Ballard Project: First Day on the E/V Nautilus

Sunday, July 15, 2012

First Day on the E/V Nautilus

After 2 and a half days of travel we are finally aboard the E/V Nautilus. This morning, I woke up at 3:45 AM local time to do my first watch. Because the Nautilus is a 24 hour operation, working hours are crazy.

My first watch this morning consisted of watching "Diana" side-scan the seafloor; looking for potential targets to look further into. For the past 14 hours the crew has been mapping targets from Diana. If these targets look like they have potential, Hercules and Argus will be sent in for a dive. Equipped with cameras and bright lights, Hercules and Argus will serve as our eyes and ears on the seafloor.

The first dive is scheduled for sometime this afternoon local time. This means early morning eastern time. Keep up with the Nautilus by listening in on the live broadcast from the control van, exploring the website, and asking questions!

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Ballard Project

Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach, Virginia, has the technology to connect with the University of Rhode Island's undersea exploration program. The Internet2 connection on campus allows Cape Henry faculty and students to see and hear the real time research occurring in two vessels -- the Okeanos Explorer and the Nautilus. The ships are equipped with ROV's (Remote Operated Vehicles) that explore the ocean floor and send live video that we are able to watch in high-definition quality.

Additionally, the Watch Station has an intercom that allows students to talk to researchers on the ship in real time. Cape Henry is one of two high schools in the country to have this type of technology.