Where the Action Is...

May 28th @ 9:30am - When ROPOS is in the water, the spot to be is in the control room, a dark place lit by the glow of a multitude of television screens and monitors. In the front row, closest to the large displays, is where the pilots sit (I incorrectly called them 'drivers' and was swiftly corrected), who control all the functions of the ROV with a series of joysticks that would make any video game geek jealous.

Behind the pilots sit the 'loggers', whose job it is to record any and all events (technical, oceanographic, and biological) that take place during the dive. In the back of the room you can usually find an audience of scientists and crew who have a few minutes to stop to watch the exploration unfold.

It reminds me of mission control during a rocket launch, which I suppose is an apt comparison, as the environment we're exploring is, in many ways, as alien and technically challenging as exploring the lunar surface. I think that is what makes it so exciting!

Blog post and photo by Scott Doehler
Marine Educator