Gumby Try-ON

Credit Rebecca Travis© WHOI

Credit Rebecca Travis© WHOI

As the R/V Neil Armstrong steamed toward its first site at the Pioneer Array, the crew took the science party through safety training to ensure that all participants were familiar with onboard safety equipment, including the “Gumby” immersion suit. The suit is awkward to put on and sometimes looks a bit comical, despite the serious nature of its purpose. Once successfully ensconced inside Gumby, observer Mark Hanson, Senior Contract Officer in OOI’s program office, and WHOI researcher Lukas Lobert flex their Gumby muscles.  Observers Laura Slicer, Senior Manager Finance in OOI’s Program Office, and Rick Murray, Deputy Director and Vice President for Science and Engineering at WHOI were captured during their final stages of suiting up.