Beginning 18 January 1950, "San Pablo" conducted a survey of the Gulf Stream and, from 5 June 1950 to 26 June 1950, served as survey headquarters ship for a group of American and Canadian vessels engaged in broad-coverage behavioral studies of that massive current. After a cruise to Casablanca, French Morocco, in July and August 1950, she returned to the United States East Coast to conduct survey operations between New London, Connecticut, and Key West, Florida, for the remainder of 1950.