An ocean expedition is set to sail off the coast of Vancouver Island this weekend.
Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)’s Abyss Summer Expedition will once again be exploring the waters surrounding B.C.’s coast, this time with new deep-sea technology.
The ONC is an initiative of the University of Victoria and, in partnership with the Ocean Exploration Trust, will launch a 22-day expedition aboard the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, running from June 25 to July 18. This will be the seventh year the two ocean tech powerhouses have been in partnership.
Nautilus is a 224-foot vessel equipped with remotely operated vehicles, acoustic mapping systems and numerous other exploration technologies.
There will be one new remotely operated vehicle arriving for the expedition. Atalanta, a one-tonne vehicle, will provide a bird’s-eye view of the 2,950-kilogram Hercules, the main vehicle working along the seafloor. Both will maintain and expand ONC’s 800-plus kilometre underwater cabled observatory, Neptune, located off the southwest coast of Vancouver Island.
The two vehicles will dive at multiple study site locations, from the smoking chimneys of the Endeavour hydrothermal vent field to the abyssal plain region of Cascadia Basin. They will help the ONC understand the changes that occur in the ocean. The data collected helps reveal dynamics of Earth and ocean processes, and cycles across time frames and seasons, while also supporting complex research in new ways.
Ocean enthusiasts from all over the world will also be able to join the deep-sea explorations and participate in the underwater world. Live streaming of Hercules and Atalanta will be available 24/7, allowing viewers to have topside views of the dive mobilizations and the opportunity to connect directly with the team through live-stream events.
A press event will help kick off the Summer Expedition on Sunday afternoon in Victoria, followed by the exploration mobilization where cranes will load the cutting-edge ocean exploration equipment onto the Nautilus.
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