Surface Mooring Recovery

IRMINGER: The weather toyed with the CGSN team the day of the Surface Mooring recovery – varying between sun and fog.  Surface Mooring recovery is essentially the reverse of deployment.  The anchor is released and the glass balls at the bottom of the mooring float up to the surface.  The glass balls are recovered first, usually in a tangled heap called a “wuzzle”.  The synthetic rope portion is pulled in next using a Lebus double-barrel capstan winch and is packed into boxes by hand – everyone on the team participates in the effort.  After the mooring line and instruments are pulled aboard, a small boat is used to connect a line from the ship’s winch to the buoy, and the buoy is hauled aboard – a lot dirtier than when it was deployed one year ago!

Credit: Sheri N. White © WHOI.

Credit: Rebecca Travis © WHOI.

Credit: Sheri N. White © WHOI.

Credit: Sheri N. White © WHOI.

Credit: Rebecca Travis © WHOI.