On 18th July, I had the opportunity to spend 10 days with other oceanographers on the Research Platform FLIP  (https://scripps.ucsd.edu/ships/flip) for a test cruise to study the Langmuir circulation and the near-surface processes. Spending time on FLIP is like living in a large tree house in the middle of the ocean. Even though there were large waves passing by, we did not feel much of the motion of the waves. We had a great time to collect great quality data. Here are some photos to share with you.

FLIP being towed to station by a tugboat

As FLIP transits from being horizontal to vertical, you get to be horizontal and vertical at the same time.

After FLIP transiting to vertical mode, the main lab is high up from the water.

R/V Robert Gordon Sproul is assisting FLIP with anchoring.

FLIP in vertical mode. It has 3 booms that extends out on the sides to deploy scientific instruments.

Starboard boom

Port boom

Face boom

Installing instrumentation on face boom

FLIP from port boom

R/V Sproul at the end of starboard boom

This is us on FLIP. The science and crew team.

Sunset on FLIP

FLIP with all of its open booms on against a beautiful sky.

On the floor and wall (at the same time).

FLIP going from vertical to horizontal

It’s a small world on FLIP

Passing the tow line to get FLIP back to port.