Dive 2929 Transcript
June 2, 1995
Port Observer: John Delaney
Starboard Observer: Scott Veirs
Pilot: Pat Hickey
Launch Site: 47°58.059N 129°05.217 / X=5800 Y=8200
Landing Target: X=5606 Y=8230
Note: All angular sightings are relative to the starboard observer's viewport... therefore, add relative angular sighting to submarine heading to obtain absolute bearing for corresponding observation.
Time X Y Depth Alt. Heading
hhmmss m m m m degrees
080100 0
Disembarkment from the Atlantis II
167
Salps similar to those seen at surface at night; tubular to 2 m.
350
Blue fades to black. Biluminescence is apparent; purple-blue -- like a black light's color, some more green. Abundant: ~30 light points in view port area; many single and dual organsisms. Response to o.5 sec flash of lights from sub is bright for ~3 secs, then fades. Estimate: 1 light/sq.m. They float through viewport angle in ~3.5 secs, all at about the same rate.
625
Still many salps; increase in density of organisms? ~20-30 in view.
082300 650
083400 965
Decrease in bioluminescence; occasional disintegration into small pieces/particles -- entanglement with front of sub? Bigger colonies visible in distance upon light pulse; some tubular, some clumped. Response to flash is still aout 3 sec and blue-purple. Still a lot out there; ~10 in port upon flash.
083700 1065
084501 1309 280
Decrease in bioluminescence: ~7-8 close, 1-2 distant. Reconsidered... still abundant.
090100 1804
Bioluminescence diminished somewhat, but still present and blue-black; perhaps more response to flash than 0.5-1 sec shine of external sub lights; there is about a 0.5 sec lag between a quick flash and 2-3 sec response from the organisms; there are hundreds -- appearing like a celestial sphere on a clear night.
091059 2000 75
Many fewer organisms, and less response
091339 5512.6 8249.5 2172 233
Bottom sighted. Sedimented fractures in basalt, snails/limpets? Wall at 45° to sub. Orange-brown sediment.
5510 8250 2175 163
Contact between sediment and "talus slope"/basalts. White molluscs on rocks. 5-arm brittle star. Some pillows, mostly talus slope. Lineations on lava blocks (sitcam). We've settled on the bottom, where there are a "couple" of cm brown sediment on basalt.
091634 5679 8935 109
Moving up lobate lava flows w/fissures, white limpets/snails. Sed/flow contact is ~130° to sub. Pink brittle stars.
091734 5514 8428 100
Up talus slope onto bench of lobate flows. Same density of white molluscs. Sediment is brown, and 1-2 cm deep. Decrease in clarity of water. Lobate flows w/fissures and striations. Zoaracid fish.
091841 5522 8245 2175 4 094
Gradual slope of lobate flows. Large smooth sedimented areas. Orange barrel sponge ~1 m high hosting a brittle star. Collapse pits. Down-drop/depression (2 m?) trending 120-130° to sub (sub hdg:111). Fractured basalts.
092002 5565 8238 2174 116
Rise after depression, then fault (graben 3 m deep, 7 wide?). Abundant pink brittle stars (6-7/sq.m.) mostly on vertical basalt faces. 10-15 snails/sq.m. Rising up and angling left. Black zoaracid fish (~1 m).
092105 5588 8229 105
Ventnor reached. Zoaracid fish. Edges of flange, sulfide sediment. Steeper slope now.
092212 5601 8225 2163 088
Light grey fractures. Ridge w/dropoff ahead and righ of sub. Smooth sediment below Ventnor and basalt blocks.
092550 080
Traversing south end of Ventnor. Slope visible: west facing talus slope in distance.
092706 5625 8220 007-358
Fall line projected in horizontal plane would trend ~80-90°. Sharp slope below flattens; can barely see talus,. big basalt blocks, and zoaracid fish on bottom
092805 5625 8234 337
Pillow lava field w/sediment ponds, often accompanied by white zoaracid fish. Zoaracid in or on basalt blocks. Cliff of rounded lobate flow rises up to a mesa adjoining north end of Ventnor. 0.6 m tall barrel sponge.
092918 5620 8244 311
Flat area blends to talus slope. Spider crab resides near mesa highpoint (0.6 m outer diameter (legs), orange-pink).
093109 5594 8245 159
Sharp-edge, overhang beyond, is 90° to sub. Black clean, oxidized edges (near sediment). Blue-grey snails. White brittle stars. 1M marker rotates through view.
094241 5604 8228 040
Moving up and away from 1M (it's 15 m behind at this time).
074
Sub is rotating clockwise.
092215? 138
AI marker sighted on mound of worms just W of black smoker.
093355 5614 8235 2163 9 211
Smoker w/oxidized chimney
093415
Bacterial mats and diffuse flow. Precipitate sediments: orange with oxidation "lines" of rust-hued crust. Fibrous chunks/forms in sediments.
093613 5611 8234 2164 6 205
Sampling vent at Ventnor -- marker AI -- Maximum Temperature 340°C.
094643 5612 8234 2164 213
Gas tight: Yellow. Good sample from black smoker at AI marker on NW end of Ventnor.
094518 5612 8234 2164 5 209
Backing off.
094835
On sulfide mound.
095251 5611 8234 2164 195
Major: Blue. Bottle shimmering and ~12 cm in smoker orifice at AI marker on NW end of Ventnor.
095518
Moving away from sample point. 1 big smoker (sampled) has 2-3 small orifices adjacent double plume off small spire on top of mound; lots of tubes and worms; vigorous vent.
095301 233
Line of top of mound is ~behind sub at 5 o'clock (~150°). 1M marker is occluded by top of sulfide mound (tallest spire) which is covered by white bacteria and fleshy 5-arm starfish.
095956 5618 8220 2162 151
Off of mound now. Can't quite see bottom.
146
Sediments behind us, trend of step up is 70-80°. Step up to flatter area: smooth flow with sediments and collapse pits.
138
Smooth flow with seds continues. Steep basalt rise as mound ( Knight) is approached; bright white bacteria on vertical sides of basalt, and under overhangs. Large spires up to right (flying over Knight from W to E, about half way along its N-S length?)
100227 5647 5184 2174 4 073
Overhangs (on SE side of Knight?) passing behind to starboard.
100251 355
Seds on flat flow w/rounded fractures and sediment ponds.
100329 293
Huge tube worm beds passing at 90° to sub along ridge parallel to current heading.
5643 8201 258
Parallel to long axis of tube worm bed (20 m behind now).
195
Tube worm bed at 90°; tubes are long and thin. Radiated joints but mostly lobate flow with seds and worms. Spider crab (0.5 m?) ono small basalt block.
5644 8180 153
Tube worm bed directly below gigantic (~3.5 m dia), rounded, smooth boulders to WSW.
100547 5653 8165 2169 9 124
We are ascending boulders: a steep slope with worm clumps; crystals glint in basalt. More beds to 90°. Orange and ashen gray sediments. Snail density is increasing. Tube worm clumps. 100737 5675 8148 143
Ridge edge (NNW-SSE trend). Tall stucture (Fairy Castle), some flanges (active in the past?). At top, diffuse venting and bacteria and burned worms.
100826 5676 8148 21 150
Very steep (top in front of us, I see a cliff below starboard viewport). Diffuse venting -- palm worm remnants (no color in bodies). Fibrous bacteria on old tubes. Black mineral precipitate spires (10 cm?). Beginnings of flanges.
5689 8145 15 251
Short, conical spires forward. Vertical drop off below. Cooked area!
101056 269
Black smoker on top. Conical spire lines up with highpoint of structure to north at 45° to sub. Circling clockwise around Fairy Castle. Distant light area: V-shaped (worms? bacteria? vents?) 15-20 m below, just S of a taller structure.
101627 5686 8134 2146 13 343
Sampling smoker: Maximum Temperature 331°C. V-shaped area @45° -- photographed.
102216 5685 8133 2146 13 348
Major: Purple 4. Bottle shimmering, 3-4 cm in orifice near top of Fairy Castles s end.
102618 5685 8133 2146 351
Gas tight: Red 5. Good sample, shimmering bottle.
102758 5685 8134 13 351
Distant area ~45-50°; there may be smoke at the the end of the "ridge" (the S arm of the V-shape).
103048 5681 8133 2146 13 000
Small AR marker 80° to starboard on highest point, 3m above a black smoker. Sediments on top surfaces of steep overhanging mound.
103317 5678 8131 10 036
Basalts in valley -- line trending 45°. At base of sulfide mound, sed/talus lie on fresh (crystal faces) lobate lava.
332
I see edge of mound, steep scarp @ 45°, trending 4 o'clock (~120°).
5674 8132 334
Clumps of worms @30°. Lobate flows w/fracture 90° to line of flow. Blocky lobate flows. Spire (5m) volcanic?
6 116
Rubble, talus w/light sediment.
168
Slope down talus visible.
103616 5677 8129 2161 203
Jointed pillows
103720 5683 8124 2159 5 066
Steep talus visible (90°). Snails and tube worms.
028
Clear line between basalt talus and sediment. Big tube worms to SB (=90° starboard) on slope all the way down to sediment. Zoaracid fish. Diffuse flow out of tall chimney structure (1.5 m) coming out of sediments.
103832 5689 8174 321
Base of big sulfide to SB. Passing far end (NW end). Turning CW.
103859 5684 8149 2161 5 275
Sedimented basalts below.
104100 5681 8134 2153 10 063
In valley (SSE of Fairy Castle) again.
055
Extensive tube worm beds @45° (extend 20 m up slope and 20 m wide), uniform species, draped on/over broad overhangs on talus slope.
332
Passing extended ridge and tall mound.
7 230
Sulfide visible (again) to SB. Clumps of tube worms on vertical mound edge.
105102 5681 8148 2154 14 160
Moving away from marker 1V left on dead flange low on Fairy Castle. Lots of overhangs with white bacteria dusting tube worms and diffuse flow. Small (4 cm) bright red shrimp swimming by.
105211 5686 8143 2143 9 047
To SB tube worm beds parallel to talus again. Octopus on sulfide spires to SB (head ~0.3 m in dia).
105436 5676 8153 2149 22 159
Leaving marker after having some trouble getting it unfolded...
110400 5749 8235 2153 4 003
Tube worms at 45°.
5749 8238 319
Extensive tube worm bed below (25X25 m?). Grey seds on old flanges below. White bacteria and tubeworms on flanges.
110850 5744 8238 2149 11 017
Steep structure (Baltic). Some small snails on tops of flanges; in towards mound, the biological concentration increases; no flow visible, and much sed (dark grey).
111915 5746 8238 2149 9 343
Right handed spiral on snails (thumb toward tip of spiraling shell, away from foot orifice).
113135 5059 9841 2150 358
Sampling black smoker: Maximum Temperature 326.5°C. Major: Yellow 9. Not black smoke until Pat smashed chimney, not as vigorous (as some?)
113746 5746 8237 2150 345
Gas tight: Purple. At small marker AQ.
114720 5743 8233 2140 12 026
Moved AQ a bit to the W. Rotating CW. Pillow basalts to SB.
5745 8237 2150 7 332
Backing away from vent marker AQ (small). Looking for a place to leave structure marker (big) 1U.
114832 5747 8236 2150 7 42
Ridge w/ diffuse vents. Huge tube worm beds (50 m long, 20 m wide?). "Budding" spires and tube worm clumps on ridge. Ridge top dusted with white bacteria. Snails present in abundance.
115800 5749 8271 331
Tall structure (Park Place (17m high)) to SB; broad with white bacteria and flange extensions from base to top. Stakes marker (long tether coated in bacteria) sighted at peak.
120010 5742 8276 2141 341
Major: Red 12. Sampled a sideways orifice about 3 cm in diameter with the sampler ~6 cm in; the only smoker on the top of the structure; sampling took until about 120115. Maximum Temperature 330°C.
120630 5741 8276 2141 14 348
Gas tight: Blue 2. Bottle "shimmerin' like a bastard;" site marked with small AO marker.
121124 5742 8272 2142 15 359
044
Bacterial mats or tube worms (light area) @ 130°.
121401 5749 8275 298
Structure in the distance at 120°.
121515 5747 8274 301
Large 1X marker visible at 45°, apparently pushed by current to NNE.
121729 5749 8272 2141 16 308
Below flange with 1X marker are 5-6 other inactive flanges. Orange zoaracid fish (small). Large grey zoaracid fish.
5737 8274 010
Clear smoker below beehive.
122031 5737 8278 13 006
Passing Park Place's N end: SB. Boardwalk visible to SB (90°) with big flanges.
122146 5742 8295 2141 13 120
Park Place top marker (Stakes) visible at 120°.
122257 5749 8295 2140 14 093
E end of Park Place passing to SB.
235
C marker on top of platform w/tubeworms and bacterial mats (filamentous) atop Boardwalk.
122754 5760 8304 2146 13 248
Frosted flanges (bacterial dusting from edge to <=~0.5 m from edge).
228
Parallel to a major edge of Boardwalk. Large mound w/overhangs and spire on top visible at 45° and 10 m below; it's steep on S end, gradually sloping on N. More flanges on Boardwalk below.
160
Line from sub to spire is roughly 350° at the heading. Big flange below.
123020 207
Spire structure again to SB; it's darker on its top, relative to its top edges.
123130 5746 8301 117
Flange w/stack of smaller flanges in its middle, about 1 m from front edge and in light sediments.
123328 5747 8307 2142 12 168
Below to SB on top of spire mound (closer now) frosted edges are visible, especially on SE side.
123522 5749 8300 2145 11 146
Triangular marker up to SB (Melanies? Stakes?). Reflective patches on zoaracid fish is parallel to gill plates and ono dorsal head.
123948 116
Tiny red shrimp (1.5 cm long).
124607 5748 8296 2145 13 062
A8 marker ono flange with diffuse flow @60° just below and to the R of our small marker (AL). Inbetween 2 markers are several flanges connected by a spire-like column.
125233 5748 8320 2159 4 045
Zoaracid fish. Mottled orage-brown bottom w/black splotches (5 cm dia). Old tube worm clusters and sediments peppered w/snails. Approaching old sulfide mound (Three Sisters), old spires, dead tubeworm detritus, upturned flanges. Spider crab. Crystal faces on broken sulfides appear fresh. Rotating... big blocks below.
275
Broad valley w/flat bottom to SB. Scarp w/steep rise up pillow cliff @120°. Directly below: large tube worm bed.
125504 5757 8344 2164 2 275
Brown sed/large pillow contact is 120° to sub. At base, 1.5 m crabs (3-6) are in old tube worm bed amongst and area of oxidized sulfide sediment. Parallel to base of scarp are healthy tube worm beds growing out of sediments in region of apparent diffuse venting; the tubes are very long and thin.
349
Sub is roughly parallel to sed/pillow contact. Other side of graben is SB. Pillows display strong radial jointing on fractured faces. Snails on basalt wall.
5752 8247 243
Volcanic ridge to SB. White bacteria dusting, especailly in depressions between bulges of basalt and on vertical faces (no sediment). This growth is fuzzy. Worms are rarely on basalt here. No live worms are on the area of oxidized sediments, though the area is bordered by luxuriant beds.
131515 5749 8347 2168 211
Major: Blue manifold. A "dud" -- failed to trigger.
131645 5748 8349 2168 243
Major: Orange manifold. Better than the last. Started at 8, rose to 14°C and stabilized.
131953 5748 8349 2168 215
Gas tight: Port manifold.
132200 5750 8349 2168 267
Sampled tube worm bush and deployed large 1P marker.
132622 5745 8249 2150 5
Just past Boardwalk.
5745 8293 180
5 major flanges at 45° rimmed w/~10 cm of tube worms and bacteria.
134112 5767 8317 031
Godzilla sighted. Big flanges. Flange after flange after flange! We rise up its S side.
134905 5780 8297 2085 85? 145
3 samples taken above Godzilla as we attempted to rise neutrally in the structure's plume:
Niskin 1 @5 m above peak. Niskin 2 (orange) @20 m (depth=2085.0). Niskin 3 (blue) @ 50 m above (depth=2057.2).
135326 1914.9
Comin' up.
1874
Bioluminescence observed again.
151528 159.2
Out of deep blue. Long undulating coils. Became light about 350 m.
140
Azure-green.
100
Big salps. Many egg-like sacks strung together. Some w/larger diameters (10 cm?) One apparently very long (15 m?)
70
Density of salps seems to have increased a lot. Ascending at rate of bubbles.
~160000 40-00
Steel-blue-grey. Lots of tiny organisms (copepods?), giant salp strands and individuals. Individuals in colonies are staggered "hip to shoulder" in sets of at least 3 or 4, often many more. T-shaped organisms about 1 cm square. Oblate spheroid "cells" (~0.5 cm long, 0.3 cm wide).