Always Exploring-everywhere NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer goes she collects high resolution sonar data. Here you can see the multibeam bathymetry data that has been collected so far during the third leg of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Expedition. Our next set of dives will occur on the West Florida Escarpment (shown here in white dots). We found a lot of interesting things in the Northwestern Gulf, stay tuned to see what we find next!

Always Exploring-everywhere NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer goes she collects high resolution sonar data. Here you can see the multibeam bathymetry data that has been collected so far during the third leg of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Expedition. Our next set of dives will occur on the West Florida Escarpment (shown here in white dots). We found a lot of interesting things in the Northwestern Gulf, stay tuned to see what we find next! Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition. Download larger version (jpg, 393 KB).

Transiting to the West Florida Escarpment
April 25, 2014
View from the bow of NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as she transits to the West Florida Escarpment for the second segment of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Expedition.

View from the bow of NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as she transits to the West Florida Escarpment for the second segment of the 2014 Gulf of Mexico Expedition. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Gulf of Mexico 2014 Expedition. Download larger version (jpg, 273 KB).

After yesterday’s dive, the remotely operated vehicle team secured the vehicles and we began our transit to the West Florida Escarpment to commence the next stage of the expedition – exploring deep-water areas on the Central-West Florida Escarpment. During the transit we collected high-resolution sonar data, including multibeam bathymetry, seafloor and water column backscatter, subbottom profiler, and water column data via XBTs. We also deployed three Argo floats during the transit that will spend the next several years collecting constant oceanographic data. Our shore-based teams spent the day preparing for the next set of dives, prepping Exploration Command Centers, and training students in the identification of deep sea fauna.