Planet Earth Online

Return to the Abyss Down Under

Updated: 13 November 2009

This time they're off the coast of New Zealand, looking to send Alfie, their plucky deep-sea camera-equipped lander, down into the lightless depths of the Kermadec Trench.

Several thousand metres down, surrounded by crushing pressure, the unmanned submersible will attempt to take more film of the deep-dwelling creatures attracted to the bait it carries. This time, though, Alfie will be joined by other, newer equipment, including the top-secret experimental Hadal-Lander C, only recently built by Voyage Leader Dr Alan Jamieson!

The team will be providing regular updates from the New Zealand Research Vessel Kaharoa of what they find. Watch this space!

See all 14 blog posts (8 comments)

13 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: The Lost Buoys (1)

  So it was a pleasure to wake this morning to the back drop of the mountains of New Zealand off the starboard side. Just a few hours and we'll be back in relative sanity of Wellington.

12 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: Ode to Kaharoa (0)

  So, we are still on our way back to Wellington, should get there tomorrow lunch time they reckon. This morning was just about calm enough for me to fulfil my Supreme Commander duties and write the final cruise report. Then it happened.

10 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: Marco the Sharko (0)

  DAY 08This morning the lander was on the surface by 0730. Our 48 hours of calm seas and sunshine are well and truly behind us. This recovery was by far the roughest yet but at least it was the last.

• Alan Jamieson: On top of the world (down under) (1)

  It was a good for HADEEP today and indeed hadal biology.

9 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: Why not live on the edge? (0)

  Greetings from another beautiful early morning in the South Pacific. We were up at 5am again today to release Jonah from 6000m. Terry the cook attempted to ease our grief by cooking kippers all the way from Aberdeen no less.

8 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: With fear then beer in our hearts (1)

  DAY 05 Part 3It's been a funny old day today, hence the three-part blog. After the success of Jonah at 7202m we quickly turned him around and dropped him off at 6000m.

• Alan Jamieson: With Joy in our hearts (0)

  DAY 05 Part 2In the aftermath of this morning's disaster we found ourselves at the mercy of the success of an inanimate object we call 'Jonah'. Doesn't bode well. We released him from 7200m without incident.

• Alan Jamieson: With sadness in our hearts (4)

  DAY 05 Part 1Today the unthinkable happened. A disaster. At 0800 local time Alfie was pronounced officially lost at sea. Dead and gone forever. May he rest in peace. Something terrible went wrong.

7 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: Gnarly Scavengers (0)

  It was a good day today. It would be even better if this godforsaken boat would stop rolling. I got up at 5am, tried to brush my teeth and head-butted the bulkhead.

6 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: Toasting the inflatable pig (0)

  Today really didn't start off well. I don't think I slept at all last night as the ship handles a big swell like an inflatable pig. I have to admit I felt awful until about 2pm when my sea-legs finally kicked in.

5 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: No worries, we have albatross (0)

  After a mammoth kip we started early today and assembled the landers. We are not due to arrive on the first station until first thing tomorrow so it was a slow day. Everyone on board is in good spirits and that rubs off.

3 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: How did the Kermadec Trench get its name? (0)

  The Kermadec Trench is in about 1200km long and has a maximum depth of 10,047m. It lies to the northeast of New Zealand and joins the Tonga Trench.

• Alan Jamieson: Prelude to serendipity (0)

  Early this morning we packed up our temporary home in the drafty hanger at NIWA and trucked all the gear to the ship. The Kaharoa is a very small but a quirky little devil.

2 November 2009

• Alan Jamieson: Introduction (1)

  KAH09103rd - 12th November 2009Hello. Welcome to another HADEEP cruise blog where I hope over the next couple weeks we will be able to bring all sorts of exciting deep-sea discoveries to your attention.