NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

07/29/2026

Please join us in congratulating Ensign (ENS) John Canez on earning his Officer of the Deck (OOD) qualification aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer!

Achieving this important milestone is no small feat. The Officer of the Deck (OOD) qualification represents months of dedicated training and experience. Candidates must complete a comprehensive qualification workbook, stand a minimum of 120 days of watch at sea, and demonstrate the knowledge, judgment, and leadership required to safely stand watch on their own before earning qualification from the Commanding Officer.

To celebrate this accomplishment, Ensign Canez took part in one of Okeanos Explorer's favorite traditions—deploying on the ship's small boat and swimming to retrieve his OOD letter during a mock rescue. It's a fun and memorable tradition that marks a significant milestone in an officer's career.

In addition to his new role as an Officer of the Deck, Ensign Canez serves in several key collateral duties that are essential to the success of the ship and crew. As the Damage Control Officer, he plans and leads weekly emergency drills, ensuring the crew is prepared to respond effectively in the event of an emergency. He also serves as the ship's MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) Officer, organizing port-call outings, hosting many underway activities, coordinating holiday celebrations, and helping keep morale high during long deployments.

As the Navigation Officer, Ensign Canez helps ensure the ship's navigational publications, charts, and bridge procedures remain accurate and up to date to support safe operations at sea. In his role as Alternate Dive Officer, he assists with planning and overseeing dive operations, helping ensure dives are conducted safely and in accordance with established procedures. These are just a few of the many responsibilities he takes on in support of the ship's mission and crew.

Ensign Canez is an fantasic officer, dedicated shipmate, and an invaluable member of the Okeanos Explorer team. His professionalism, leadership, and commitment to both mission success and the well-being of his fellow crewmembers exemplify the spirit of service aboard NOAA ships.

Please join us in congratulating Ensign John Canez on this well-earned accomplishment as our newest Officer of the Deck! Congratulations, Ensign Canez!

07/20/2026

In June, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer crossed the Equator six times while conducting seafloor mapping during its transit to the Cook Islands. As the ship followed survey lines that crossed 0° latitude multiple times, the crew repeatedly passed between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. With each crossing, they also transitioned between summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

For more than 500 years, mariners have celebrated an Equator crossing through the Crossing the Line ceremony. The earliest known account of a commemorative equator crossing dates to 1529, when French explorer and navigator Jean Parmentier, while voyaging to Sumatra (now part of Indonesia), recorded that 50 people were "knighted" as the ship crossed the Equator.

Today, sailors crossing the Equator for the first time are known as Pollywogs. Through the time-honored King Neptune ceremony and a series of lighthearted challenges, they officially earn the respected title of Shellbacks.

While the traditions have evolved over the centuries, the ceremony remains a meaningful way to recognize a sailor's first crossing of the Equator while celebrating seamanship, camaraderie, and a shared milestone at sea.

Congratulations to the newest Shellbacks aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. We look forward to continuing our voyage.

06/20/2026

Please join us in welcoming our newest Ensign (ENS) to NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, Chris Cacciola!

Originally from South Florida, ENS Cacciola earned a degree in Biology from Florida Atlantic University and brings more than 10 years of diving experience to the NOAA Corps. Before joining NOAA, he worked as a scientific diver for Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management and a local environmental consulting firm. He also spent several years in the dive industry as a divemaster, scuba instructor, and dive shop manager.

While completing his undergraduate studies, ENS Cacciola participated in shark-tagging research, helping track migratory patterns and gaining valuable experience in marine field research.

His first NOAA Corps assignment was as a Staff Officer at the Marine Operations Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. He now joins NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as a Junior Officer (JO), where he will help support ocean exploration missions and contribute to mapping our oceans.

We’re excited to have ENS Cacciola aboard and look forward to the expertise and enthusiasm he brings to the team. Help us give him a warm welcome!

05/06/2026

04/23/2026

04/08/2026

Did you know that NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) manages and operates NOAA's fleet of 10 specialized environmental data-collecting aircraft and 15 research and survey ships — including NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer?

The experience, expertise, and professionalism of the NOAA Corps officers and civilian professional mariners who operate Okeanos Explorer are fundamental to the mission of ocean exploration and the success of every expedition.

In celebration of , learn more about OMAO and its fleet of science-dedicated ships and aircraft here: https://www.omao.noaa.gov/NOAAFleetWeek

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer