Project Day 10: 8 March 2011
Another successful dive! Dave Pence and CJ Bradley took a day off from diving today, so the rebreather team included myself, Ken Longenecker, and Ross Langston, with Holly Bolick as safety diver and Matt Ross as support diver. The mission was to stain another coral colony as part of a series of experiments to measure the growth rate of the corals in this environment. The plan was exactly the same as it was for Day 3 and Day 5. After the sub located the site (at a depth of 85 meters) and deployed the marker bouy, Ross, Ken and I descended down the line until we could see the Pisces V near the marker buoy anchor. Ross follwed the line down to the anchor and sent it to the surface, while Ken and I wen straight to the sub and immediately began setting up the coral staining procedure. As before, the dive went off without a hitch: Ken tested the water pump on the acrylic dome, while I started photographing the coral. Then Ken held the ruler next to the coral while I got a series of images. After photo-documenting the coral, Ken injected some of the non-toxic dye directly on the coral just when Ross joined us after sending up the anchor for the marker buoy. While Ross and Ken positioned the dome over the coral and injected the second syringe of non-toxic dye, I took the opportunity to rise above and get some wide-angle video of them at work in front of the sub. Before I knew it, they had finished and were signalling that we were heading back towards the surface. The decompression was uneventful, and we were out of the water in less then two hours; and back on the dock before 1pm.
Tomorrow is our last dive coordinating the Pisces V with the rebreather divers. We're still trying to decide the best use of the dive, but whatever it is, we'll post a report with pictures and video tomorrow.
Click this link for the day's Video Highlights. Video by R.L. Pyle
| Images: | Click on the small images below to see the the full-size image file. |
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Ken Longenecker approaches the coral in front of the Pisces V that will be stained. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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The coral colony that researcher John Rooney selected for today's staining experiment. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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One of many photos of Ken Longenecker holding a ruler in front of the selected coral colony, so that its size and dimentions can be carefully measured before the staining experiment. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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Ken Longenecker injects non-toxic dye around the outer edge of the selected coral colony, to help ensure the dye is incorporated into the coral skeleton. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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Ken Longenecker (diver on left) and Ross Langston (diver on right) set up the coral staining experiment, while Pisces V stands by. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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Ken Longenecker (diver on right) and Ross Langston (diver on left) set up the coral staining experiment, while Pisces V stands by. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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Ken Longenecker (left) and Ross Langston (right) begin their ascent towards the surface after the dive is completed. The Pisces V continued its mission after we had left. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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Ken longenecker rises to the surface (and the warmth of the sun!) after completing his decompression. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |
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Ross Langston prepares to climb in the boat after completing his decompression. Photo: R.L. Pyle. |