OBS Recovery

September 19, 2014

At about 01:42 the night shift had successfully started a burn on a WHOI OBS located at the start of line 2. A burn means that the science crew was able to communicate with the device and send a signal telling it to burn through the wire holding the buoyant OBS to a metal weight attach to its bottom. The water depth in this area is around 5200 m, and it took about an hour and half for the OBS to rise to the surface once detached from the weight. The team located the OBS using a radio signal and visual contact (light and flag). With the OBS spotted, the Chief mate Shanna was able to maneuver the boat alongside the OBS, so that the science crew could snag it out of the water and bring it aboard. Since then we have recovered six OBS from both the WHOI and Scripps science crew. The seas have picked up a bit, but we are continuing to move westward along line 2 collecting the devices. From here we will prepare the OBS for redeployment along line 4.

See you later,

Kate Volk aboard the R/V Endeavor