Well, you all know what today was — my first dive in Alvin! I was up and on deck by about 0645 to “check in” and get any final debriefing. One of the objectives of today’s dive was to conduct the first Extreme Experiment for this expedition. The point of the experiment was to see if a tablet of Alka Seltzer would create bubbles under pressure of the deep ocean. So, I taped a vacuum-sealed tablet to the top of the biobox to take down with me today. That was my only duty beforehand, leaving plenty of time to grab a small breakfast — one pecan pancake and a couple slices of fresh fruit. I didn’t want to eat too much, and I DEFINITELY didn’t want to drink too much prior to going down. Though there are accommodations if “Nature calls,” I would have felt too awkward given the close quarters.

After eating, I went back to the deck and waited for my cue to board the sub. Several people were there to give me encouraging words. Then, by about 0745, Pat (Alvin Expedition Leader) walked over to accompany me over to the sub. Everything happened pretty quickly after that. I didn’t have to wait too long before Alvin was lifted off the deck and released into the water. Mark Spear, one of the swimmers for today’s launch, came by the portholes to take underwater pictures of Brian and I looking through. Shortly thereafter, we were under way.

The depth on the control panel seemed to climb quickly. Soon, the light levels gradually decreased, and then there was complete darkness by 150–200 m. As the depth continued to increase, the temperature inside the sub dropped accordingly. The metal hull got ice-cold to the touch, and condensation started to collect on it and the portholes. To counteract the change, I began to put on my layers of clothes. I went into the sub with jeans, a T-shirt, and one pair of socks. At first, all I added was a long-sleeved shirt, but soon I needed a sweatshirt and an ear-band. That kept me warm enough for the rest of the descent. However, by the time we reached the seafloor, I found myself needing to add another pair of socks and a wool skullcap.

Just as we were approaching target depth, I experienced one of the most memorable parts of the dive — seeing the rocky, colorless bottom come into view. Most of the dive, there was nothing to see but darkness outside the porthole, so this moment of “arrival” made an impact. That, itself, was remarkable. There wasn’t the fantasy of seeing all these strange and colorful creatures all around me. Instead, the terrain seemed rather bare, but still awe-inspiring.

Once I had absorbed my surroundings, I did begin to see some of the life that inhabited it. I think the first thing I saw was a large, bright-red shrimp that swam close to my porthole. Then, I noticed that there were several of them swimming in the area. As we taxied to our sampling site, I also saw several different fishes — some small, some not so small. Most of them were a whitish or silver color, and had slender bodies. I saw one that was brownish with a big head relative to the rest of its body. I also saw a rather large black one resting along the floor. There were plenty of brightly colored sea stars of different sizes, purple and orange sea slugs, and white, coral-like organisms. These were all relatively spread out across the rocks, which had patches of sparkling mineral deposits.

However, by the time we neared the targeted communities, the biological composition changed along with the geology. I began to see lots and lots of different crabs, all of which were bright white. They seemed to be everywhere. Then the clusters of old worm casings were scattered around the floor. Once we made it to the site, though, the view was something that can’t accurately be captured in pictures or video. There were tall mounds of tubeworms (Riftia), and the worms inside seemed huge now that I was close to them. Wow! Based on the images that I have seen and the samples that have been retrieved, I didn’t realize how large they could get. Apparently, the big ones just don’t fit well in the bioboxes, and the pictures do them an injustice.

This site was not yet the “hot spot.” After completing our objectives at this tubeworm colony, we moved on to hydrothermal vents where the infamous Pompeii worm (Alvinella) is established. These worms are now considered among the most heat-tolerant of higher-order organisms. They were situated right on vents that continually spew hot water and smoke, which caused a shimmer in the water. These worms are considerably smaller than Riftia, but still incredible to see in their natural environment.

In addition to collecting biological samples at the sites, we recorded temperatures, took water and chimney samples, retrieved equipment, and took plenty of footage. With everything that had to be obtained by the end of the dive, the time on the floor went by very quickly. It was hard for me to keep up with the veterans — Bruce (pilot) and Brian (seasoned Ph.D. student) — but they kept me on track.

Other than helping them with the science part of it, I needed their help with the educational components. Bruce pierced the package containing the Alka Seltzer to see if it fizzed. (Look for the results to be posted soon on the Web site.) They also helped answer questions from the 12 schools that participated in today’s Phone Call to the Deep, which was the second of four. We managed to get all of that done while still going down the list of dive objectives.

Overall, the dive was definitely quite an experience. Our deepest point was about 2513 m (8,244 ft). By the end, I had put on another pair of socks and a pair of gloves. Bruce had a mix of music playing for almost the entire trip, which helped keep things relaxed. After a while, I got used to how cramped it was inside (though I was anxious to get out and stretch). I didn’t get enough of an urge (or enough time, for that matter) to want to eat anything until we were on our way back to the surface. Our lunches were pre-packed, and included one crunchy peanut butter and honey sandwich, one cold-cut sandwich, a candy bar, and an apple. All I ate was the PB & H, and that sufficed.

There are a few other interesting things to note, one of which is the echo-effect from the radio communication between the sub and the ship. It was almost as if you could hear the sound waves bounce through the water and back. Another is that aspirin was available in the sub as a precaution due to the low oxygen-to-carbon dioxide ratio inside, which can cause headaches. Also, the gradual increase in light and planktonic organisms (e.g., salps, jellyfish) as we neared the surface (at about 5 p.m.) was almost as cool as seeing the bottom come up during the descent. Lastly, my ears did not pop when ascending/descending like they sometimes do when in an airplane, which many people wondered. There was, however, a bit of that sensation once the hatch was reopened at the surface.

By now, you all should know what comes next. Once we got back aboard and prepared to disembark, it was time for my initiation as a “Deep-Sea Mariner.” As I stepped out of the hatch, a cheering crowd greeted me. Before barely getting down the stairs to the deck, I was hosed down, which was swiftly followed by FIVE buckets of icy water. Supposedly the graduation to five buckets, instead of four, is a sign that I am well liked. What a way to show it, huh? I was honored! After my dousing, though, I was eager to get to a hot shower and a warm meal.

So, there it is…yet, another marine biology adventure in my life that I can add to the list. Next, I guess I have to experience going down in shark cages!

[Note: I would like to thank Kristy Henscheid for being so helpful in getting photos for me to use, since I spent most of my day away from the ship. See photo credits in Neat Stuff.]