We have just left Vayda Seamount and are now sampling on another seamount in the Researchers’ Seamount Chain. The wonderful sampling that occurred at Vayda, inspired Mrs. Robinson to write an amazing poem:
The Vayda Seamount.
Four thousand metres to the sediment
picked out by the ROV’s beam against
the cliff side, a curious sponge, then space
And more space where the waters press
In prehistoric layers, compressed and chill
incomprehensibly down and down until
the valley floor, the deepest part
the underwater mountain range’s foot.
Paleologically quaternary?
Aeons and aeons, and a wary
Unknown sort of fish
Creeps by and slides, slowish
Past the camera’s eye,
while on the surface the scientists try
To follow on their multi-screens
An age of ages never seen .
Sarah Robinson, November 2013
Leave a Reply