Photo:  Laura on a DEEPEND cruise

I went on the very first DEEPEND cruise. I was in the second year of my PhD and I couldn’t believe my advisor, Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom, was sending me to initialize collection protocols for the crustacean genetics portion of the proposed research. Because research cruises are the best (only) means of collecting our target specimens, they are very important. Moreover, every cruise is an opportunity to collect for multiple projects. When I went out that first time, I was collecting for five or six research projects…it was a lot of pressure.

Hello, everyone!

When the nets come up, it’s time to sort….  Each net is processed one net time so we don’t mix up samples between one net and another.  The entire process can take anywhere from four to six hours depending on how full each cod end is.  We first identify the organisms and then they go to Nina and Natalie for data entry.  Animals are being used for multiple studies once we are back on our labs:  DNA barcoding, genetic diversity studies, stable isotope analysis, contaminant analysis and vertical distribution studies.

One of the new projects onboard this DEEPEND trip is the use of a drone to capture images and video from a different perspective around the Point Sur.  Thomas Wheeler is a full time drone operator who contracts with different science and engineering projects  that require drone work.  This trip, he is assisting Ryan Killackey and Dante Fenolio who are creating a documentary titled “Life in the Dark” which focuses on various organisms that create light.

When the MOC10 comes up to the ship, it is time for the whole science team to leap into action.  To someone not familiar to the process, it may appear to be utter chaos but each person on the team has a role and things usually run like clockwork.  I say “usually” because occasionally, there is a hang-up.  One hang-up has been the equipment that runs the MOC last night and today.  There has to be communication between the equipment on the net frame to the computer that monitors the entire process for a successful tow.  We have a wonderful MOC operator, Gray, who is the master of this equipment and has been out with us for every cruise.  He has been working hard to make sure our science can happen!  He has spent hours trying to troubleshoot and solve the mystery problem and so far, we have been able to deploy the nets!  Thank you, Gray for all of your hard work with this!