My name is Joost, and I am a research engineering technician in MBARI’s Bioinspiration Lab. This is my first cruise on the Western Flyer, and in the coming days I hope to share with you some of my amazement and excitement about this expedition.

Having the biggest ship in the harbor can be both a blessing and a curse. At the start of our cruise today, the Western Flyer took off during high tide to avoid getting stuck in the harbor on the way out. With engines churning the mucky water, we successfully passed through the Moss Landing Harbor and out to Monterey Bay. The ship is big enough to be fully self-supported, with a crew of almost 30 people for the next five days. On top of that, we carry along an incredible set of engineering and science tools. We have lasers, high-speed cameras, (two!) remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and advanced nets, all with dedicated computers, cranes, and an ROV control room.

More details on how we are using these high-tech tools for oceanographic research on our Bioinspiration Cruise will follow in the next few days. Stay tuned!