From July 3rd to July 6th our team will be mobilizing in preparation to embark on the first leg of this field season, headed to the deep waters of the Northeast Newfoundland Slope marine refuge.

When sampling in deep water, there are bound to be some hiccups. The team has been facing some operational difficulties with the Drop Drift Camera (Bouncy Cam), used to record benthic habitat. Water depths over 2000m and high winds have made deploying the 600lb drop camera to the sea floor impossible. Problems with the winch have exacerbated these issues, resulting in a halt of operations yesterday. 

On a brighter note, the science crew has compiled bingo cards for seabird and marine mammal observations for a bit of fun, and the deckhands are getting pretty competitive. 

July 11th, 2024

While sampling in deep water can have it's challenges, the data collected here is extremely valuable. Today our team sampled at the deepest station we have done yet, with a whopping depth of 2250 metres. To put that into perspective, it's equivalent to the height of 4 stacked CN towers or almost 5 stacked Empire State buildings.

July 15th, 2024

The weather conditions have been less than ideal, but there have still been some great views on this leg. The team has been lucky enough to spot some White Sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) and Orcas (Orcinus orca) on their steam back to Carmanville for the crew changeover. 

July 16th, 2024

While Leg 1 concludes and some of the team departs the RV Patrick and William, we are welcoming new crew on board to embark on the second leg of the trip!

Follow along on the Leg 2 adventures!

July 17th, 2024