Amid fanfare, R/V Atlantis returns to Woods Hole
By Amy Kolb Noyes
April 29, 2026 at 11:22 AM EDT
Dozens of onlookers, a trumpet player, a bubble machine, a pizza oven, and a small cannon were out on the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution dock, in Woods Hole, Tuesday afternoon to welcome home the research vessel Atlantis.
Atlantis crop.mp4
Since it last left Woods Hole, Atlantis has been to the Galápagos Islands, Easter Island, Axial Seamount, and the Aleutian Trench, up the Pacific coast and through the Panama Canal.
Dozens of people, including a trumpet player, welcomed the crew of the Atlantis back to Woods Hole. (2100x1575, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
Between research missions and scheduled maintenance, the ship has been away for nearly four years.
Three people aboard a large ship looking out over the rail (1100x752, AR: 1.4627659574468086)
WHOI Vice President for Marine Facilities and Operations Rob Munier said the Atlantis will be in Woods Hole through mid-June.
Retired WHOI Captain AD Colburn sets off a small cannon to welcome Atlantis back to Woods Hole. (1165x752, AR: 1.5492021276595744)
“The first project is going to be getting the Alvin submersible back aboard, because that’s been undergoing an overhaul," Munier said. "And the first mission is to test the Alvin."
The submersible Alvin is undergoing routine maintenance in Woods Hole. It will be loaded back aboard the Atlantis for testing in the Caribbean this summer. (2100x1404, AR: 1.4957264957264957)
That mission will take place in the Caribbean this summer.
Atlantis crop.mp4
Since it last left Woods Hole, Atlantis has been to the Galápagos Islands, Easter Island, Axial Seamount, and the Aleutian Trench, up the Pacific coast and through the Panama Canal.
Dozens of people, including a trumpet player, welcomed the crew of the Atlantis back to Woods Hole. (2100x1575, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
Between research missions and scheduled maintenance, the ship has been away for nearly four years.
Three people aboard a large ship looking out over the rail (1100x752, AR: 1.4627659574468086)
WHOI Vice President for Marine Facilities and Operations Rob Munier said the Atlantis will be in Woods Hole through mid-June.
Retired WHOI Captain AD Colburn sets off a small cannon to welcome Atlantis back to Woods Hole. (1165x752, AR: 1.5492021276595744)
“The first project is going to be getting the Alvin submersible back aboard, because that’s been undergoing an overhaul," Munier said. "And the first mission is to test the Alvin."
The submersible Alvin is undergoing routine maintenance in Woods Hole. It will be loaded back aboard the Atlantis for testing in the Caribbean this summer. (2100x1404, AR: 1.4957264957264957)
That mission will take place in the Caribbean this summer.