A tip from a friend introduced Calvin Woodward to Expedition 501, backed by more than a dozen countries in its quest to search for fresh water beneath the sea. After a 2015 research project hinted at promise off Cape Cod, work this summer extracted thousands of samples of fresh or nearly fresh water that suggested the undersea aquifer could be even larger than first thought.
Woodward brought the story to the climate team, which dispatched photographer Carolyn Kaster and video journalist Rodrique Ngowi on a seven-hour voyage aboard a supply boat. They were hoisted above and aboard the drilling platform, spending more than 12 hours witnessing round-the-clock drilling and onboard operations, as well as interviewing the teams. No other news outlets were on board.
Woodward crafted lyrical text to match the compelling visuals, and Kevin Vineys produced a graphic to help readers visualize the physical space.
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