9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁deployment , ▁W and ank ▁supported ▁scientific ▁operations ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁her ▁more ▁routine ▁duties . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁for ▁example , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁communication ▁relay ▁and ▁support ▁ship ▁for ▁the ▁bath ys cap he ▁Tri este ▁in ▁Project ▁N ek ton ; ▁she ▁to wed ▁the ▁bath ys cap he ▁some ▁ 2 6 0 ▁na ut ical ▁miles ▁( 4 8 2 ▁kilom eters ) ▁from ▁Gu am ▁to ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁Ch allen ger ▁Deep , ▁where , ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Tri este ▁desc ended ▁to ▁a ▁record ▁ 3 7 , 0 0 0 ▁feet ▁( 1 1 , 2 7 8 ▁meters ). ▁H ydro phone ▁g ear ▁ab o ard ▁W and ank ▁was ▁still ▁able ▁to ▁communicate ▁with ▁the ▁craft ▁once ▁on ▁the ▁bottom , ▁although ▁the ▁sound ▁waves ▁took ▁seven ▁seconds ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁one - way ▁journey ▁from ▁ship ▁to ▁bath ys cap he , ▁which ▁was ▁nearly ▁seven ▁miles ▁deep . ▁ ▁On ▁occasion , ▁W and anks ▁operations ▁non eth eless ▁assumed ▁a ▁dangerous ▁character ▁during ▁tropical ▁storm s . ▁During ▁one ▁of ▁these ▁storm s , ▁which ▁occurred ▁October ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁W and ank ▁was ▁tra pped ▁between ▁two ▁ty ph o ons ▁while ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁her ▁annual ▁bu oy ▁maintenance ▁duty ▁at ▁Ch ichi ▁J ima ▁in