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OPERATION DEEP SCOPE Exploring Gulf of Mexico Deep-Sea Habitats MISSION DISPATCH 8 • August 15, 2004 Dispatch by Mark Schrope - @Sea Photo-Journalist When we got up this morning, the plan was to run two submersible dives with some scuba in between, then begin the 17-hour transit east to Viosca Knoll , a beautiful  deepwater coral area. As often happens at sea though, the plan quickly changed, and in this case has caused
a potentially serious problem.
By the time the Johnson-Sea-Link I (JSLI) was on deck after the day's first dive, the winds and seas had picked up to the point that dive number two and the scuba dive had to be called off. Sadly, we had planned to recover the Eye-in-the-Sea , deployed yesterday afternoon, on that elusive second dive. We waited anxiously to see if conditions would calm enough to go get the Eye, but it was not to be. So, instead of being able to use this downtime to travel, we are forced to stay here until we can get back down. If we can do that tomorrow morning, we'll be on our way as soon as the sub hits the deck and still have time to get to Viosca Knoll for two submersible dives. If not, we may have to give up Viosca altogether and stay here as long as we can waiting for a chance to get to the bottom. If we can't, then the beloved Eye will be trapped until another expedition to the area, which could take a year or more. 
At least the one dive of the day was a good one.
Charlie Mazel was back in the sphere scanning the bottom for fluorescent animals. Once again
he spotted a small bit of bright fluorescence, then moved in for a closer look. This time around, it was a gorgeous sea anemone.
This was an exciting find for him because he had been hoping to collect a deep-sea anemone this trip, but had yet to come across one. The
collection itself was a little tricky because this type of anemone lives in a long tube that it draws down into whenever disturbed. During Charlie's
only other deep-sea expedition to hunt for fluorescence there had been several failed attempts to get them. Now, he and his colleagues will finally
be able to study this brilliant fluorescence in the lab.
Toward the end of the dive the team gathered Tammy Frank's traps and then moved on expecting to look for more fluorescence. Instead, they spotted another sixgill shark [See DISPATCH 3] and took off in hot pursuit, or whatever you call pursuit at one knot, which is about the top speed of the submersible. Tim followed the shark up into the water column but couldn't quite catch up until for some reason the animal just paused, giving them time for a clear view. The shark wasn't fluorescent, but Charlie was quite pleased to have his own chance to experience this rare sight. 
Back on the surface, everyone gathered in the wet lab to admire the anemone's fluorescent glow. At the same time, Tammy Frank went into
a dark room to unload her traps. Finally, after several deployments that had led to nothing save some dreaded hagfish, she had caught a crab.
It was a species with very small eyes and not really what she was hoping for, but it was a welcome score nonetheless. Now if only the seas
will cooperate long enough to give her a chance to deploy the traps at Viosca.
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