Expedition 16

A potentially serious setback is facing the Brothers volcano team with the disappearance of the elevator, a device that is used to transport equipment to the seafloor.

You wouldn’t think that a lot could be learned by sending a bunch of motorcycle inner tubes down to the seafloor, but you’d be wrong.

It’s the little things that count. Just ask Anna-Louise Reysenbach. Dr. Reysenbach is the Chief scientist of the Brothers volcano expedition, and her specialty is microbes, particularly the infinitesimally small creatures that occupy some of the most punishing environments on earth.

After nearly five days in Auckland, the Brothers volcano team is finally back at sea. A powerful storm and power problems brought us into port, where we caught up on work and had a chance to see some of the city’s sights. Weather can always be an issue on these trips, and it felt like we’d lost a precious few days. But now it’s time to hunker down and get some science done.

We are on our way back to a location over Brothers volcano to resume our exploration of hydrothermal vents inside the caldera. While we head back to sea, get a look inside our home away from home during Dive & Discover Expedition 16: the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson.

R/V Thomas G. Thompson reached the port of Auckland yesterday in the late morning to pick up a new generator and to avoid a large, oncoming storm that threatens to blanket our research area over Brothers volcano on Monday. Better safe than sorry.