Marine Operations
Vessels
The sanctuary operates the 52-foot research vessel R/V Gannet for research and monitoring, diving, education, public outreach, and testing emerging technologies. The Gannet logs as many as 80 days-at-sea a year supporting the missions of the sanctuary and partners. These days-at-sea yield research and monitoring data that contribute to continued protection of resources within the sanctuary, and also reach the public through the participation in outreach events and publications by our staff and partners. Additionally, the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster supports multi-day expeditions in the sanctuary, providing a larger platform for sustained offshore operations that can support concurrent scientific investigations by several teams of scientists.
R/V Gannet was built in 2023 by All American Marine, Inc. Washington. The Gannet is designed to navigate inland waterways and offshore ocean routes, primarily serving as a research equipment and dive platform for Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and partners throughout the South Atlantic Bight. This vessel can accommodate up to 15 passengers and three crew. Its twin engines provide speed and exceptional fuel efficiency to achieve NOAA and partner missions. The vessel is named for the Northern Gannet seabird.
| R/V | Built | Length | Draft | Cruise Speed | Crew | Passengers | Engines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gannet | 2023 | 51' | 5' | 23 Knots | 3 | 15 | Inboard diesel |
Technologies
As new technologies emerge, sanctuary staff incorporate them to improve and diversify the site's mission capabilities. The site is currently working with a small business contractor to develop a one-of-a-kind underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) that is gentle enough to not disturb the underwater habitat, while photo and video documenting behavior and areas that are normally hard to or impossible to explore by diving. For more details on how these technologies support research, please visit Technologies.