Photo of the Week: Farewell Melville

Research vessel Gregorio Velasquez, formerly known as R/V Melville, passes the Nimitz Marine Facility of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego for the last time as it makes its way to sea. (In the foreground is the aft steering station of Scripps's R/V Robert Gordon Sproul.)

For 46 years, research vessel Velasquez traveled the world in support of ocean exploration and discovery as part of the Scripps fleet. The U.S. Navy transferred ownership of the vessel to the Philippine Navy during an April 27 ceremony at Naval Base San Diego.

• Read about R/V Melville
• A ‘Bittersweet’ Send-off for Scripps Research Vessel (March 2, 2015)
• Scripps Research Vessel Melville Returns after Two-and-a-Half Year Voyage (Sept. 26, 2008)

Related Image Gallery: Photo of the Week 2016