The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) started out from Punta Arenas in Chile this Friday on a mission to monitor waterflow and turbulence in the Orkney Passage in the Southern Ocean.

The unit was given the amusing moniker after respondents to an internet poll from the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to choose a name for its new £200 million ($244 million) research vessel completely ignored the organiser’s plea to choose an “inspirational” name “about environmental and polar science”.

Although