI/UW/CSSF; Dive R1784; V14.  

The manipulator arm of the ROV ROPOS reaches for a small block of methane hydrate wedged against a small rampart and nearly vertical wall within a large collapsed area at the summit of Southern Hydrate Ridge. Several minutes after sampling this site with the ROV, a continuous jet of methane bubbles issued from the large opening to the right of the hydrate sample. The methane hydrate is translucent, very clean and is reminscent of quartz with a conchoidal-like fracture pattern and is partially encased in a thin skin of sediment. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/CSSF; ROPOS Dive R1784; V14.