The visibility has continued to close down on us, but still is a respectable but hazy 50 feet. Rick and I have observed and measured a total of approximately 100 species of reef fish so far, with about 90 species in our official census counts. We have each completed fifty-four counts through the first five days of the mission. If we were working from a day boat and not saturated, it would probably take us 1.5 months to collect an equivalent amount of data!

Everyone here is awesome – particularly our hab techs, Russ and Thor. Together with the topside crew (who we never see, but we always know are there), we know our safety is in good hands. I wonder how Sarah feels being stuck down here with five guys for ten days. She likens it to being in the boy’s locker room, but I don’t think she would trade her days here for anything (nor would any of us).