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1. A mini-mooring plan

2. The final science task

3. Mini-mooring recovery

From: Craig Wallace
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 23:17
Subject: Nearing the end

D334 - 23/11/2008

Our work on the 'mini-moorings' is now complete! This has seen us cruise right into the shallow coastal waters west of Morocco to depths of as little as 100m.

The area is heavily fished. Whilst it is nice to see some sea traffic and signs of civilisation after the mid Atlantic, this isn't such good news for the moorings. Fishing nets can easily become snagged in the mooring gear at such shallow depths. This probably explains why our acoustic signals to two of the moorings have gone ominously unanswered. Still, to lose only two of the smallest moorings throughout the whole cruise means the mooring operations have been a great success.

Sailing into shallower, more productive water has also meant much more by way of wildlife. Seabirds are now tracking the ship, perhaps mistaking us for a fishing vessel and hopeful of a free lunch. Pods of dolphins have also made an appearance.

The final scientific task for the cruise is to complete a series of CTD casts in a northeast-southwest line south of the Canaries (see map). These casts won't carry any microCATs, but are intended to help us compare temperature and salinity now with past measurments along the coastal slope - the last one from 2004. Like the mooring information, all of the data we collect will help us to determine how the Atlantic ocean behaves near the boundaries. This will allow continued and more precise monitoring of the overturning circulation.

The CTD operations are scheduled to finish sometime soon today. Once the final data are processed and checked, we'll begin to dismantle the science lab, and pack up our gear. The ship will swing east and begin a 19-hour transit - its final course to Santa Cruz, Tenerife!

Craig