GOC12 - Legs 5 & 6
GOC 2012: Apr 15
The ROV traversed up the side of this mound and we discovered an extensive chemosynthetic community surrounding a large fissure, or cave.
GOC 2012: Apr 14
We spent the day studying dramatic seafloor rocks, intriguing animals, and seafloor chemistry around an area called Pinkie’s Vent.
GOC 2012: Apr 12
Today we collected an interesting worm on the wall of the canyon amongst the tubes of a lot of other worms and hydroids.
GOC 2012: Apr 11
The biologists collected this beautiful Acesta clam on our first dive today. It had a sea star and encrusting sponge on its shell.
GOC 2012: Apr 10
This dive was a great illustration of the combined impact of geological, chemical, and biological processes on the seafloor. All the scientists were excited!
GOC 2012: Apr 09
When we reached the seafloor at 2,700 meters (8,860 feet), the first thing we noticed was how abundant and diverse the organisms were at this site..
GOC 2012: Apr 08
This low-oxygen seafloor in the Gulf of California might give us a glimpse into the future of our coastal oceans.
GOC 2012: Apr 04
The science team, ROV pilots, and many members of the ship’s crew gathered around the ROV for a final group photo as the ship was steaming to port.
GOC 2012: Apr 03
On this leg of the expedition, we have biologists who can take advantage of some of the geology samples to look for by-catch. Today, Shannon Johnson found some animals on rocks that were very interesting to her!
GOC 2012: Apr 02
Today we dove the ROV Doc Ricketts into a long linear trough only 15 meters (50 feet) wide at its base. This was barely wide enough for the ROV to turn around without banging into the sides of the trough.
GOC 2012: Apr 01
It takes a well-oiled team to keep all systems working on the Western Flyer during this 97-day expedition.
GOC 2012: Mar 31
Today was a very interesting day geologically and biologically. One of the most exciting moments was when we finally collected some clams!
GOC 2012: Mar 30
Science is an adventure. It is never the same and you can never count on anything, expect the unexpected and then the even more unexpected will happen!
GOC 2012: Mar 29
What can you learn from a dead, single-celled organism buried in deep-sea mud? Almost everything!
GOC 2012: Mar 28
We collected a green volcanic rock covered in sponges and nereid and serpulid worms. Shannon Johnson picks animals off the sampled rocks.
GOC 2012: Mar 27
You might think looking at mud all day could be kind of boring. But, today was an exciting day of sampling.
GOC 2012: Mar 26
The expedition is now more than halfway completed and the R/V Western Flyer is once again transiting north through the Gulf of California from La Paz… this leg will primarily focus on the faults and seeps along the transform fault line where the North American and Pacific Plates meet.
About MBARI
Research programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) encompass the entire ocean, from the surface waters to the deep seafloor, and from the coastal zone to the open sea. The need to understand the ocean in all its complexity and variability drives MBARI's research and development efforts.