The Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV) Alvin averages 150-175 dives per year. Here 3rd mate Kami Bucholz (left) and engineering assistant Anton Zafereo balance onboard HOV Alvin during recovery operations. The dive was part of the SEEPS 09 project, which explores natural oil seeps off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif. This was the second Alvin expedition to this natural oil seep, the first being in the summer of 2007. 
(Photo by Karin Lemkau, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)