The 55-nmi voyage to Site 1083 was accomplished at an average speed of 12.5 kt. The vessel approached the Global Positioning System coordinates of the site, and a beacon was deployed at 0510 hr on 17 September. Hole 1083A was spudded with the APC at 1000 hr. The seafloor depth was established from the recovery of the first core at 2178.1 meters below sea level (mbsl). APC coring advanced without incident to 201.3 mbsf (Table 1; also see the expanded core summary table on CD-ROM, back pocket, this volume), with 92.1% recovery. APC refusal was reached when the core barrel of Core 175-1083A-22H got stuck and required redrilling. Cores were oriented starting with Core 175-1083A-3H. The bit cleared the seafloor at 0225 hr on 18 September, thereby ending operations at Hole 1083A.
The vessel was offset 30 m to the south, and Hole 1083B was spudded with the APC at 0405 hr. The recovery of the first core established the seafloor depth at 2183.1 mbsl (Table 1). APC coring advanced to 202.3 mbsf, with 102.0% recovery. The last core (175-1083B-22H) required redrilling to free the stuck core barrel. Cores were oriented starting with Core 175-1083A-4H. The bit cleared the seafloor at 2110 hr on 18 September.
The vessel was offset 30 m to the south. Hole 1083C consists of one failed mudline core. Hole 1083D was spudded with the APC at 2350 hr on 18 September. The recovery of the first core established the seafloor depth at 2178.3 mbsl. APC coring advanced to 196.1 mbsf, with 103.0% recovery (Table 1). Cores were oriented starting with Core 175-1083A-3H. The drill string was retrieved, with the bit clearing the seafloor at 1420 hr and the plane of the rotary table at 1855 hr on 19 September. The beacon was recovered, and the hydrophones and thrusters were retracted. The vessel was under way to Site 1084 at 1900 hr on 19 September.