The shipboard mission team poses on the bow of the ship as Leg 3 comes to a close.

The shipboard mission team poses on the bow of the ship as Leg 3 comes to a close. Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas. Download larger version (jpg, 2.6 MB).

Expedition Complete!
July 10, 2016

After a successful third leg, the 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas Expedition is complete! We've had a fantastic cruise with 22 dives with an abundance of discoveries that included new hydrothermal vents, the first-ever petite spot volcano in U.S. waters, a new mud volcano, several areas of high-density deep-sea corals and sponges, as well as dozens of new species and new records and yesterday's discovery of the World War II B-29. NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer has returned to Guam and our team will spend the next couple days wrapping up cruise products and prepping for the next mission. We will be back broadcasting again starting July 27, as our next expediton, Deepwater Wonders of Wake, gets underway. Until then, check our website for videos, images, and web logs sharing some of our favorite moments of the mission.