Behind the Scenes at NSU: Preparing for a DEEPEND Research Cruise
The upcoming DEEPEND research cruise is scheduled to set sail on July 30th, and preparations are well underway. This will be the third research cruise in the Deep-Sea Benefits cruise series (DSB3), and the DEEPEND team will spend 15 days at sea collecting samples and conducting research across the Gulf of Mexico.
DEEPEND will revisit two previously sampled sites over Viosca Knolls and Shephard Mound, as well as a new site over Mississippi Canyon to investigate potential patterns of an oceanic rim phenomenon in the northern Gulf. The cruise will begin by deploying a lander equipped with cameras, bioacoustics, microphones, and environmental sensors at Shephard Mound at a depth of ~550 m. The lander will collect data, videos, and images from the seafloor throughout the cruise and be recovered just before returning to port.
Image 1. Top- Lander prior to deployment during the last DEEPEND Deep-Sea Benefits cruise that will be deployed again during DSB3. Bottom- Sample sites for the upcoming DSB3 Cruise.
Preparation for this cruise has been in full swing since May. Preparing for life at sea involves cleaning and organizing everything from sampling nets and laboratory equipment to the scientific instruments that will be used throughout the cruise. The MOCNESS trawling nets are an essential part of DEEPEND’s research, so each one is carefully inspected for holes, repaired as needed, and packed to ensure it is ready for deployment.
Image 2. Bianca Ruiz (left) and Sidney Trimble (right) inspecting nets for any rips or holes.
Image 3. Sidney is repairing one of the nets.
Of course, preparing for a research cruise involves much more than scientific equipment. As departure day approaches, detailed packing lists become just as important as instrument checklists. The DEEPEND team has been busy creating a cruise plan, organizing and packing scientific gear, inventorying and ordering supplies, preparing data files for use at sea, coordinating travel and logistics, printing and labeling sample materials, and carefully planning every aspect of the expedition. With weeks of preparation happening behind the scenes, these final tasks help ensure the team is ready to make the most of every day at sea.
Image 3. A portion of the cruise supplies packed and ready for transport to Gulfport, MS.
With preparations entering the final stretch, the team is looking forward to getting underway and beginning another chapter of DEEPEND research. These data and samples collected during DSB3 will contribute to the long-term understanding of the deep Gulf and help answer important questions about how these ecosystems change over time. Follow along using DEEPEND’s ship tracker at restore.deependconsortium.org and automatically receive updates to DEEPEND’s blog by signing up on the blog page here: https://restore.deependconsortium.org/index.php/cruises/cruiseblog.
