Because of some unfortunate heavier than expected wind and a medical emergency bringing us into port in Shelburne our first two sites (Brown's Channel and German Bank) have been postponed. Our first dive will now commence in Jordan Basin.
Jordan Basin is the largest basin in the eastern Gulf of Maine - it is more than 8000 square km with a maximum depth of 311 m. Jordan Basin is mostly covered in soft sediment, but our ROPOS dives in 2006 surveyed two large rock features with abundant filter feeding communities. Larval settlement collectors were placed one of of these rock features which we will attempt to retrieve during this mission. We will also conduct transects along the rock features using the ROPOS to collect high definition video and take larval tows.
