Updates
Leg 1 A Success!
August 18, 2025
Leg 1 of VISIONS 2025 (completed August 15) was successful in achieving all the planned science objectives, and two recovery dives at the end that were originally scheduled for Leg 2. During the 12 days at sea, the ship went to all Regional Cabled Array sites. The ROV Jason completed 27 dives. All the instrument packages on three Shallow Profiler Moorings were turned, 27 core instruments were recovered, 12 core instruments were deployed, and 5 CTD rosette casts and…
Wind, Waves, Krill, and Seafloor Ice
August 13, 2025
Working at sea brings unique challenges. The one we commonly experience on RCA cruises is weather, specifically wind and waves. When wind and waves combine, they create swells, groups of waves with an average height and period that can travel long distances. At our sites, the average wave height is usually around 3 to 6 feet, but weather systems can build those heights to 9 feet or more. When the…
V25 Leg 1 Students’ Reflections on Hydrothermal Vents
August 11, 2025
On August 8th, we visited the ASHES Hydrothermal Field near the western caldera wall of Axial Seamount. This was the first dive in the caldera of Axial Seamount of VISIONS’25 and a very exciting one for new and old folks alike. Axial Seamount has been under much scrutiny lately due to increased seismic activity and predictions of an upcoming eruption. At the vents, animals live in perpetual darkness, bathed in…
Calm Seas and Shallow Profilers
August 9, 2025
It is hard to believe that it has only been four days since the R/V Atlantis left port. So much has happened that it has felt like we have been out much longer. This is due to our around-the-clock operations – there is always something happening and people are always up and working, which also means there is consisstently someone sleeping. The tasks that fill our 24 hours include running and logging Jason dives,…
Global Surface Mooring Captures R/V Revelle Departure
August 8, 2025
The Irminger Global Surface Mooring recently recorded a unique view – the R/V Revelle departing from the array site. Captured by the mooring’s camera system, the image provides a rare perspective of ship operations from the vantage point of the mooring itself.
Away We Go – Diving Begins
August 6, 2025
The past week has been a whirlwind of activity in preparation for departure on August 4 – all team members arrived onboard the Atlantis at the Newport International Terminal. At ~ 10 am August 5th, the the R/V Atlantis departed Newport bound for the Oregon Offshore site~ 50 miles west of Newport. Looking back on the cruise blog from last year, it has been almost exactly one year since our team was making this same…
Tear-Down Underway as Irminger Team Heads Home
August 6, 2025
The Irminger #12 team never stops. On the transit back to Reykjavik, with all field deployments and recoveries successfully completed, the OOI Coastal and Global Scale Nodes (CGSN) team turned to the next task: dismantling the Global Surface Mooring. This work prepares the mooring for offload upon arrival and shipment back to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) for further servicing and storage.
Pilot Whales Visit the Irminger Array
August 6, 2025
During the Irminger 12 expedition, the team spotted a group of curious pilot whales near the Irminger Array. The whales approached the area during operations, providing a brief and welcome encounter for those on board. Such sightings add to the experience of working at sea and offer a reminder of the diverse marine life that inhabits the North Atlantic.
Global Surface Mooring Recovery Marks Final Operation of Irminger Cruise
August 6, 2025
The Irminger #12 team has completed its final mooring operation: the recovery of the Global Surface Mooring. This is the largest mooring built and deployed by the OOI Coastal and Global Scale Nodes (CGSN) team. A new Global Surface Mooring was deployed at the start of the cruise, and the recovery of the previous mooring took place at the end. This overlap enables valuable instrument comparisons, as data from both…
Life Aboard the Irminger 12 Cruise
August 4, 2025
While the primary focus of the OOI Irminger 12 cruise is deploying and servicing moorings in the North Atlantic, life at sea involves much more than operations on deck. When weather conditions temporarily halted work, members of the Coastal and Global Scale Nodes (CGSN) team made the most of their downtime — gathering around the New York Times crossword puzzle for a change of pace and a bit of mental…