The 63-nmi transit required 6.25 hr at 10.1 kt. A beacon was dropped at 0430 hr on 1 December, initiating operations at Site 1134.
The ship was stabilized on position and the bit was positioned at 708 meters below rig floor (mbrf). Hole 1134A was spudded at 0840 hr on 1 December, recovering 4.50 m in Core 1H, which indicated a water depth of 701.0 meters below sea level (mbsl). Advanced hydraulic piston (APC) coring advanced to 126.0 mbsf, ceasing after a liner shattered and the regular APC cutting shoe was damaged upon striking a presumed chert interval on Core 14H. Cores 3H-14H were oriented and an Adara temperature tool heat-flow measurement was performed on Core 4H. The nonmagnetic cutting shoe and flapper core catcher, with a steel 10-finger core catcher, were deployed on Cores 3H, 5H, 7H, 9H, 11H, and 13H. Extended core barrel (XCB) coring deepened the hole from 126.0 to 397.1 mbsf, with 25.0% recovery (Table T1). A short wiper trip was made to 348 mbsf to check hole conditions, and 13 m of fill was noted on bottom. Consequently, a hole-conditioning trip was made to 105 mbsf; however, 20 m of fill was noted when bottom was tagged again. Thus, coring was terminated because of the unstable hole conditions. The hole was cleaned out to bottom, filled with mud, and then the bit was pulled up to 105 mbsf in preparation for logging. The following logs were run from 388 mbsf: (1) triple combination logging tool (triple combo), (2) Formation MicroScanner (FMS)/sonic, and (3) well seismic tool (WST), recording seven check-shot stations. The pipe was retrieved, clearing the seafloor at 1335 hr on 3 December, ending Hole 1134A.
The ship was moved 20 m north, and the bit was positioned at 711 mbrf. Hole 1134B was spudded at 1455 hr on 3 December, recovering 8.60 m in Core 1H, which indicated a water depth of 699.9 mbsl. Advanced piston coring advanced to 122.6 mbsf and Cores 3H-13H were oriented. The nonmagnetic cutting shoe, flapper core catcher with a steel 10-finger core catcher, and nonmagnetic core barrels were run on Cores 3H, 5H, 7H, 9H, 11H, and 13H. Extended core barrel coring deepened the hole from 122.6 to 234.8 mbsf (Table T1), after which coring was terminated because available operational time had expired. The drill string was retrieved, the rig was secured for transit, and the vessel was under way at 1130 hr on 4 December.
The 820-nmi sea voyage to Fremantle, Australia, required 79.9 hr at an average speed of 10.3 kt. The first line was ashore at Fremantle Harbor Dock at 1925 hr on 7 December, ending Leg 182.