June 28, 2017
New attraction on board: the ‘Grabator’
We have a very special contraption sailing on board the Neptune. Helena (marine mcientist and expert in morning briefings) has named it the Grabator. It is something like a rustic washing machine that cleans the seabed samples that we take with the grab. Grabator basically consists of a bucket with a set of sieves, a pipe to remove the sand and another one to drain the water. We’ve used it a few times and both times it’s managed to get everyone’s attention. Worms, sea urchins, brittle stars and many shells have become the first “users” of the Grabator.
Another new thing this year is that we have two diving teams: two photographers, two videographers and their corresponding safety divers. This afternoon they made a dive south of Aberdeen with very little visibility, but despite that they still managed to get amazing images. While we are writing this, they are still identifying kelps, seastars, dead man’s fingers and many crustaceans.
MOST RECENT
December 11, 2025
Progress in the Mediterranean must be strengthened, not reversed
December 3, 2025
November 21, 2025
October 31, 2025
October 20, 2025
September 29, 2025
How poor control and enforcement is undermining the EU discards ban
