And they’re off!  The R/V Neil Armstrong left the dock today at 11:30.  The ADEON team had their safety briefing prior to departure.  All the equipment, sampling nets, computers, and personal items were latched down tightly in anticipation of rough seas.  The ADEON bottom-landers got extra straps to secure them on the back deck for the wild ride to the first deployment and sampling site at Virginia Inter-Canyon. The vessel should arrive onsite at approximately midnight Tuesday evening, weather permitting.

The cruise departure was delayed one day due to weather. The R/V Neil Armstrong will now depart WHOI on Monday 20 November. The high winds and seas are forecasted to settle down Monday morning. It will still be a challenging first day on somewhat rough seas, but the weather should improve as the day wears on. 

Would you like to know more about the science taking place on the research vessel?  Read the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Cruise Planning Synopsis.