Hole 993A The ship was moved 2.8 km in DP mode in 2.75 hr. A Datasonics 354M beacon (S/N 778, 16.0 kHz) was dropped at 0849 hr on 6 November. After several water cores, the bit was run in to feel for bottom on the sloping diapir and slide area. Hole 993A was spudded at 1345 hr on 6 November. The 12-kHz precision depth recorder (PDR) indicated a water depth of 2616.5 mbsl; however, the seafloor was at 2641.8 mbsl based on recovery of the mudline. APC Core 164 993A-1H was rejected in hard, dry clay and a 1.9-m stroke was assumed based on the 1.88 m recovery. The Adara tool was used to measure water temperature near the seafloor (3.1°C). Extended Core Barrel (XCB) Cores 164-993A-2X to 6X were taken from 1.9 to 51.9 mbsf, with 50.0 m cored and 43.81 m recovered (87.6% average recovery). Hole 993A was terminated, and the bit was pulled above the rotary table at 0020 hr on 7 November.
The 135-km sea voyage to Site 994 required 6.5 hr at an average speed of 11.2 kt. The Datasonics 354M beacon (S/N 779, 14.0 Khz) was dropped on GPS coordinates at 1408 hr on 7 November.