"Iconic Research Vessel Retires: A Journey of 60 Years Comes to an End"
The Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP), an innovative research vessel operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has been retired after over 60 years of service. FLIP was a unique platform that could transition from a horizontal barge to a vertical spar platform, providing stability and minimizing the effects of ocean swells for scientific experiments. It played a crucial role in physical oceanographic research, producing high-quality data and setting a gold standard for ocean modeling. FLIP's legacy will live on as one of its booms will be mounted onto a pier for continued use in deploying instruments into the water.