Image of the Day

December 7, 2011

The Original

Atlantis was the first open-ocean research vessel operated by WHOI, and the first ship built specifically for interdisciplinary marine research. Columbus Iselin, the ship's original captain and an influence on the vessel's design, chose steadiness, silence, and cruising range over speed. "She was a beautiful ship," wrote author Edward Manahan of the 142-foot, ketch-rigged Atlantis. In 33 years at WHOI, Atlantis made 299 cruises and covered 700,000 miles. In recognition of the vessel's contributions to science, NASA named a space shuttle Atlantis. More photos of WHOI vessels, past and present, are featured in the 2012 WHOI wall calendar. (Photo courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Archives)