February 13, 2022
Our first float is in the water–KHS Guppysaur from Kearny High School in San Diego! Sitting here writing this from the middle of the ocean, it’s hard to believe that I was back home in San Diego only 2.5 weeks ago. This is our first deployment of the cruise, so everyone on board was excited to help decorate the float!
Javi Diaz and Dani Santana helping decorate the float
The KHS Guppysaur ready to take the plunge
KHS Guppysaur joins the ranks of more than 200 SOCCOM floats that have been deployed in the Southern Ocean since 2014. For the next several years, the float will follow the ocean currents 1000 meters below the sea surface. Every 10 days it will sink to 2000 meters and then rise up to the surface, collecting data along the way that is sent back to land via satellite. The measurements recorded by KHS Guppysaur will then be used by scientists all over the world to understand the role of the ocean in the climate system. It’s an important job for such a small float!
– Channing
Everyone was very excited to sign the float
The float disappearing into the night after being deployed