FLIP, the Floating Instrument Platform, is towed to an area in a horizontal position and through changing the ballast flipped into a vertical position. In the flip postion, most of its 355 foot length resides underwater providing a stable observational even in the roughest seas. The Marine Physical Laboratory (MPL) at Scripps operates FLIP but it is owned by the US Navy. FLIP set to sea in 1962.
At Reddit, o’ god how I love Reddit, the photo above was posted which then started what can only happen on the internet…free time and mad, mad Photoshop skillz. Below are my favorites so far.
LOL! I was a whale observer on the Flip ship for two cruises. One of the official “boat shirts” for FLIP is actually a photoshop job of a kracken attacking the FLIP. It’s an interesting vessel. The coast guard gets a lot of sinking ship calls when it’s out there.
doesn’t look like one of our voyages … the skiff is vertical. i don’t remember seeing images like that. could have been from Navajo, i guess.
love thinking about those flips! thanks y’all.