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We start our expedition safely on deck, to take you through some of the controls, features and safety features of the submersible. Operating in the deep ocean is fraught with danger. The pressure mounts as you dive down and you will be completely reliant on the life support systems provided by the submersible, so listen carefully.

Along the middle are three sets of important features and controls. At the top, the dials give readings for oxygen, depth and high pressure air, in the center panel are electrical controls including for air scrubbing system which removes carbon dioxide and between the seats are the ballast controls used for ascent and descent.

The submersible crew is made up of a pilot and a scientist. The scientist isn’t just a passenger, as if something happens to the pilot, they will have to navigate the submersible safely back to the surface. Now you have learned about some of the main features inside, we will take you through some of the exterior features and how to get the submersible into the water.

Along each side of submersible are the main ballast tanks, which control the ascent and descent of the submersible. Beneath these are large batteries supplying the power to the submersible for navigation, control, life support and science equipment.

The clear pressure hulls are made from acrylic, a type of plastic. Their transparent and spherical design mean that the crew have a 360-degree view when they are underwater, allowing for better observation of the underwater environment.

Before the submersible is allowed to dive, the pilot goes through a number of checks with the surface officer via radio. “Hatch is secure,” followed by “Life support systems are running.” The pilot then confirms, “Safety briefing complete.” The last statement before descent is, “Requesting permission to open vents and dive.” The surface officer will then reaffirm the checks and then say to the pilot, “You are cleared to dive, dive, dive.”

The hatch is secured tight. If the atmosphere in the pressure hull is contaminated and the pilot and passenger have to use an emergency regulator, additional pressure will build up internally in the pressure hull. The pilot sometimes then has to release the hatch lock near the surface during ascent, holding on tight, carefully release air pressure just for a second. This is known as ‘burping’.

Meet Shane Zigler, the Surface Officer for the submersibles. He defines the dive goals and itinerary, briefs the submersible pilots, goes through safety checks and tells them when it is time to ‘Dive! Dive! Dive!’.

The strict difference between a submersible and a submarine is that a submersible requires the support of a surface vessel, while a submarine can operate autonomously. The surface vessel provides a place for the submersible to be recharged and checked. During the dive, you will be working with a surface officer works to direct the dive, maintain safety oversight and who liaises with the ship’s captain to make sure that the surface vessel stays close (but not on top of!) the submersible. This also makes recovery easier.

This is the view of the submersible just before it is about to dive. With the submersible off the back deck you can see some of the features more clearly. It is already possible to see how the light decreases with depth and by the time you reach your survey site at depths down to 1,000 feet you will need lights to see the underwater environment.

Congratulations and welcome to the deep! This is the view from Nomad. The internal lights are turned off, so that it is easier to see through the pressure hull. The white slope of the seamount is visible in the submersible’s lights. During the dives, the team discovered an unknown deep sea algal forest and possibly some new species.

The second submersible, Nemo, is conducting a video survey of the seafloor. Through using this submersible technology, scientists are able to study this unexplored habitat.