Strait of Juan de Fuca | 48.2579° N, 123.3605° W | June 26th, 2023

“You are all so amazing and brilliant. I so wish I would have done something this unforgettable in my youth. I understand that you are working hard, but these memories will serve you well in your golden years. Please enjoy this precious time.”

— comment from Nautilus Live viewer

The wind whips my hair and I rub my hands inside my jacket pockets to warm them. While we celebrated the Summer Solstice a few days ago, the salty air at this latitude is cold. We just left port from Sidney, British Columbia, and we’re sailing into the northeastern Pacific. As I stand on the monkey deck, squinting at the setting sun, I savor the feeling that accompanies the start of every expedition: joyful.

In the past five years, I have joined 18 ocean expeditions, and over half of them (10 to be exact) have been on Nautilus. I will always be indebted to Pete Girguis who introduced me to Allison Fundis and Samantha Wishnak at All Hands on Deck in 2018. Nine months later, I flew to a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (Apia, Samoa) and boarded this ship for the first time.

These days, Nautilus feels like home away from home. I know where to find just about anything I might need on the ship. I know how to adjust my routines for eating, sleeping, bathing, and exercising at sea. I know how to balance work tasks, watch schedules, and requests from shipmates or the Shoreside team. I know when I should ask a question and when I should try to figure something out for myself.

This familiarity brings a sense of comfort. But the exhilaration of going to sea and exploring the deep ocean has not faded. I don’t believe it ever will.

When I’m not at sea, I frequently visit college campuses to give presentations about working on research vessels and to discuss potential career paths. When students ask me how they can get involved in ocean exploration work, the first thing I tell them is, “you should check out the Nautilus.”

I’ve worked on five other oceanographic research vessels (and I’ve had positive experiences on all of them), but I always recommend Nautilus first. To celebrate my tenth expedition aboard this ship, I decided to write down ten things I love and appreciate about E/V Nautilus and the organization that runs it, the Ocean Exploration Trust.

I hope this list will inspire anyone who is curious about what working out here is really like. I think my dear shipmates will enjoy it too.

The new knowledge

I couldn’t begin to quantify the number of things I’ve learned about the deep ocean on Nautilus over the years — so many questions I never would have thought to ask if I wasn’t immersed in this world. How do deep sea corals survive (and thrive) in a world devoid of light and oxygen? What does sediment from the seafloor have to do with your cell phone? How is virtual reality technology utilized in ocean engineering? How can deep sea sponges inform genetics research? What does “botryoidal” mean?

It’s not all science and engineering though. I’ve picked up a lot of new skills on this ship — how to troubleshoot anything and everything, how to tie knots and handle lines, how to process hundreds of images in under an hour, how to replace a satellite block up-converter (BUC), how to ward off seasickness without medication, how to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for three weeks, and most importantly — how to be a kind, reliable shipmate (more on that later.)

The respect for different cultures and diversity

When I received my very first contract from the Ocean Exploration Trust in 2019, my paperwork included documents detailing culture and customs in Samoa. Even though our travel plans called for spending less than 24 hours in Samoa, OET wanted to ensure we were informed and respectful of local values.

Some organizations make vague statements about promoting diversity and equality in their operations. But OET actually embodies their Diversity and Inclusion practices every day.

In the studio here, we have a giant binder full of communications materials. Alongside our workflows for hosting interactions and processing images, we have several culture and language guides. From the Nā Huaʻōlelo Huakaʻi ʻAumoana - Visual Vocabulary 'Ōlelo Hawaiʻi & English to Submersión a las profundidades: A Dive into OET STEM Modules en Español, the OET Education and Outreach team works tirelessly to produce materials that can be utilized by people in many different places.

But producing educational materials is only part of it. Practicing an inclusive mentality requires constant evolution and growth, and OET leadership recognizes this important work is never done. As long as the Nautilus is exploring our planet’s oceans, we will continue to expand efforts to raise awareness, understanding, and respect for different cultures and people.

The affirmation of LGBTQ+ people

**Bring your full self to work:** The vibrant Nova West, posing for a portrait on deck during NA126.

Out of all the ships I’ve worked on, Nautilus is the most serious about creating a safe and respectful work environment. No matter your background, race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation, you are welcome on Nautilus.

Just as muster drills are mandatory at the beginning of each expedition, every person who sails on Nautilus completes a training aimed at preventing harassment and bullying. This year, all staff and regular contractors also completed a mentor training.

At the start of each expedition, we come together for an all-hands meeting and introduce ourselves by name, position, and pronouns. We’re not perfect on this front — our non-binary shipmates still occasionally get misgendered in conversations. But I think the effort we put in is better than many other workplaces, especially in the maritime world.

Last fall, I had the opportunity to interview my shipmate (and dear friend) Nova West. Here’s what they had to say about this work environment: “I truly love working on Nautilus. It’s the one workplace where I’ve felt the most seen in my entirety. There are so many types of people here, with so many backgrounds and expressions, which helps me feel comfortable being my entire self.”

The collaborations

For just over a decade, the Ocean Exploration Trust has been a pillar of the deep sea science and exploration community. To achieve complex tasks in the deep sea, collaboration is key. To that end, OET maintains partnerships with dozens of institutions, including NOAA, the Office of Naval Research, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Ocean Networks Canada, and many others.

Listing out all these agencies may seem like an exercise in bureaucratic tact, but I do care about these institutions and their relationships with each together. As a full-time freelancer who specializes in ocean expedition work, the best professional networking opportunities don’t happen at conferences or over email — they take place at sea. I get offered positions on expeditions because certain people have sailed with me before and will vouch for me. The more people I sail with from different organizations, the more likely I am to get offered another contract.

But it’s not just about making connections — it’s about being a member of this highly specialized and incredibly passionate community. The people who work in this world are some of the most brilliant and adventurous folks I have ever met. It’s an honor to be a member of their teams — on Nautilus and other research vessels.

The top-notch science communication

**A place for the curious:** Holly Richards shows Samantha Wishnak how to dissect an albatross bolus in the Wet Lab.

Google “Science Communication Fellowship” and the very first result will be Nautilus Live. Few organizations can compete with the breadth and depth (pardon the pun) of science communication and outreach that OET facilitates.

During the expedition season (typically late Spring through early winter) anyone with an internet connection can visit Nautilus Live and see what we’re filming on the ocean floor. By itself, the livestream is an incredible tool for educating and inspiring students of all ages — our footage is fascinating, informative, and visually stunning. But the Nautilus Live website includes so much more. Powered by our incredible education/outreach team, the website has links to 100+ STEAM education resources that include national-standard aligned activities, facilitation guides, engineering design challenges, and creative projects.

For those of us on the ship, we regularly have the opportunity to experience deep sea science in an up-close and personal way. Walk into the Wet Lab during most expeditions and you will be in for a treat — deep sea corals, palm worms, brittle stars, tube worms, clams, mussels, sea whips, or sediment cores — to name a few. Conversations about discoveries, experiments, and new findings happen every day. Whether it’s a discussion over dinner or a debate in the control van, Nautilus is a place for curious minds to connect and celebrate science.

The constant influx of new technology

When I first boarded Nautilus in 2019, Ed McNichol trained me on the entire video system in the control van. The following year, he trained me all over again — on a brand-new system in a brand-new control van.

On old school research vessels, it is commonplace to use the same systems for several years (sometimes decades). The mentality on many ships is if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

But on Nautilus, change is the constant. Every single time I board the ship there is another upgrade — new monitors in the studio, new deck cameras, a new control panel, a new hard drive, or a new storage solution for our enormous files. We are always evolving, finding more efficient workflows, and looking to improve how we operate.

The “make it work” mentality

One of my favorite things about working at sea is the “make-it-work” mentality. This trait is not unique to Nautilus – it’s essential for anyone working on a research vessel in the middle of the ocean. If something breaks, we can’t make a quick trip to the hardware store. If a laptop or software program fails, we can’t take it to a computer repair shop. We have only the tools and supplies we brought onboard and our own ingenuity.

I asked veteran ROV pilot Dave O’Hara about this mentality during this most recent expedition. When it comes to working on ROVs, Dave says, “the first rule is don’t make it worse. Never, ever dive straight in. Think about it. Talk with your team about it. Go through it methodically. It doesn’t matter how many years of experience you have — the new guy might have the best idea.”

Whether the challenge is small (like rigging a panoramic camera underwater) or enormous (like rescuing the ROVs), the bright, industrious minds on this ship always figure out a way to work the problem and find a solution.

The strong female leadership

The maritime world is a male-dominated industry. But female leadership has been a fundamental trait of the Ocean Exploration Trust from the beginning. Of the ten expeditions I’ve joined on Nautilus, seven have been led by women. Our science team regularly includes at least 50 percent women. The Chief Operating Officer at OET and the Chief Officer aboard Nautilus are both badass women.

As a full-time freelancer on a non-traditional career path, going to sea with strong female role models means the world to me. It’s incredible to observe people like Allison Fundis, Samantha Wishnak, Megan Cook, and Martyna Graban as they manage difficult situations with patience, professionalism, and good humor. I learn a great deal about leadership and poise every time I sail with them, and the many other awesome women that regularly join Nautilus.

The people

The people who work on this ship have impressive resumes and extensive expertise: they are brilliant scientists, industrious engineers, highly skilled ROV pilots, passionate educators, award-winning filmmakers, and professional sailors. They travel constantly and get paid to do some of the coolest jobs on the planet.

But their accomplishments and accolades are not what make them great people. It’s their willingness to embrace living and working in a confined environment. It’s their ability to handle intense situations with calm composure. It’s their capacity to cope with challenges, to change the plan, to adapt, and to persist.

They recognize that a solid adventure does not revolve around where you are — it’s about who you are with.

Being a good shipmate requires being the most patient, empathetic version of yourself. Shipmates are not just colleagues or friends. We are something like a family, bonded by our adventurous spirits, shared experiences, and close quarters. While we all love our jobs, our days are long and sometimes exhausting. To combat the challenges that come with living and working at sea, we make it a point to take care of each other.

We talk about everything. We laugh a lot. We learn from each other. We do little things that make a big difference. Whether it’s a hug from Renny, a high-five from Mike, a photo-editing tip from Nova, a hard workout with Josh, or a heartfelt conversation with Jamie, my shipmates make my day every day.

**Beware the hooligans:** Renato Kane and Mike Burns give my camera some love before starting deck ops.

The stories

When I first started writing this blog post, I deliberated a bit about the theme. A detailed list of all the things I love about Nautilus? Really? I could picture a few of my shipmates rolling their eyes. But the more time I have spent writing this piece, the more I have come to recognize its value. Reflecting on these experiences (while I’m still living them) is definitely a worthwhile activity.

**Write it all down**: As we set sail for NA152, I record some thoughts and reflections from the previous expedition, NA151. | Photo by Logan Ossentjuk

I keep thinking about what that thoughtful Nautilus Live viewer said: these memories will serve you well in your golden years. Please enjoy this precious time.

The memories I’ve made on this ship have already served me well — each expedition has challenged me in different ways, forcing me to step outside my comfort zone and expand my capabilities. And every expedition produces a bounty of stories. Nautilus has been the stage upon which some of the greatest dramas and comedies of my life have played out. I’ve found lifelong friends here. I’ve fallen in love here. I’ve felt immense frustration and boundless joy here. Most of all, I’ve gained a better understanding about what really matters to me and what kind of life I want to live.

And I’ve tried to capture some of that in words.

I’ve been a writer ever since I was a kid, and I write as much as I can while I’m on the ship. I keep a daily log of each expedition. I also write blog posts, emails, letters, and journal entries about our shenanigans at sea.

One day, I will figure out a way to compile all the stories into a book — and Nautilus will certainly play a pivotal role in that epic narrative.

But for now, I will continue to savor this precious time.

To read more about my experiences aboard E/V Nautilus, check out the following blog posts:

Benthic Beckoning, The Marvels of Deep Sea Mud, Welcome to the Octocone, Ocean Flair at Footprint Reef, Send in the Robots, Conversations at Sea, Mana Wahine, See Who They Can Become, and Build your own Dream.

And if you haven’t done so already, spend a little time on Nautilus Live.

A look behind the scenes

Precious Time