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Alvin‘s Basket

Every time the submersible Alvin returns to the surface after a mission into the deep sea, a trained team of people, called Alvin swimmers, dive into the water to help ensure that Alvin is hoisted safely back onto the research vessel Atlantis. One important job is to attach safety lines to the “basket” on Alvin‘s front end. The basket stores scientific equipment and samples of deep-sea rocks, sediments, or marine life collected on the mission. Alvin‘s load becomes much heavier after the sub is lifted out of the water and back on board ship, and the safety lines help support the basket. (Photo by Rod Catanach, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)