Deployment of Barkley benthic pods 3 and 4

In rapid succession we deployed the remaining two benthic pods to Barkley Canyon, 10-11 September 2009. Now, the full quartet of Barkley benthic pods has been deployed, including pod 1 in the axis of Barkley Canyon and pod 2 located on the upper continental slope above Barkley Canyon. Together, these four instrument platforms will provide a wide variety of data to scientists studying benthic ecology in the area.
Learn more about the Barkley Benthic research project.

The communications pathway from the University of Victoria to these two new benthic pods is as follows:

University > Port Alberni Shore Station > Backbone Cable > Barkley Branching Unit > Barkley Node > Barkley Hydrates Instrument Platform > Barkley Benthic Pod 4 > Barkley Benthic Pod 3

Barkley Benthic Instrumentation

Photo Gallery

Barkley benthic pod 4
Instruments affixed to Barkley benthic pod 4 include a CTD, fluorometer and multibeam sonar. Photo taken prior to deployment, 10 September 2009.	An end view of Barkley benthic pod 4, 10 September 2009.	White microbial sensor plate, 10 September 2009.
Gray microbial sensor plate, 10 September 2009.	The microbial sensors were kept continually wet for many weeks prior to deployment.	Power and communications ports on Barkley benthic pod 4.

Deployment
Dalhousie University oceanographer Doug Schillinger discusses plans with R/V Thompson marine tech Jenny White, 10 September 2009.	ROCLS is lowered by ship's winch to the seafloor, 10 September 2009. The drum held an extension cable used to connect Barkley benthic pod 4 to our network via the Barkley hydrates instrument platform.	ROPOS Sr. ROV operations manager Keith Tamburri, 10 September 2009.
ROPOS pilot Ian Murdock monitors deployment of the cable reel, 10 September 2009.

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Pod 4 on the Seafloor
ROPOS deploys the first of two microbial sensors connected to Barkley benthic pod 4, 11 September 2009.	As installation wrapped up, we took two push-core samples of the seafloor sediment. One very large squid came to inspect our work.	ROPOS connects Barkley benthic pod 4 to our network, 11 September 2009.

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Barkley benthic pod 3
ADCP and sonar affixed to Barkley benthic pod 3, 10 September 2009.	Barkley benthic pod 3 with piggy-back plankton pump. After deployment to the seafloor, the plankton pump was removed from the platform and placed on the "bongo drums", a base platform made from blue plastic pipes.	Low-light black and white video camera with lights, lasers and pan/tilt mechanism mounted beneath Barkley benthic pod 3, 10 September 2009.
Two views of the plankton pump within its frame, 10 September 2009.	Connector and hose that were plugged into Barkley benthic pod 4 during deployment.

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Pod 3 on the Seafloor
Final layout of the plankton pump and Barkley benthic pod 3, 11 September 2009.	Barkley benthic pod 3 in position on the seafloor, with rotary sonar lifted into deployment position, 11 September 2009.	The plankton pump in position on the seafloor, 11 September 2009.

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Microcosm on a Sponge

During installation, we encountered this sponge growing at 937m, playing host to a slow-moving crab and numerous tiny shrimp.

Sponge and Friends
Sponge, crab and shrimp observed at 937m in Barkley Canyon, 11 September 2009.	Tiny shrimp inhabiting a deepsea sponge, 10 September 2009.	While working in Barkley Canyon, we encountered this sponge inhabited by a crab and numerous tiny shrimp.

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