Behold OceanXplorer. I missed them in a search because I was looking for an Ocean Explorer. Of the many exotics that have called in the sixth boro in recent years, this one stands out.

She started life as Volstad Surveyor in 2010, a much more spartan-looking workboat, launched at Construcciones Navales Paulino Freire, Spain. Since then she’s seen major modification inside and out by OceanX, in partnership with BBC’s Blue Planet and James Cameron, who “sailed” to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 2012.

OceanX is the project of a Queens native named Ray Dalio, in town for a few days.

Media was invited but somehow tugster was omitted from the guest list . . . at least so far.

Look at this and then see

this labeled diagram from here. If you do FB, here‘s a story from Good Morning America of the previous boat in operation in mid-2019.
A comparison with Jacques Cousteau has been made; Calypso was also a made-over workboat, and big money was involved there too. In the photo below, note the person on the dock off the stern line of the vessel?

All photos, WVD. Calypso is currently still in rebuild in Turkey, SE of Istanbul.
Several other projects come to mind: Lone Ranger and Ocearch. If I’ve never posted my Ocearch story, here it is.
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December 30, 2020 at 11:24 am
Thomas Adams
Dear Will,
I’ve been following your blog since you featured that Italian cable layer, which was up this way (I live at 96th Street and Riverside Drive,) a couple of years ago. I’m very impressed with your thoroughness of research and catholic taste of watercraft in the “6th borough.”
This is the first time I’ve written you. I was a steamship agent in the harbor from 1973 to 1980 (Boyd, Weir and Sewell at 17 Battery Place.) Before that, I sailed briefly in the U.S. Merchant Marine in the late 1960s, so I have an interest in things maritime, and really appreciate your blog. I worked roughly 20 years (1980-2000) in the Midtown office of Maritime Overseas/OSG.
I returned 3 weeks ago from a year’s exile in Florida, and saw the OceanXplorer go by yesterday morning (12/29.) It slowly went up to the GWB, then it appeared to stop and turn around. I took a nap and didn’t see it again.
Before that, yesterday at 8 a.m., The Fugro Explorer sailed past my window southbound. It had anchored in the Hudson (~ 125th Street) before the Christmas Eve windstorm along with several oil barges (mainly RTC.) It had remained anchored after the barges left, and only went back downriver yesterday.
Regards,
Tom Adams
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December 30, 2020 at 11:32 am
tugster
Hi Tom– Thx much for following the blog and writing. The harbor never bores a careful observer! You clearly have discovered that to be true as well. If you have stories you’d enjoy sharing via this blog, let me know. Collaboration widens the scope of experience. Happy new year…