Longitude: 104°W

Today started early at 6:00. I still like being up to see the launch preparations, but I headed up to the bridge with a few other people in the hopes that we'd still be able to find The Wommacker. Bekki and Kurt handled its loss pretty well, but there's always a lingering hope that the array might miraculously return. Unfortunately, there was no sign of it.

It's all part of sampling in the open ocean. No matter how well you plan a sampling run, things break, something unforeseen happens, and you lose the sample and the sampling device. It's really difficult to deal with it, but plans are already under way to rebuild the new and improved Wommacker for next year.

The ship is really in a rhythm now. The Alvin group is up at 5:15 or so getting the sub ready. They're making sure all the equipment on the basket is secure and easily accessible. The manipulator arms are checked, more hydraulic fluid is added, and then they go to breakfast. A quick breakfast is eaten and back out to the sub. The science party tends to wander through the mess deck at a more leisurely pace. Many of them have been up really late working, so they're a little bleary-eyed from lack of sleep. Most people go to the sub launch — it hasn't lost its fascination. And then, BACK TO WORK.

The RNA group (Kevin, Andy, Steve, Laura, Amir, Laura, and Dave) keep working on collecting and extracting nucleic acids from the worms. The Arizona State University group (Peggy, Eileen, Dawn and Ken) work on their water samples from the Sipper and prepare the last of their traps for deployment. Drs. Taylor and Sievert continue to run analyses on the samples collected from the AMS. The Harold traps are still in place and collecting on the bottom next to Q vent.

The crew does whatever needs to be done. The deck crew is working like crazy, grinding and painting the ship in preparation for its sojourn in a Florida shipyard in December. There are an amazing number of things that constantly need to be done to maintain a ship of this size. There are always two people standing watch on the bridge, and top lab is busy with Alvin diving. It all just runs smoothly, but it's really just a lull in the action before Alvin returns with more stuff.

Science Report — Tony has a better dive than his last. He's new to piloting the sub (this was his tenth solo dive) and the samples that need collecting are tough to get — even for experienced pilots. He collected 2 samples from the AMS, 8 Sippers, 2–3 worms in the DISSR, 5–10 worms in the cold box, and one small sulfide chimney.

Anthony Tarantino, Alvin Pilot, R/V Atlantis

Today started great. It was my turn to dive, and I was ready. I was really psyched to get some great samples for the scientists. (I don't know if you heard, but my last dive didn't go so well, so I was really anxious to do a good job.) My two observers were Andy Berglund and Ken Voglesong.

On the way down, we listened to music and reviewed the dive plan. After about an hour and a half, we landed on the bottom and started our work. We landed very close to our target, which was great. The less we have to drive, the more power we can save to do work. We got to Ty and Io in about 10 minutes and started working. My task was to collect a chimney sample and take it up with us.

After a little bit of driving around to find the perfect one, I began the process of setting up to take the sample. Out of my viewport, I could see the chimney — it was about a foot long and spewing black smoke and super-hot water. I edged my sub onto the edge of the smoker knowing full well that if I went in too hard I could topple it. Slowly I edged inch-by-inch until I finally had the right angle. Then it happened ... the structure toppled, causing a gush of black smoke to envelope the front of the sub! I had no time to waste; I had to get the sub out of there. Without taking time to think, I reacted and pulled the sub out of harm's way. Whew, that was a close call! Luckily, we were fine and had to get right back to work. After a little more looking, we found a better sample and collected it successfully.

After that, we headed north to complete our next objective: seek out and collect Alvinellids! When we got to Bio-9, we were greeted by our friendly marker, Dave, a life-sized cut-out of a former pilot from days gone by. We got our bearings and dug right in, sampling with the Sipper and searching for Alvinellids. All this action took its toll on the sub — my batteries were running low, and unfortunately it was time to go home. We dropped weights to the west and began our ascent back to our mother ship, the Atlantis. It was a triumphant voyage, one that none of us will forget, or at least I won't.

We landed on deck to the waiting scientists and cheers of congratulations — it felt like a hero's welcome. Later on that evening, we ate a hearty meal and enjoyed a celebratory pool party. Thinking back on the whole dive and what we accomplished, I thought, this is what it's all about!