We got up at eight o'clock this morning and after a half hour wait for the Channel drawbridge to be open, we were on our way. Afterwards, at the messroom a meeting took place among Ricardo Aguilar, Oceana Director of Research, and the divers who will document our next destination. They are: Dana Harlow, Juan Carlos Calvín, Juan Pablo Camblor and Mar Mas. They discussed details on how dives will be done in the next three days. Although it is always the case that safety measures are followed, this is more so in this case: we must take extreme precautions, because we plan very deep dives ( 30-40 m ), to take place in remote areas, far from land. Every diver will carry a line to hold on to the anchor line and a dive maker to indicate the diver location once dive is completed. A safety protocol has also been established to act with efficiency in the eventuality of a diving accident. There is an oxygen device onboard if an emergendy situation should arise.

En route to Gorringe Ridge we have met with 20 knot prow winds, which kept us from navigating with sails, and are going to delay a little our arrival at the underwater mountain Gettysburg. Until now, only a few birds have come to visit us: a young gannet ( Sula bassana ), a couple of Manx shearwaters ( Puffinus puffinus ) and almost at the end of the day, a great skua ( Catharacta skua ). Tomorrow we hope to find more marine life around the mountains, as they are considered to be truly authentic oasis in the middle of the ocean.

Gorringe ridge is a group of mountains of significant ecological importance. They are located at 150 miles from the Protuguese coast. Settled on marine beds over 3,000 meters deep and two of its peaks ( Gettysburg and Ormonde ) they reach barely 20-30 meters from the surface. Underwater mountains hold great importance for marine ecosystems. Great diversity of species can be found there, including endemic  species that originate changes in marine currents, and many migratory animals make a pause in their journey to feed in the surronding area. We are all excited about the opportunity to dive and document an ecosystem as unknownt as this is.

After 24 hours of navigation since we left the port of Lagos and proceeding on southwest direction, we have arrived at Gorringe. The crew prepares an anchor buoy to mark the place, which also serves divers as a guide when they sumerge. Finding an adequate spot to anchor has not been easy. Using the Ranger's sonic instruments, the captain has selected several spots within a 40-50 meter diameter, down to a depth of 30 meters. Bibi, the sailor from Cambados, organizes the auxiliary boat she will use to transport the four divers, the filming gear and a torpedo. The torpedo is a submergible device equipped with an electric motor and a propeller, and it is used by divers to go for long distances underwater, without much effort. At first dive, only a pair of divers will go down, these will be Mar and Dana Harlow. In addition to doing recognizance of the spot, they make sure the torpedo works well and they take a photographic camera along with them.

Gorringe Ridge is a group of underwater mountains of volcanic origin. Great part of their surface is formed by hard substrate where filter-feeding invertebrates ans species associated to algae forests proliferate. As soon as the divers resurface, they tell us of their experience. There is a strong current and the scenery is covered mostly by brown algae ( Zonaria tournefortii ) and Laminaria sp. The most abundant species sighted, were grey triggerfish ( Balistes carolinensis - later changed to Balistes capriscus ), almaco jack ( Seriola rivoliana ), Mediterranean rainbow wrasse ( Coris julis ), swallowtail seaperch ( Anthias anthias ), John Dory ( Zeus faber ) and Mediterranean slipper lobster ( Scyllarides latus ).

These mountains belong to the Economic Exclusive Zone of Portugal, there is a proposal to have this area declared Conservation Special Area ( CSA ) and includa them in Red Natura 2000.

We spent the night adrift on the summits of Gorringe. We will see what tomorrow brings.

This was another day spent in the middle of the ocean. Upon awakening on the Ranger, the sea was ever so still. After we spent the night adrift, we had only shifted 4 miles, which, in the opinion of the captain and sailors, is not too much.

Today, the diving team planned to do four dives. They have decided to dive in pairs and separately, in order to better control the situation. Mar was feeling discomfort in one ear, but she is better now. Everything seems to indicate this is going to be a very nice day.

The captain has given me permission to go along with Bibi on the auxiliary boat. As we arrived at the anchor buoy, again we were surrounded by about fifty european storm-petrels. On the surface of the sea, there was garbage, and remains of Blue bottle or Portuguese man-of-war jelly fish, and some type of mollusks. Since this observation, Ricardo Aguilar, Project Manager at Oceana and Juan Pablo Camblor, Zoea Director, have been commenting on this peculiar phenomena, such as the large gathering of Blue bottle or Portuguese man-o during the Ranger campaign in the Azores, or the great congregation of jelly fish in the Mar Menor during the summer months. Ricardo explained that the ocean trophic chain is transforming and that when species at the top levels of the food chain decrease in numbers, invertebrates go through rapid reproductive cycles. Changes in temperature can also influence this process as well sewage water and water treatment substance discharges, etc.

The divers are back, they have gone down from the bottom to the top of Gettysburg. They told us that the surface of the mountain is not uniform, but full of fissures, nooks and irregularities, which provide for a wide variety of habitats for marine life. As for fish, they observed the same species as yesterday ( almaco jack, Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, etc ). They have also filmed a spotted torpedo and found an area with gorgonian ( corals ) of small sizes.

We listened to classical music at the messroom and Nuño, the captain plays bagpipes on the prow. Meanwhile, we remember all those who have been on the Ranger and made this project possible.

All essential safety measures are taken; there is nothing to be concerned about.

Last night, we had a blues concert at the Ranger, by Danielle, Dana ans Indi. Meanwhile, we sailed twenty miles towards the Gorringe Ridge; to the mount of Ormonde.

This time it is harder for us to find the mountain summit. We find that all the available marine charts are wronhg and that none of the references we had were correct. At last, after modnight, we find the spot: at 32 meters deep in the most elevated area.

Next morning we awoke to a tranquil sea and sky. Soon after the first team of divers went down, those of us left onboard were visited by an ocean sunfish ( Mola mola ) measuring over one and a half meters long.

We cannot always accomplish what we plan. This morning, we have bad weather, winds of 30 knots and 2 meters waves. Plans have been cancelled for the last dives to the Ormonde mount, a part of the underwater mountain range Gorringe Ridge.

Despite this, results from this phase of the Ranger's expedition, begun in January 2005 in waters of the Pacific, have been satisfactory. At the Gorringe Ridge carried out 12 dives ( each couple of divers went down 6 times ) with the purpose of documenting marine life and the state of this incredibly remarkable ecosystem, located about 150 miles from the nearest coast. It is beyond remarkable; we are aware that some of underwater scenes we have set eyes on down here have not been seen by human eyes before. We know we are making history. Research on these marine mounts and on mountain ranges around the world are very scarce.