▁in ▁the ▁Earth ' s ▁cr ust ▁but ▁also ▁hydro ther mal ▁v ents ▁and ▁sub se a ▁m eth ane ▁hyd rate ▁research . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Ch ik y ū ▁began ▁dr illing ▁the ▁Nan T ro SE I ZE ▁tran sect ▁as ▁planned , ▁reaching ▁ 1 , 4 0 0 ▁meters ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁future ▁deep ▁sub se a ▁floor ▁observ atory . ▁The ▁first ▁stage ▁of ▁four ▁Nan T ro SE I ZE ▁St ages ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁whole ▁project ▁was ▁en vision ed ▁to ▁be ▁completed ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁dam aged ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁T ō h oku ▁earth qu ake ▁and ▁t sun ami ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁mo ored ▁ 3 0 0 ▁m ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁H ach ino he , ▁A om ori , ▁but ▁was ▁cut ▁loose ▁by ▁the ▁t sun ami ▁and ▁coll ided ▁with ▁a ▁pier ▁of ▁H ach ino he ▁port . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁six ▁stabil izers ▁was ▁dam aged ▁and ▁a ▁ 1 . 5 ▁meter ▁hole ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁bottom . ▁Local ▁pre lim inary ▁school ▁children ▁who ▁were ▁visit ing ▁the ▁ship ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁earth qu ake ▁spent ▁one ▁night ▁on ▁board ▁and ▁were ▁res cu ed ▁by