2022 ROV and Mapping Shakedown
February 23 - March 3, 2022
Expedition Features
In preparation for our 2022 field season, NOAA Ocean Exploration conducted operations to “shake down” the mission systems on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Straits of Florida February 23-March 3, 2022. We conduct shakedown expeditions annually to ensure the remotely operated vehicle, mapping, telepresence, positioning, and other important systems are working properly. Shakedowns simulate our typical at-sea operations, enabling us to identify and correct problems, test new systems and equipment, and train new staff, and are critical to ensuring quality data collection and successful expeditions. View Expedition Summary
Shoreside ROV Piloting Narrows Gap Between Ship and Shore
May 4, 2022
During a recent expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, an engineer on shore, over a thousand miles away from the ship, successfully piloted a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to explore the deep ocean. A first for NOAA Ocean Exploration and the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration, this test of piloting an ROV from shore opens new possibilities for deep-ocean exploration.
Read moreNOAA, Partners Discover Wreck of 207-Year Old Whaling Ship in Gulf of Mexico
March 23, 2022
NOAA and partners have announced the discovery of the wreck of a 207-year-old whaling ship, called Industry, found on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The remains of the 64-foot long, two-masted wooden brig opens a window into a little known chapter of American history when descendants of African slaves and Native Americans served as essential crew in one of the nation’s oldest industries.
Read moreProving a Discovery: The Case for Industry
March 23, 2022
Based on the existing data, the evidence suggests that Shipwreck 15563 is a whaling ship lost in the Gulf while whaling within the first half of the 19th century. Decades of historical research has identified only one whaling ship that was lost while in service as a whaler in the Gulf: the brig Industry of Westport, Massachusetts.
Read moreIndustry’s Place in U.S. History: The Maritime Legacy of African-American and Indigenous Peoples
March 23, 2022
The voyages of Industry included African-American crew members, a number of whom were children of marriages between enslaved and free Blacks in the community and the neighboring tribes of New England. These tribes had hunted whales and introduced the first colonists from England to the practice. There was a substantial presence of Afro-Indigenous individuals in the whaling industry that persisted throughout the 19th century.
Read moreSetting the Stage for Discovery: Whaling in the Gulf of Mexico
March 23, 2022
Whaling was America’s first global industry, spanning prerevolutionary times through the start of the 20th century. Whale oil lit the street lamps in American cities, and whale baleen supported women’s 19th century hooped skirts.
Read moreExpedition Overview
February 23, 2022
In preparation for our 2022 field season, NOAA Ocean Exploration will conduct operations to “shake down” the mission systems on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in the Gulf of Mexico and the western Straits of Florida February 23-March 3, 2022.
Read more