We departed Site 1259 for Site 1261 at 1330 hr on 16 February 2003, making the 17.0-nmi transit in 2.3 hr at an average speed of 7.4 kt. After positioning the ship over the site's coordinates at 1547 hr on 16 February, thrusters and hydrophones were lowered and a beacon was deployed, commencing operations at Site 1261.
A standard rotary core barrel (RCB) bottom-hole assembly was assembled and lowered to the seafloor, which was tagged at 1899.7 mbsl. Hole 1261A was spudded with the RCB at 1940 hr on 16 February and drilled to 236.9 mbsf, taking spot cores from the following intervals: 0–22.5, 69.7–79.3, 131.4–141.1, and 189.1–198.7 mbsf. Continuous coring resumed from 236.9 to 669.4 mbsf (total recovery = 73.4%) (Table T1). The hole was displaced with 208 bbl of sepiolite mud for abandonment. The bit was pulled clear of the seafloor at 1140 hr on 19 February, officially ending Hole 1261A.
Hole 1261B was spudded at 1250 hr on 19 February and washed from 0 to 525.3 mbsf. Rotary coring commenced at 525.3 mbsf and continued to a total depth of 674.1 mbsf (recovery = 62.2%) (Table T1). In preparation for logging, the bit was released, the hole was displaced with 209 bbl of sepiolite mud, and the base of the pipe was pulled to 102 mbsf. The hole was then logged with both the triple combination (triple combo) and Formation MicroScanner (FMS)-sonic tool strings from 652 mbsf, with two passes of each. On the third logging run, the Well Seismic Tool (WST) could not be advanced past a bridge at 192 mbsf and a checkshot survey was conducted only in the interval above the bridge. In preparation for the transit to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the drill string was tripped to the ship, clearing the rotary table at 0035 hr on 23 February, ending operations in Hole 1261B.
After retracting the thrusters and hydrophones and securing the ship for transit, we departed for Rio de Janeiro at 0045 hr on 23 February. The 2724-nmi transit required 279.8 hr at an average speed of 9.7 kt. At 1720 hr on 6 March, the first line was ashore ending Leg 207.