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Mission and Crew

 

October 21, 2001

Dive Report 3715
October 21, 2001
Pilot: Blee Williams
Port Observer: Barb Campbell
Starboard Observer: Andy Berglund

Primary Objectives: Release plankton sampler, deploy Bug Catcher, collect Alvinella and chimneys, take sipper samples and temperatures. Do science experiment for educational component — see if egg will withstand the dive.

Dive start: 8:12 a.m. MT.

Reach bottom: 9:43 a.m.

Find Larval sampler: 10:05 am kinked hose in two places, hand-held video, digital photos taken.

Larval sampler release: 10:13 am (tape time – min. 36)

Transit to Alvinella stump near bio9.

Arrival Alvinella stump 10:30 a.m.

Temperature of smoker taken where Bug Catcher deployed 190°C.

Sipper one fired successfully 11:05 am (tape-time 1hr 25 min).

3 Chip video of sipper in water (11:08).

Bug Catcher deployed Alvinella stump, heading 012.

Temps taken above 4 chambers.

Search for place to deploy French module – temps between 20 –120°C.

Deploy module (tape 1hr 45 min) Alvinella stump, heading 46?

Tipped over, because weights should be on bottom, no temps done (high temp. probe dropped).

Head to Bio9 to search for Alvinella in tubes above 65°C.

At Bio9 (or 9’) (tape 2 time 12 min) heading 91.1, temps in tubes between 30 – 50°C.

Look for hotter Alvinella top of chimney – too unstable to take temps, etc.

At Bio9 (or 9’) temperature surveys of 5 tubes (range from 45-70°C), heading 075.

Take sipper samples 1:00 –1:31 pm (tape 2 1hr 30 min) 2# pump didn’t run, 3 good, 4 syringe came up fast, 5 repeat tube of 4, 6 new tube, 7 duplicate of 6. Hand held video of sipper in tube.

Collect Alvinella worms put in Biobox (end of 2nd tape). Move to more stable place (bottom of seafloor).

Attempt to put worms in DISSER. Worms too small, fragile to put in DISSER, float away, current major issue. Membrane hard to poke (because of angle), hurt sipper wand. One was put into DISSER, bled a bit. Put Alvinellas in Biobox with tubes.

Low on power — drop weights and head to surface 2:25 p.m. At surface ~4 p.m.

Egg survived the trip!