Abstract

Mid-Cayman Rise objectives were built on exciting results from a flurry of recent expeditions that investigated hydrothermal sites in the region (German et al., 2010, 2012). The 2013 E/V Nautilus cruise explored oceanic core complexes (OCCs), tall, smooth-sided hills that rise from the seafloor on the flanks of some mid-ocean ridges. Dives (Figure 1) explored the full extent and nature of life around the Von Damm hydrothermal field, previously discovered there, as well as the geology to further understanding of the vents’ origins, and to survey the OCC summits that had never before been investigated by a deep diving vehicle. This 2013 study was the first Nautilus cruise to have more scientists participating in the expedition from locations on shore than from the ship, tripling the size of the science party.