MISSION DISPATCH 3 October 04, 2005 | Claire Nouvian - @SEA Correspondent We are in the southeastern part of the Gulf of Maine above George's Basin. Water depth is 1000 feet (a little over 300 meters). I am told that last year this sight was teaming with colonies. Franz and Andrey conducted the first dive in the submersible at 1 pm. The catch of the day was a really beautiful medusa that David photographed. Unfortunately, like Wilkinson Basin, the physonect siphonophore Nanomia cara was absent. Consequently, Marsh decided to transit south to Oceanographer Canyon. His decision was welcomed by a cheer from the scientific crowd. What is there that triggers such an enthusiastic reaction? Marsh answers "a larger diversity of animals in a much deeper (3000 ft) water column." David says "there are lots of octopi, finned ones too like Stauroteuthis." Brandy replies "it's incredible, so much going on." Sounds exciting. I would love to see a greater variety of pelagic animals. Maybe I could offer Marsh to make myself as small as a mouse and to share the seat in the sphere? Oceanographer Canyon is one of several deep canyons that cut into the shallow George's Bank along its the southern edge. The canyons are completely submerged geological regimes where surface waters can mix with deep, nutrient-rich waters. Technically, water flows off and onto the shoals of Georges Bank at these sites. The sinking process is called "downwelling", and flows coming from the deeper to shallower water are termed "upwelling". As a result of vertical exchanges, canyons are often places of high productivity and high species richness. Because larger amounts of particulate food are often available, deep-sea fauna tend to aggregate in the canyons. Therefore, our chances to make sightings of unusual animals are much higher there than elsewhere at similar depths. Off we go again. This journey will take twelve to sixteen hours of transit. We'll arrive there in the morning.

© 2005, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution