#ONCabyss Expedition - Spring 2025

#ONCabyss Expedition - Fall 2024

#ONCabyss Expedition - Summer 2024

March 10-17, 2024 on the CCGS John P. Tully

#ONCabyss Expedition - Spring 2024

#ONCabyss Expedition - Fall 2023

#ONCabyss Expedition - Summer 2023

Northeast Pacific Deep-sea Expedition

March 12-19, 2023 onboard the CCGS John P. Tully

#ONCabyss Expedition - Spring 2023

Join us online for a 10-day expedition onboard the CCGS John P. Tully.

#ONCabyss Expedition - Fall 2022

Join us online for a 2-week expedition onboard the CCGS John P. Tully

#ONCabyss Expedition - Summer 2022

Watch the wrap-up video and revisit the expedition’s three seaside chats.

Northeast Pacific Deep-Sea Diversity Expedition

Take a look back at our 3-week expedition onboard the CCGS John P. Tully

#ONCabyss Expedition - Spring 2022

#ONCabyss Expedition: 6 August – 2 September 2021 

#ONCabyss Expedition: 23 - 30 March 2021

#ONCabyss Expedition: 23 September - 4 October 2020

#ONCabyss Expedition: 5-17 September 2020

#ONCabyss Expedition: 1-14 June 2020

Wiring the Abyss, Inshore/Offshore Maintenance with NRCAN: 01 - 13 March 2020

Wiring the Abyss: 10 - 25 September 2019

Wiring the Abyss, Offshore Maintenance: 7 - 21 May 2019​

Wiring the Abyss, Inshore Maintenance: 28 September - 9 October 2018

Wiring the Abyss Leg 2: 23 July – 3 August 2018

Wiring the Abyss Leg 1: 19 June - 3 July 2018

Wiring the Abyss Leg 2: 7 – 26 June 2017

Wiring the Abyss, Leg 1 April – May 2017

Wiring the Abyss, October 2016

Wiring the Abyss, May – June 2016

Wiring the Abyss, August – September 2015

Wiring the Abyss, September 2014

Wiring the Abyss, May 2014

Wiring the Abyss, March 2014

Wiring the Abyss 2013

Wiring the Abyss 2012 

NEPTUNE Expeditions, 2009-2011 

Inshore observatory maintenance a wrap despite weather challenges.

#ONCabyss Spring 2025 Expedition highlights

Solid Carbon receiving $24M to advance ocean-based carbon dioxide removal

Our ocean expeditions conduct vital maintenance of our expanding ocean observatories, support surveys & gather ocean samples.


Join us virtually live onboard while we maintain and upgrade the Internet-connected ocean! 



Live Expeditions

Explore the deep ocean with us! Learn more about past #ONCabyss expeditions.


Past Expeditions

Expeditions

Expedition dive videos are archived through SeaTube, along with detailed dive log entries. 



Watch past expeditions on Oceans 3.0

## Expedition archive

A list of past expeditions follow in an accordion format.

During this 4-week expedition onboard exploration vessel *Nautilus*, a team of 9 ONC staff worked with the Ocean Exploration Trust team to conduct around-the-clock operations to maintain and expand ONC infrastructure in the northeast Pacific Ocean.

In addition to maintenance and research activities, highlights included expansion of the Northern Cascadia Subduction Zone Observatory, the redeployment of Wally the benthic crawler to monitor gas hydrates at Barkley Canyon, the deployment of Dalhousie’s Deep Acoustic Lander to monitor deep-sea underwater noise at Endeavour hydrothermal vents ecosystem, and dual-ship cable-laying operations in tandem with the world’s largest cable ship *Cable Innovator*. [Read more...](https://www.oceannetworks.ca/news-and-stories/stories/gearing-up-for-oncabyss-expedition-2021-6-august-2-september)

This expedition operated under COVID-19 safety protocols, following the measures provided by the US Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and University National Oceanography Laboratory System to prevent the risk of infection onboard. These measures are consistent with those of the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control.



During this 7-day expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully*, a reduced team of four ONC staff and Island Tug and Barge Subsea’s ROV *Oceanic Explorer* team conducted operations to maintain, install, and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on ONC’s cabled observing networks. Due to COVID-19, this expedition operated under Canadian Coast Guard COVID-19 safety protocols, following the advice provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Public Health Agency of Canada to prevent the risk of infection onboard.

During this 12-day expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully*, a reduced team of two ONC staff and Pelagic Research Services’ ROV *Odysseus* team conducted operations to maintain, install and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on ONC’s cabled observing networks. 

Due to COVID-19, this expedition operated under Canadian Coast Guard COVID-19 safety protocols, following the advice provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Public Health Agency of Canada to prevent the risk of infection onboard.  


During this 2-week expedition aboard Ocean Exploration Trust's exploration vessel *Nautilus*, a reduced team of seven ONC staff conducted around-the-clock operations to maintain, install and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on ONC’s cabled observing networks in the northeast Pacific. 

This expedition operated under COVID-19 safety protocols, following the measures provided by the US Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, University National Oceanography Laboratory System and the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and the Public Health Agency of Canada to prevent the risk of infection onboard. 


During this 2-week expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully*, a reduced team of eight ONC staff and ROV pilots conducted maintenance operations on ONC’s cabled observing networks with the support of Pelagic Research Services’ remotely operated vehicle *Odysseus*. The purpose of this expedition was to prepare for scheduled operations involving E/V *Nautilus* and cable ship *Cable Innovator* later in 2020. 

Due to COVID-19, this expedition operated under Canadian Coast Guard COVID-19 safety protocols, following the advice provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Public Health Agency of Canada to prevent the risk of infection onboard. 


During this 2-week expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully*, a team of 18 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists conducted operations to maintain, install and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on ONC’s cabled observing networks.

Highlights included:

- Saanich instrument platform recovered and redeployed
- AMAR Hydrophone Array deployed
- New SOG East Instrument Platform deployed
- DDL Instrument Platform located and redeployed
- New Folger Deep Instrument Platform deployed

This 2-week maintenance expedition was conducted aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel* John P. Tully* with a team of 17 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists with the support of Pelagic Research Services ROV *Odysseus*.

Highlights included:
- A new Delta Dynamics Platform deployed in the Strait of Georgia, at the mouth of the Fraser River with two improved Natural Resources Canada instruments that will help us understand and monitor underwater slope failures and landslides;
- Instruments installed and reconnected at Barkley Canyon including new video and acoustic cameras for a fish sounds and behaviour experiment;
- Instrumentation expanded at Endeavour hydrothermal vents, including new seismometers and cameras to improve our understanding of the dynamic spreading ocean ridge ecosystem at Canada’s first marine protected area.
- Improvements made to the tsunami detection array at Cascadia Basin.


This 2-week expedition was conducted aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully* using Pelagic Research Services ROV *Odysseus*. A team of 17 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists conducted operations to maintain, install and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on ONC’s cabled observing networks in the Salish Sea, and deep sea offshore sites at Barkley Canyon, Endeavour, Cascadia Basin, and Clayoquot Slope.

Highlights included deploying a mooring at Saanich Inlet sill to further understand this unique natural low oxygen zone; expanded instrumentation at Endeavour hydrothermal vents, including new sensors and cameras; improvements to the tsunami detection array at Cascadia Basin; and new deep sea moorings were deployed to measure ocean currents that flow along the Juan de Fuca volcanic ridge.

A team of 35 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists conducted around-the-clock operations to maintain, install and improve instrumentation on the cabled observing systems in Saanich Inlet and Strait of Georgia. This joint expedition was led by ONC and Natural Resources Canada using the Canadian Coast Guard Ship *John P. Tully* and the Island Tug and Barge *Oceanic Explorer* remotely operated vehicle.

Highlights included: 
- Two improved NRCan instruments installed in the Strait of Georgia to help understand and monitor underwater slope failures and landslides: a new and improved Delta Dynamics Platform and a seismic liquefaction in-situ penetrometer used to measure pressure at the seafloor and at two points below the seafloor in real-time. 

A team of 48 scientists, engineers, communicators, and crew aboard the exploration vessel *Nautilus* conducted around-the-clock operations to maintain and expand instrumentation on ONC’s cabled observing systems off Canada’s west coast.

Highlights included: 
- An exciting new neutrino experiment at Cascadia Basin to determine whether this location can support a large-scale neutrino detector array in the future;
- Expanded instrumentation at Endeavour, including new sensors and cameras to improve our understanding of this dynamic hydrothermal vent ecosystem;
- Installation of the final earthquake early warning seafloor sensors at Cascadia Basin, Barkley Canyon, and Clayoquot Slope;
- Reinstallation of the refurbished vertical profiling system at Barkley Canyon’s upper slope.




During this 2-week expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully* using Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility's ROV *ROPOS*, a team of 35 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists conducted around-the-clock operations to maintain, install and improve instrumentation on the offshore cabled observing networks at Barkley Canyon, Cascadia Basin, Endeavour and Clayoquot Slope.

Highlights of Leg 1 included:
- A new neutrino experiment at Cascadia Basin to determine whether this location can support a large-scale neutrino detector array in the future;
- Expanded instrumentation at Endeavour, including new sensors and cameras to improve our understanding of this dynamic hydrothermal vent ecosystem;
- Installation of the final earthquake early warning seafloor sensors at Cascadia Basin and Barkley Canyon;
- Reinstallation of the refurbished vertical profiling system at Barkley Canyon’s upper slope.

In June 2017, a team of 48 scientists, engineers, communicators, and crew aboard the exploration vessel *Nautilus* conducted around-the-clock operations to maintain and expand instrumentation on Ocean Networks Canada’s cabled observing systems off Canada’s west coast.

During the first week Global Marine’s *Cable Innovator*, the world’s largest vessel of its kind—specifically designed for laying fibre optic cable—joined the expedition from its base in Victoria, British Columbia. Dual ship operations repaired fibre optic cable at 1,200 metres depth to connect instruments and a borehole housing a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution tiltmeter used to measure tectonic strain along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Highlights included: 
- Additional earthquake early warning sensors deployed;
- ONC’s Internet-connected seafloor crawler Wally retrieved for a refit after five years researching gas hydrates at Barkley Canyon
- Seafloor mapping and sample collection at all sites.


During the 10-day expedition a team of 35 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists conducted around-the-clock operations to maintain, install and improve instrumentation on the cabled observing systems in: Saanich Inlet, Strait of Georgia, Endeavour, Clayoquot Slope, and Folger Passage.

Highlights included: 
- Installation of a new instrument in the Strait of Georgia that will combine imaging sonar and video to improve our understanding of fish abundance, variations, and interactions;
- Preparations at Endeavour to significantly expand instrumentation, enhance maintainability, and allow us to better understand and monitor this remote marine protected area.

This joint expedition was led by ONC and Natural Resources Canada using the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully* and Pelagic Research Services remotely operated vehicle *Odysseus*. 


During the six-day expedition in the Strait of Georgia and Saanich Inlet, a team from ONC maintained, installed and improved instrumentation on the cabled ocean observing systems. This joint expedition was led by ONC and Natural Resources Canada using the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel *John P. Tully* and ITB's remotely operated vehicle *Oceanic Explorer*. 

Highlights included:
- Upgrades to the Delta Dynamics Platform at the mouth of the Fraser River that is helping understand underwater landslides; 
- Upgrades to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's Underwater Listening Station, used to monitor underwater vessel noise.


ONC completed its most challenging expedition in its 10-year history of collecting ocean data. This two-month expedition off the west coast of Canada involved three ships, three remotely operated vehicles, and around-the-clock operations. The team of scientists, engineers and educators on board interacted via live-stream video during dives and engaging scientists and ocean lovers from around the world via the Twitter hashtag #ONCabyss. 



ONC’s most complex maintenance expedition to date involved three ships and two remotely operated vehicles. *E/V Nautilus*, *R/V Thompson* and the cable ship *Wave Venture* visited eight observatory sites off the west coast of Canada.




Two expeditions took place simultaneously, in British Columbia's Salish Sea and the Canadian Arctic. The Salish Sea expedition sailed aboard *CCGS John P. Tully*, servicing VENUS observatory sites in the Strait of Georgia. The Arctic expedition serviced ONC's community observatory located in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut.


This expedition aboard the *CCGS John P. Tully* serviced the NEPTUNE observatory sites in the northeast Pacific.

This expedition aboard *CCGS John P. Tully* serviced the VENUS observatory sites in the Salish Sea and Saanich Inlet.

Five expeditions aboard *CCGS John P. Tully*, *JOIDES Resolution*, *R/V Thompson*, *R/V Falkor* and *CCGS Vector* supported observatory maintenance and scientific discovery in the Salish Sea and the northeast Pacific Ocean.

Two expeditions, 27 May - 28 June, and 23 September - 10 October, took place off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

The NEPTUNE observatory's initial installations occurred between July and September 2009. Subsequent maintenance expeditions took place in May 2010, September - October 2010, July 2011, and September 2011.

2025 Expeditions

2024 Expeditions

2023 Expeditions

2022 Expeditions

Expedition archive