The Jason van that is reminiscent of JPL’s control room. This is where the Jason team operates the ROV, the RCA team leads the dives, and where the interns and guests take shifts taking notes of the operations. Credit: L.Rodriguez, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, V21.

Me in the immersion suit. Credit: Mitch Elend, University of Washington, V21.

The CTD that were pulled onto R/V Thompson; each of the Niskin bottles held seawater collected at different depths. Credit: K. Bigham, University of Washington, V21.

Jason going over the side with the stab frame and new crawler unit for the deep profiler. The entire dive was around 9 hours in the end but was still very interesting to watch even if only for a small part. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V21.

It was a relatively short mobilization period for this final Leg, but nevertheless its always fun to watch the massive basket be lifted onto the ship before we get ready to head off again into the open sea. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V21.

Water color of the Tiny Towers site. Credit: C. Gill, University of Washington, V21.

Pillow lava painting: Credit: C. Gill, University of Washington, V21.

A cabled broadband seismometer and hydrophone enclosed by large pillow basalts at Eastern Caldera. Credit: UW/NSF-OOI/WHOI; V21.

View of tube worms at International District Hydrothermal Field. Credit: R. Manoharan, University of Washington, V21.

View of octopus at the International District Hydrothermal Field. Credit: R. Manoharan, University of Washington, V21.

View of the computers on the bridge that control the ship. Credit: R. Manoharan, University of Washington, V21.

View of pillow basalts on ocean floor as viewed from the Jason control van. Credit: R. Manoharan, University of Washington, V21

View of the ocean during sunset right before my night shift. Credit: R. Manoharan, University of Washington, V21.

Jason exiting the water after a dive. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V21.

The seafloor covered in lava with bacteria-filled cracks at the ASHES hydrothermal field as viewed from the Jason control van. Credit: D/. Kaufman, University of Washington. V21.

The CTD rosette being deployed off the R/ V Thompson. Credit: D. Kaufman, University of Washington, V21.

Delilah performing titrations in the biolab while Divi and Julie Nelson watch. Credit: A. Paley, University of Washington, V21.

At safety training, Jazmine races to put on her immersion suit. Credit: M. Elend, University of Washington, V21.

The crew pulling the CTD Rosette back onto R/V Thompson deck. Credit: K. Bigham, University of Washington, V21.

My small painting kit in the darkness of the Jason control van. Credit: C. Gill, University of Washington, V21.

A nursery of yellow Neptunea stalks hosting egg casings and abundant orange anemones near Pythias Oasis. Credit: D. Kelley, UW/NSF/WHOI, V21.

The R/ V Thompson transiting at the start of Leg 4. Credit: C. Gill, University of Washington, V21.

Beautiful watercolor of the Yaquina Bay estuary. Credit: C. Gill, University of Washington. V21

A lava flow seen through the eyes of C. Gill. Credit: C. Gill, University of Washington, V21.

Look at all these buttons! It’s like some kind of crazy arcade game. And this was only one panel! D. Paterson, University of Washington, V21

Last but not least for today: the engine room! The Thompson has 4 engines in it, and they’re all expectedly quite loud. The tour was awesome! D. Paterson, University of Washington, V21

Next up: titration! The samples we practiced on were distilled water, to get a feel for how the process works, and to calibrate the machine to get ready for the water samples. When starch is added to the iodine, it turns blue – the oxygen concentrations are noted and when that blue then turns clear after the addition of another chemical. It’s easier to see when blue turns clear, as opposed to a pale yellow. D. Paterson, University of Washington, V21