April 4: Coordinating AUV Missions and Glider Deployment

By amber.coogan | April 9, 2025

The Pioneer 21 team continues to make steady progress as operations shift toward wrapping up Leg 1. Overnight, the crew closely monitored AUVs Roger and Scotland as they conducted alongshore CTD surveys. Early in the morning, the ship temporarily diverted from the CTD line to acoustically communicate with Roger, allowing it to continue its cross-shelf mission. Later, the vessel repositioned near the SOSM buoys to re-establish contact with Scotland and reset its safety protocol — a precise maneuver that enabled the vehicle to complete its northbound leg toward recovery.

After breakfast, the science team sampled the final CTD station near SOSM and spent time securing deck gear, including hoses, anchors, and a power-washed MFN. With the deck clear, the ship retrieved Roger in the afternoon, followed by a 2.5-hour transit to recover Scotland. While in the area, the team also successfully redeployed glider #1145.

With both AUVs recovered, the glider redeployed, and the deck prepped, the ship is now transiting back to the Central Mooring (CNSM) site. There, the crew will continue collecting meteorological and EK80 acoustic plankton data ahead of tomorrow’s planned recoveries of the remaining surface moorings (CN and NO). If weather permits, another ROV dive is scheduled for Sunday morning before the team begins transit back to Woods Hole to prepare for Leg 2.