The mission team for the Windows to the Deep 2018 expedition. Image courtesy of Art Howard, GFOE, Windows to the Deep 2018. Download larger version (jpg, 5.8 MB).

With this expedition coming to a close, one might wonder how it got its name. The name “Windows to the Deep” originally came from the title of the 2003 Windows to the Deep expedition. As the 2003 expedition involved some of the initial exploration of the deepwater habitats of the Blake Plateau and the Blake Ridge, the team thought it was an apropos name. As the 2003 team did with the first Windows to the Deep expedition, this expedition aimed to open a window to glimpse at the diversity of deep-sea habitats that exist in this region.

With the Windows to the Deep 2018 expedition completed, this morning the ship arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, to prepare for the next expedition. After reaching the pier, the mission team and ship officers led tours onboard for the many shoreside partners and collaborators. It was a very successful expedition, with 17 dives completed and over 130 scientists, students, and managers participating from shore through telepresence.

On July 12, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer will begin a mapping expedition, from Norfolk, Virginia, to Hamilton, Bermuda. The ship will be back again with more exciting remotely operated vehicle dives starting in August. For a full overview of 2018 activities, visit here.

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer dressed for the Fourth of July at the pier in Norfolk, Virginia. Image courtesy of Art Howard, GFOE, Windows to the Deep 2018. Download larger version (jpg, 5.5 MB).

The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer surveys this interesting geological feature during the final dive of the Windows to the Deep 2018 expedition. Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Windows to the Deep 2018. Download larger version (jpg, 215 KB).