Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. (HBOI) is one of the world's leading not-for-profit oceanographic research organizations dedicated to exploring the earth's oceans, estuaries and coastal regions, for the benefit of mankind. HBOI comprises seven divisions that include: Aquaculture; Biomedical Marine Research; Engineering R&D; Marine Operations; Marine Science and Marine Mammal Research and Conservation. Its 600 acre campus, located along the Indian River Lagoon, near Fort Pierce, Florida, houses some of the world's leading ocean science laboratories. To carry out its work, HBOI has designed, built and outfitted the world's most technologically advanced fleet of ocean going research vessels and submersibles. This gives HBOI a unique combination of specialized capabilities, allowing for the exploration of almost every aspect of the world's oceans.

A few important "firsts":

First submersible was our present JOHNSON-SEA-LINK I (JSL I), developed by Edwin Link in the late 1960's with financial support from Seward Johnson. Early JSL activities were centered around "lockout diving" wherein a diver would leave the rear compartment (the "dive chamber") to conduct underwater operations. (Lockout diving was discontinued in the late 1980's). JSL I was commissioned on January 29, 1971. Its twin, JSL II, was commissioned in December 1975.

First "submersible tender" ship was the R/V EDWIN LINK (formally R/V SEA DIVER), Mr. Link's privately owned ship designed and built in 1958 for underwater exploration. The vessel was gifted to Harbor Branch in 1981. R/V JOHNSON, a retired Coast Guard Cutter, was acquired by Harbor Branch in 1974 and refit with a single-armed 12-ton hydraulic crane developed for sub handling by Harbor Branch engineers. It also featured a below-deck Decompression Chamber which joined directly with the JSL rear dive compartment for safe post-dive recovery of lockout divers.

First research vessel was the R/V GOSNOLD, a surface operations ship owned by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution until its sale to Harbor Branch. GOSNOLD missions trawled, dredged and boxcored for five years, forming the basis of the research collections now housed in the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Museum.

First ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) was CORD (Cabled Observation and Rescue Device), designed at Harbor Branch. The two versions of CORD (I and II) featured cameras, sonar and collecting arms, and could be operated from their own vessel, SEA GUARDIAN, or from the research ships.

First research project was the Indian River Coastal Zone Study, begun in 1975 as a complete environmental evaluation of the relatively unspoiled Indian River Lagoon. Thousands of specimens and countless other pieces of data were collected, computerized and analyzed in an assessment of this intricate ecosystem. Although our interests and studies have broadened considerably since the early years, Harbor Branch scientists and collections are still routinely consulted as experts on local ecology.