Tom Coad - Day 1 The voyage began bright and early as we sailed through Sydney Harbour on marine research vessel the 'Southern 'Surveyor'. As we sailed under the iconic harbour bridge it was not long before we were at sea with land far out of sight. With intentions to sample two stations before nightfall we began an southeastward transect from the coast. Weather has been reasonably accommodating thus far, with relatively light swell and winds just under 30 knots, although some voyagers are already feeling the effects of the motion of the ocean. Operations began with the deployment of the CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth). This instrument is also fitted with a transmissometer, fluorometer and PAR, oxygen and nitrate sensors. The CTD was accompanied by a total of six XBTs (eXpendable BathyThermograph) being deployed at the beginning and at intervals throughout its descent. Bottles from the CTD will analysed for oxygen, chlorophyll and nutrients. Upon retrieval, the CTD was promptly followed by a surface plankton net tow that yielded high abundances of zooplankton. The CPR (Continuous Plankton Recorder) was also deployed for its opportunistic crossing of Bass Straight with data collected adding to the comprehensive and long term data set along this transect. After a successful first day with all deployments going off without a hitch, there is excitement and hopes for some interesting findings surrounding an eddie we will approach within the next 24 hours.