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Dan Howard receives
instruction from Ian Griffith during the first
stage of DeepWorker training in October 1998 at the
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in Moss
Landing, CA. (photo: Karina Racz)
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Amber Mace experiments with
the thrusters in the Institute's pool during
training (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)
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One of the first views of the
DeepWorker in action - through a porthole in the
Institute's pool. (photo: Karina Racz)
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The DeepWorkers arrive by
truck to the first test launch site off the US
Coast Guard pier in Monterey. The space-age looking
subs piqued much curiosity along the road from
Vancouver (photo: Amber Mace)
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Inside the sub: the pilot's
seat and the port side controls, including the
oxygen bellows, main control panel, and scrubber
fan. (photo: Jan Roletto)
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Turning on the oxygen bottles
before closing the hatch on the rear buoyancy pack.
(photo: Jan Roletto)
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A view of the interior of the
sub, minus the pilot's seat Programmable logic
control board, port and starboard controls, and
hull jettison lever. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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The Monterey Bay Sanctuary's
boat stands by during one of the first test dives
of the DeepWorker in Monterey harbor. (photo:
Karina Racz)
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Sanctuary manager Ed Ueber
shows his excitement at being one of the first to
pilot the DeepWorker. (photo: Dan Howard)
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The group successfully
completes stage one of DeepWorker training in
Monterey. (photo: Maria Brown)
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Stage two of DeepWorker
training took place in March of 1999 in somewhat
colder conditions at the Sand Point NOAA facility
on Lake Washington in Seattle. (photo: Maria
Brown)
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NOAA Corps LCDR Dan Wilkes
waited patiently to assist in releasing the
training pilots into the depths of Lake Washington.
(photo: Amber Mace)
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Training complete, the GFNMS
and CBNMS teams of the DeepWorker pilots assembled
in red, ready to undertake their missions at the
SSE kickoff celebration in April in San Francisco
(photo: David Mastrandrea)
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The flag flew proudly off the
mast of the NOAA Ship McARTHUR as she headed for
the Sanctuaries west of the Golden Gate. (photo:
Jamie Hall)
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Sanctuary manager Ed Ueber
wished Sylvia well before her first dive into the
Gulf of the Farallones (photo: Dan Howard)
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The NOAA Ship McARTHUR
arrives at Southeast Farallon Island for the first
round of dives. (photo: Maria Brown)
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The DeepWorkers await
deployment off the stern of the McARTHUR as the
Farallones loom in the distance (photo: Maria
Brown)
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Plankton nets were deployed
at night whenever possible to make use of every
precious moment of ship time. Data gathered from
these nets is part of a long-term ecosystem
dynamics study being conducted by the Sanctuaries.
(photo: Jan Roletto)
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When weather prohibited
launching the DeepWorker, scientists made us of the
capabilities of a small ROV borrowed from Deep
Ocean Engineering and Research, which also brought
up video images from the sealer. (photo: Jamie
Hall)
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Instructor Phil Otalora
explains the function of each item in the sub's
emergency pack to a very attentive group of new
pilots. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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Mission Coordinator Dan
Howard tentatively explores the controls at the
surface before submerging for his first open water
dive in the Deep Worker. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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Launching the submarine off
the stern of the McARTHUR required a coordinated
effort by the deck crew. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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Braving sharky waters, Matt
Hovelman makes the plunge to free the DeepWorker
from the A-frame. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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After spending hours on deck
observing, Teacher-at-Sea, Kathy Soave, tries the
DeepWorker on for size. (photo: Maria Brown)
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During the Student Summit at
the Bodega Marine Laboratory, the pilot teams
discussed future projects with the students.
(photo: Karina Racz)
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Pilot Tom Laidig explained to
students the usefulness of the DeepWorker in
exploring the hidden reaches of Cordell Bank.
(photo: Karina Racz)
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Whenever possible, DeepWorker
operations continued on into the night. (photo:
Jamie Hall)
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During down time for the sub,
those on board the McARTHUR practiced drills, like
getting ready to abandon ship in exposure suits.
(photo: Jamie Hall)
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Fire drills were also
rehearsed. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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And on one sunny,
particularly inviting day in Drake's Bay, the
abandon ship drill was taken further than usual!
(photo: Jamie Hall)
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Pilots Maria Brown and
Natalie Cosentino prove that it is possible to fit
two people into one DeepWorker. (photo: Jan
Roletto)
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During the Marine Sanctuaries
Fair in San Francisco, the public enjoyed tours of
the McARTHUR and the DeepWorker. (photo: Mike
Falzone)
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Chief Scientist Dan Howard
explained the importance of Sanctuary research to
an up and coming marine biologist. (photo: Mike
Falzone)
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Children of all ages enjoyed
creating DeepWorkers at the arts and crafts table
during the Marine Sanctuaries Fair. (photo Mike
Falzone)
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Kids and adults explored some
of the specimens collected from their local
Sanctuaries. (photo: Mike Falzone)
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Visitors flocked to
information and activity booths at the Marine
Sanctuaries Fair celebration. (photo: Mike
Falzone)
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Proud faces at the conclusion
of the mission for the Gulf of the Farallones and
Cordell Bank. (photo: Jamie Hall)
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