For 28 days, E/V Nautilus will provide support to Ocean Networks Canada’s (ONC) NEPTUNE observatory located off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, within the traditional and modern territories of the Nuu-chah-nulth and Coast Salish peoples. This deep-sea network reaches 250 kilometers off-shore and consists of an 800-kilometer loop of fiber optic cable connected to instruments that enable scientists to study continuous long-term observations not afforded by traditional ship-based ocean exploration. This expedition marks the sixth year of the partnership between Ocean Networks Canada and the Ocean Exploration Trust.
In addition to deploying, recovering, and providing maintenance for various observatory sensors and instruments, Nautilus will also conduct seafloor mapping surveys, and ROV dives including biological and geological sampling. The expedition will include work at various observatory sites including: Barkley Canyon, continental margin at Clayoquot Slope, abyssal plain of Cascadia Basin, and the Endeavour Hydrothermal Vents.
