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Liz McCliment, a graduate student at the University of Delaware
College of Marine Studies, answers your questions about working
in the deep-sea sub Alvin.
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What’s it feel like when
you’re descending in Alvin? |
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You actually sense very little
motion inside the sub, except when you’re bobbing on the
surface. Mostly, you can tell you’re descending by the
color of the water outside your porthole. It gets dark pretty
quickly — within about 10 minutes! |
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How long does it take to get to the
ocean bottom? |
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About one to two hours,
depending on how deep you’re going. You usually work for four
or five hours on the bottom before ascending. A typical dive generally
lasts eight hours. |
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Do you have to wear anything
special in the sub? |
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It gets very cold in the sub.
The temperature of the water is just above freezing, so you
have to wear a few layers of wool or cotton clothing, including
extra pairs of socks. You cannot wear shoes, jewelry, or any
synthetic material (like nylon or Lycra) in the sub. Shoes would
just get in the way. Jewelry might scratch Alvin’s
window. Synthetic clothes are not permitted for fire safety
reasons. |
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How much room do you have in the
sub? |
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It’s very cramped.
There’s enough room for two scientists to sit with their legs
alongside each other, and the pilot to crouch on a tiny padded bench.
If you want to stretch out, it is possible for one (short) person
to stand up with their head in the hatch. You also spend a lot of
time laying on your side or stomach, looking out your porthole, operating
your equipment and conducting experiments. |
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What do you eat in the sub?
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There’s a traditional lunch served to the scientists
and crew on a dive: one peanut butter and jelly sandwich,
one “mystery meat” sandwich, a candy bar, and a
piece of fruit. Since you’re generally very busy and
lose track of time while you’re working, you tend to
eat when you’re in transit between sites!
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