The NOCS summer cruise season 2009 kicks off with a short survey cruise to the Whittard Canyon aboard RRS James Cook (cruise JC35), followed by a longer investigation of the biology and geological processes active in the canyon (cruise JC36). The James Cook will be armed with all manner of high-tech ewquipment, including TOBI and the ROV Isis - catch up with the latest from the cruise blogs!.

All Hallows Catholic High School in Macclesfield, UK have run a competition revolving around environment protection and in particular marine life and the deep sea. Students entering the competition had to study the Classroom@Sea project and complete a questionnaire about what they found on the website. Following the questionnaire, pupils designed a poster that reflected what they had learned. Bethan Clayton from Year 7 produced the most thorough and best illustrated poster, pictured left (click on image to see an larger version). Well done, Bethan!

Six teachers have been recruited to join an international team of scientists aboard the RRS James Cook during an 8-week eipc mission around the European Atlantic margin. Gillian McGahan, Eduard Mayol, Helen Candy, Virginia Martins, Tina Hedger and Richard Ingram will each spend between two and three weeks on board the ship as part of the science party, helping out with the sampling and experiencing life on board a research vessel. Led by NOCS Phil Weaver, the cruise will be split into three legs. The first leg will visit the mud volcanoes, the second leg will investigate submarine canyons offshore Portugal, and the third leg will study canyons offshore Ireland. For more details on the progress of the cruise, including daily diaries go to the JC10 webpages.

The RRS James Cook set sail on the first leg of the JC10 cruise on 14 May. On board are school teachers Gillian McGahan and Eduard Mayol, who will be working as part of the scientific team and reporting their experiences to the classrom@Sea website. Gillian teaches science at the Downs School in Berkhsire, while Eduard teaches at the Escola Esperança in Barcelona, Spain. This leg of the cruise will investigate mud volcanoes and fluid flow in the Gulf of Cadiz - an area famous for its cold seeps and mud volcanoes. The cruise is part of the EC-funded HERMES project.

Catch up with the latest news from the James Cook on the JC10 webpages.

No teachers on this cruise, but our team of on-board scientists and students are sending back daily diaries and photos so that you can follow all the action. After a rough start and delays due to bad weather, the team are finally doing their thing offshore Morocco. Catch up with all the latest news and hijinks...

Links:
CD166 Daily Diary
CD166 website

The day has finally come when Ian, Elena and the science team make their way to the RRS Charles Darwin, waiting for them in the docks in Tenerife. Phil, Doug, Veit and Belinda flew out to organise the equipment on the ship yesterday (Wednesday 26th) and the rest of the team will arrive at the docks later this afternoon (Thursday 27th). The ship is due to set sail tomorrow morning, so Ian and Elena will have a chance to get familiar with the ship before she leaves port. All the team will sleep on board the ship tonight, ready for an early departure in the morning. Follow the progress of the cruise in the team's Daily Diaries...

Links:
CD 157 cruise webpages

After a day or so of steaming to the study site, the team are getting ready to take the first samples. It hasn't all been plain sailing though....several of the team have been struck down by seasickness and have been confined to their bunks! Eneryone has found their sealegs now though, and are looking forward to getting stuck into the work.

Links:
CD157 daily diary
CD157 website