A multidisciplinary expedition to the southern East Pacific Rise (27¿30'--32¿20'S) provided an opportunity to compare the efficiency and effectiveness of two methods for mapping hydrothermal plumes: the standard conductivity-temperature-depth-optical (CTDO) tow-yo method and a towed fixed array of hydrographic and optical sensors (Miniature Autonomous Plume Recorders (MAPRs)). Six second-order segments were mapped twice: once with CTDO tow-yos, and then again with a fixed array of MAPRs attached to the cable of a deep-towed side-scan sonar. We found a high degree of overall agreement between the two methods in both the distribution and optical intensity of hydrothermal plumes. Between-survey differences increased as time between surveys increased from 6 days, presumably because of advection of the plumes by local currents. Plume locations changed by as much as ~10 km, implying a confidence limit in predicting vent site location using segment-scale hydrothermal plume surveys. Towed MAPR arrays proved an efficient and effective method for acquiring coregistered geological and hydrothermal plume data.