Going Home

Human occupied vehicle Alvin rests on the surface after a dive to the seafloor as its support ship, R/V Atlantis, stands by to tow it in and bring it back on deck. The dive was part of Alvin’s Science Verification Cruise (SVC), when the sub was recertified by the Navy following an extensive upgrade. Among improvements to the sub were new lights and cameras, seen here on the brow of the vehicle, which greatly enhance its imaging capabilities; and a lateral thruster, mounted on the orange-red sail, which makes the sub much more maneuverable.(Photo by Chris Linder, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)