Official Blog of SCUBAnauts International

Coastal Cleanup Bash: Nov. 12th 2011

2011-11-01T14:13:00.000-07:00

DO YOUR PART TO KEEP OUR BEACHES CLEAN... BE A STEWARD OF YOUR LOCAL COASTAL COMMUNITY!

The St. Petersburg Chapter of SCUBAnauts International is hosting a coastal cleanup and native plant restoration for youth (ages 10-17) and their families at Clam Bayou on November 12th, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. - noon in St. Petersburg, Florida. In addition to the cleanup and plant restoration, the event will include presentations and hands-on activities led local marine scientists from the University of South Florida. Join us and learn more about your local marine and coastal environments, the effects of marine debris, and what you can do to help. All volunteers will be provided with cleanup supplies and will receive a free stainless steel water bottle. To register and obtain more information including directions to the education center, please email Ben Prueitt (bprueitt@scubanautsintl.org).

We are asking that all participants please register and complete a brief survey on marine debris. The links to the surveys are below:
Event Registation
Marine Debris Survey

SciDay, Part 2

2011-08-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

Part 2: Science Research Day

On their applications for the Science Research Day, many of the ‘nauts expressed interest in learning about sea turtles. Lucky for us, SCUBAnauts has our very own turtle expert – Rhonda Bailey. Ms. Bailey works for the Florida Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, focusing on turtle strandings and unusual mortality events. Working with her, the ‘nauts learned how to accurately measure turtles and were able to see a lot of sea turtles that had been killed by the extreme cold weather last winter. They also learned about bivalves from Sarah Stephenson, a scallop expert at FWRI.

Learning how to open a scallop

Using calipers to accurately measure turtles

Our last stop of the day was over at the USGS. The ‘nauts listened to a presentation by geochemist Jen Flannery. She gave a presentation on the purpose of the USGS (“Science for a changing world”) and went over some of the current projects at the St. Petersburg office. Jen also showed the ‘nauts some of her work on the isotopes found in coral skeletons and plankton that have died and settled in the sediments. The ‘nauts learned about how these basic measurements can be used to determine past climate change and that the earth’s climate has natural variability.

Listening to Ms. Flannery talk about climate change throughout history and how scientists measure it.

What did the 'nauts think about this experience? In their own words:

We got to do some awesome things at the science research day. I really enjoyed all of the events and people we met. My favorite was the plankton tow and identification. I learned a lot during the microbiology with Ms. McDaniel, like separating split pea DNA. Another cool thing was learning about the sea turtles and bivalves. All and all I learned a lot and got to know about specific jobs in the oceanography world.

-Mackenzie

Mackenzie identifying plankton with Sennai

On Saturday (the 11th), I was able to participate in an event where we did intriguing labs with different scientists relating to their different professions. We got to make a spectroscope, catch some zooplankton, and I learned how to shuck an oyster!!! We even found out how to extract DNA from a pea plant (we thankfully ate lunch before that one). By participating I gained new knowledge about bivalves, such as how a green scallop is an invasive species, and the differences between sea turtles. Overall it was a lot more interesting than I would have thought and it was way better than just staying at home!

-Jessica

Jessica doing a plankton tow

I had a great time at the science research day at USF. We met many scientists and learned about their fields of work. One of my favorite scientists was Maria, she taught us about spectroscopes and we even got to take one we made home. I messed up a lot making mine but in the end it worked! Another scientist I enjoyed hearing from was Sennai. He informed us about plankton - zooplankton are animals and phytoplankton are plants. We even did a plankton tow, collected some, and examined them under a microscope. Lastly I really enjoyed the sea turtles with Rhonda. We learned how to take real stranding report. All in all, I had a really informative and fun day!

-Ashley

Ashley learning how to measure a sea turtle

Science Research Day, Part 1

2011-08-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

On August 11^th, a six SCUBAnauts from two chapters were able to participate in a Science Research Day put together by Carlie Williams, the Education Officer from the Tarpon Springs chapter.

The goal of SciDay was to show the ‘nauts some of the many different research projects going on in the Marine Science cluster in downtown St. Petersburg. St. Pete hosts an amazing number of marine science-focused agencies. These include USF College of Marine Science (many of our valuable volunteers are graduate students there!), the Florida Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Science Center (USGS). The scientists at these agencies are involved in a huge range of experiments such as biology, geology, ecology and much more.

The ‘nauts got the chance to learn from these researchers and see their personal projects.

First up was a presentation by Maria Vega-Rodriguez on how she uses satellites in her research. Remote sensing is a very useful resource for oceanographers, allowing them to access data about the ocean on a very large scale and over long time periods. The satellites can measure a lot of things including ocean color (indicating how much chlorophyll is in the water, measuring plankton blooms) and sea surface temperature. Sea surface temperature can be used to track currents or even help Maria to predict when coral bleaching might occur. After learning about remote sensing, the ‘nauts got the chance to build their own spectroscopes, a simple method for separating light into it’s basic wavelengths.

The ‘nauts make their own spectroscopes which demonstrate that visible light can be broken down into parts (like a rainbow)

A picture of the 'nauts testing out their spectroscopes.

Sennai Habtes led a great activity where the ‘nauts used a net to do a plankton tow. Plankton are any living organisms that can’t swim against the current, and are made up tiny little plants (phytoplankton) and little animals (zooplankton). Many zooplankton are actually the baby larvae of bigger fish and animals that we like to eat (like tuna and lobster), so it’s really important to know what’s out there. The ‘nauts were able to do their own plankton tows and then check out their plankton under the microscope. Sennai challenged the ‘nauts to identify their plankton, and it was definitely difficult!

Ashley towing the plankton net along the seawall

Sheridan checking out some plankton underneath a dissecting microscope. She's using a book about the plankton of the Gulf of Mexico to help her identify what she sees.

After lunch, the ‘nauts visited a microbiology lab to learn how marine scientists use DNA in their research. Bacteria and viruses form the basis for many chemical reactions in the ocean, feed or cause disease in other organisms. The DNA in these microbes can tell us a lot what they are and what they do in the oceans because they’re too small to see and hard to work with in the lab. Dr. Lauren McDaniel demonstrated how to extract DNA from a sample. After the ‘nauts learned how to get DNA out of the cells, Dr. McDaniel showed them how to visualize the DNA to see its quality and quantity.

Pulling out extracted DNA (the white stuff) with a Q-tip

Loading DNA into a gel to test the quality and size of it.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Ask the 'nauts!

2011-08-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

We ask all of the SCUBAnauts to keep a journal during our science expeditions. This is both so they can take notes during lessons and to record their thoughts throughout the trip. Here is a sample of some of their journal entries from the Bahamas trip. Thank you to our trip helpers Alyx and Courtney for deciphering the ‘nauts’ handwriting and typing these up!

August 1, 2011 – Our Travel Day

“It’s very beautiful here on the island. Today I learned that there are over 700 islands that make up the Bahamas. I want to keep my eye and camera out on the acropora corals and all the neat creatures”

- Brooke Liston

“Learning new things makes me happy. Weird, but yes happy. We are learning about surveys and new dive stuff. I’ve learned so much; there are so many types of branching corals here.”

-Sofia Alaniz

August 2, 2011 – First Day of Diving

“Today we started diving; our first dive was at Plate’s reef. The visibility was amazing and it was more than 60 feet down. I saw PAST – yellow mustard hill coral, DLAB [Diploria labyrinthiformis] and a plethora of fish”

-Brooke Liston

“On the dive this morning I saw PCOL [Porites colonensis] and live MFRA [Montastraea faveolata] for the first time and they were everywhere. First dive was good and we saw some large snapper and grouper. On the second dive I saw a 7 foot Reef Shark up close with Kaedon. I saw an Indigo Hamlet and it is now my favorite fish. I thought the Tiger Grouper we saw was cool looking too; especially since it let us go right up to it.”

-Conner Hutchinson

“My dive buddy (Conner H.) and I dove around, watching other people observe coral, and when we looked up we saw a 6-7 foot Reef Shark! There was also a 2 ½ foot Tiger Grouper and a lot of other awesome fish and corals.”

-Kaedon Hamm

“I have to say that the best dive was for sure dive number 3 at a site called “Shark Alley,” it lived up to its name. We saw four Caribbean reef sharks; it was probably the highlight of my trip, seeing sharks in their habitat is exactly why I wanted to start diving on top of my love for the ocean.”

Connor Waugh

“The best dive was “Shark Alley” during shark week, it was amazing. Six sharks were circling me and Ashley while we were doing point count. The sharks were so cool, one had a hook on both sides of its mouth. The last dive was in 4-12 feet of water there was a ton of dead Elkhorn Coral and some recovering.”

Colin Cassick

“Observation 60 foot dive, visibility perfect. It was a huge and I mean huge reef. The second was a 45 foot dive in “shark Alley,” I saw like 10 Caribbean sharks and got a picture with one. I also did point count on this dive. For our 12 foot dive it had really nice Elkhorn Coral [Acropora palmata] all over.”

-Ashley Hilbert

“Day 2 I saw two huge Cubera Snapper. I also saw 3 huge grouper and 4 Caribbean reef sharks; the “Shark Alley” was the coolest. One of the sharks had a hook in its mouth that had to be at least a 17/0 hook. The last dive was only 10feet and I really could’ve snorkeled it, but I really wanted to get in another dive.”

-Tyler Harder

August 3, 2011 - Second (and last) Day of Diving

“We went to “Ben’s Blue Hole” for the 3rd dive. Connor and I were doing coral surveys when a curious grouper came up to us to see what we were doing. He was so close that we actually petted him. We went to “Picasso’s Gallery” and saw another reef shark that swam under us during our buoyancy stop.”

-Kiana Hamm

“The second dive had 3 sharks and they came really close. As the day went on I found myself knowing more and more fish. The 3rd and 4th dive were really amazing, it is a lot better diving here than in Florida.”

-Danny Alaniz

“Today we had to do fish surveys and I learned how to identify Black Grouper, because they are a little confusing. On the 3rd dive at “Ben’s Blue Hole” there were 2 sharks that were following us and came within 4-5 feet of us!

-Alex Coronado

“The shallows had lots of branching corals that had the ability to move with the ebb and flow of the tides, as opposed to in the deeper water where there is less tidal action. The second dive was at “Papa Doc’s Wreck” and my buddy Sofia and I conducted our point count survey. On the two afternoon dives it was cool to see two invasive lionfish in the wild as well as several rays (“Ben’s Blue Hole”) and some squirrelfish (“Picasso’s Gallery”). Overall it was a great trip, even though the stupid weather caused it to end early.”

-Jeremy Koch

Belated blot post and Bahamas wrap-up

2011-08-15T18:11:00.000-07:00

As many people know by now, the Tarpon Springs Chapter’s summer trip to the Bahamas got cut short by Tropical Storm Emily. After our second day of diving on Wednesday, we all returned to our rooms to find notes on the door saying that our original departure date of Friday wasn’t going to work anymore. The ship we were planning on taking home from the Bahamas had canceled its run on Friday in preparation for the tropical storm slowly making it’s way north from the Caribbean.

Our only options were to come home a day early (cutting out an entire day of diving!) or stay for a few extra days. Since we would have to pay for those extra days and none of us wanted to ride out a potential hurricane in the Bahamas, the chapter leaders opted to head home the next day. We were all a little bummed but it was the only best choice.

Because we missed out on our third day of diving, we didn’t get to do our final rotation of surveys. The three basic surveys we use look at fish, corals, and bottom types. The buddy teams each focused on one of the survey methods for one day, using their multiple dives to ask questions and learn the details of the method. The next day they’d switch to a new survey technique. This way, the ‘nauts are able to learn each survey technique in-depth and experience all of them by the end of the trip. Or at least that was the plan! Being familiar with 2 of the 3 surveys is still pretty good, and our science leaders will make sure everyone catches up on the one they missed.

On the ferry ride back to Florida, the ‘nauts sat down to take their post-trip assessment. This is the same set of questions we gave them on the ride over, and many of the ‘nauts struggled to answer the questions. We use the pre-trip assessments to check the current knowledge base of the ‘nauts and to show them what they’ll be learning over the course of the trip. The post-trip assessments document how much they’ve learned in just a few days and allow us to show them their improvement. We’re so busy diving on the trips, the kids don’t always have a chance to reflect their new knowledge.

All of the ‘nauts showed a lot of improvement on their tests, and we know they all had a great trip. Even though we missed out on our last day of diving, we’re still thankful for the two beautiful days of diving we did get to experience. Great dives sites, a great dive crew, and very spacious boat. Thanks again to the Viva Wyndham resort and dive shop for helping us have a fantastic summer science expedition!

-Julie Galkiewicz
Chief Scientist, Tarpon Springs Chapter

Science dives in the Bahamas

2011-08-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

Our second day on the island and our first day of diving!

Everyone went to bed really early last night after our looooong day of traveling. So we were all ready for breakfast at 7 am. Everyone, especially the teen-aged boys with endless appetites, is enjoying the buffet food. After eating bacon, french toast, cereal and fruit, we all headed over to the dive shop.

Because we’re such a large group (20 divers!), we’ve basically taken over the dive boat for our three days of diving. We’re doing two dives every morning and afternoon on different reef. The dive boat here is so nice for large groups – there’s plenty of space for all our gear and the science equipment we bring on board too. I’m sure we got some funny looks from people as we were loading up.


Colin using the whirling hygrometer to figure out how humid the air is. This is only one of many pieces of science gear we brought with us.

Our first dive was a simple observation dive, to familiarize everyone with the reef. The ‘nauts got to see how different these tropical Bahamian reefs are from our typical reefs in Tarpon Springs. They were all amazed at the depth (more than 60 feet), the number and types of fish, and the strange new corals.

Our second dive was to a shallower site so we could start doing our scientific surveys. Each of the buddy teams was assigned to a survey (fish, coral, or point count) for the day. The Science leaders wanted to make sure that each ‘naut had a chance to do the same survey a few times in a row to really understand how it works. Tomorrow the ‘nauts will switch to new survey method and work on that all day.

I think the favorite dive of the group so far was our third dive of the day, visiting Shark Alley. This spot is where a lot of dive boat operators come to show tourists sharks. I was very glad to hear that the Viva Wyndham dive crew doesn’t chum the waters to get more sharks to the area – chumming is a bad idea because it teaches sharks to associate swimmers with food. We were able to see lots of Caribbean reef sharks just cruising by. They barely noticed we were there, but we all got to see them up close!

Our final dive for the day was on a very shallow site - my dive computer turned off a few times because it assumed I had surfaced and finished my dive. This site had a lot of large corals including a big stand of Elkhorn, a very rare coral.

To wrap up the day, our evening science lesson focused on reflecting about what we learned today. Everyone got a chance to share three things they saw underwater that they already knew and three things that were new to them. It was great to hear that some of the fish and corals they saw on the first dive that they didn’t know were easily identifiable by the end of the day. The ‘nauts also got to share advice about their challenges learning the new survey techniques.

Cross your fingers for us that Tropical Storm Emily stays away for the rest of the week!

-Julie Galkiewicz
Chief Scientist, Tarpon Springs Chapter

The SCUBAnauts travel to the Bahamas!

2011-08-01T18:40:00.001-07:00

Today was our travel day, and it was long and difficult. We started off by driving from Tampa Bay to Fort Lauderdale overnight, with several of the parents driving vans and cars loaded with gear, luggage and kids. It was definitely an all-nighter for those parents and some of the kids who spend the night talking instead of sleeping!

Ashley, Connor, and Kaedon taking their pre-trip assessment tests
on their cruise to Grand Bahama.

We got to Fort Lauderdale at 4:30 am and ate breakfast at a Denny’s before heading to Port Everglades. We had chosen to take a small cruise ship over to Grand Bahama instead of flying due to cost and because we wanted to fit in a few more dives on our last day. All of our divers know that you can’t go diving 24 hours before a flight, so we would’ve had to cut out afternoon dives on our last day. Taking the cruise ship got around those problems, but we ran into a few more challenges...

As we are all well aware of now, any kids under the age of 18 who are traveling out of the country need written consent from their parents. Unfortunately, none of our parent-less travelers had those specific forms. So a mad dash ensued with the ‘nauts frantically calling their parents at 7 am trying to get them to fax or email over proof that would allow us all to travel as a group. A few tense minutes passed, but we finally got everyone on-board the ship.

Alex getting excited about the field guide to the Bahamas!

As we all breathed a sigh of relief and enjoyed the breakfast buffet (breakfast number 2 for the day if you were counting), the ‘nauts got to work on their pre-assessment tests. Carlie, the Education Officer, and I use these tests to see how much the ‘nauts already know about various topics, including chemistry, biology, geology, history, geography, and dive skills. As we go through our week, the kids will be learning more and more about each of these topics, and they’ll get a post-assessment test to see how much more they know after our science expedition.

The cruise lasted about three hours, and we were all happy to finally reach the hotel. This is different from any other SNI summer trip because we’re staying in an all-inclusive resort. It’s very nice that our meals are cooked for us and that we don’t have to provide a lot of the basics. But we’re not here on vacation – this is a science expedition! The kids are expected to attend science lessons every night, write in their journals, and prepare for each day.

Colin stunned by the new things he has learned from
the field guide.

Today presented a lot of challenges, a lot of “hurry up and wait” moments, and some exasperation. But we all made it to the Bahamas in one piece, we have a gorgeous view of the ocean, and our dives are all lined up for tomorrow – the first real day of science. Can’t wait to see what the rest of the week holds!

-Julie Galkiewicz
Chief Scientist, SNI Tarpon Springs

Ocean for Life 2011

2011-07-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

Thirty high school students from the Greater Middle Eastern and Western countries participated in Ocean for Life (OFL), a program to increase cultural understanding through ocean science, from July 14-26, 2011. The students studied at NOAA's Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in California. The Ocean for Life program is a partnership among the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of National Marine Santuaries, SCUBAnauts International, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program, and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

The themes of Ocean for Life are: a sense of place, interconnectedness, and ocean conservation and stewardship.

Sense of Place

Photo: Jim Webb, National Geographic Photo Camp OFL 2011

We visited the Chumash Discovery Village where we met the people and learned about the culture and ways of the first people of the Channel Islands - the Chumash. They taught us a few of their native songs and words in their language. They told us how their people relied on the ocean's resources for food, supplies, and money.


Brooke Liston, a Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut and participant of the 2011 OFL Program, investigating the touch tanks at the REEF Facility at University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB).

We also learned about the animals that inhabit the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. We camped for three nights at the University of California Reserve Field Station on Santa Cruz Island and kayaked and snorkeled through the breathtaking kelp forests. It was amazing how the field station was surrounded by the natural beauty of the island. It also was amazing to see so many stars at night. It is the epitome of how beautiful the world can be when humans are respectful and use moderation. It was wonderful to get away from the busy and frantic mainland and to connect with nature and yourself.

Interconnectedness

Native plant restoration on Santa Cruz Island

We learned that we are all connected by the ocean and that all of our actions affect the ocean. Even if someone littered in Michigan, it could be carried to the Gulf of Mexico, across the Atlantic, and delivered to the Mediterranean, affecting people in Lebanon. We also learned how the land and water are interconnected. The plants and the animals living on Santa Cruz island are dependent on a clean water supply and, in turn, a healthy native plant population is important for keeping the water clean. While staying on Santa Cruz Island, we had the opportunity to work with Growing Solutions on native plant restoration.

Ocean Conservation and Stewardship

Ocean for Life has a huge focus on ocean stewardship. During the program, we had two beach cleanups. One of them was with a group of local fourth graders and we taught them about the importance of keeping the ocean clean. All of us are going to plan ways to educate people about the ocean in our respective communities. We learned a lot about problems related to carbon dioxide (CO2), in particular ocean acidification.

OFL students learn about the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms at the Marine Science Institute at UCSB


OFL students measure nitrates at Hendry's Beach, CA

We also collected a lot of GLOBE data. This was a treat for me because I have collected tons of GLOBE data with SCUBAnauts International. I had the chance to compare the data from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with the data from the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. We also compared our GLOBE data with GLOBE data collected in Bahrain.

The Ocean for Life Experience

Brooke learning how to put on and wear a hijab
Photo: Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, Qatar, Ocean for Life 2011

During the program, we took thousands of pictures to collect and put into our Media Projects. We were assisted by National Geographic photographers and American University film students who taught us how to make photographs and not just take them. My group's project was Cultural Understanding. It was perfect for my group because we were so ethnically diverse. We came from Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, American Samoa, and the United States. Overall, the 2011 Ocean for Life project brought together 12 Western students from Canada, the United States and American Samoa with 13 students from the Greater Middle East representing Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Qatar. It was great to have so many cultures giving us the chance to understand and immerse ourselves into each others' cultures. My roommate and fellow group member, Amira from Egypt, taught me how to put on a hijab. It was an amazing experience.

Ocean for Life was a moving experience for me. I learned a lot about the ocean, other cultures and myself. We were scared that we would not be accepted by people from other cultures, however we were so wrong. We grew very close to one another and left with many new sisters and brothers who share a lover for each other and the ocean. It is now our mission to teach people ocean stewardship and cultural understanding.

~Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut and 2011 OFL participant

Thanks to all of the 2011 sponsors/donors that made this program possible including the Qatar Foundation International, WAFRA Investment Advisory Group, Inc., The Ettinger Foundation, Ellmar Foundation and One World One Ocean.

For more information on the 2011 Ocean for Life Program and Experience, check out the following links:

OFL Facebook Page

OFL Media Projects

National Geographic Photo Camp - 2011 Ocean for Life

QFI Blog

Capitol Hill Ocean Week

2011-06-09T23:04:00.000-07:00

The SCUBAnauts took over Washington D.C. while visiting for Capitol Hill Ocean Week! The first night of the trip was spent conversing with Craig McLean of NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, as well as with Dr. Jane Lubcheno, the 1st Woman and 1st Diver Administrator of NOAA. The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) Leadership Awards Dinner followed these meetings, allowing for an increased understanding of the ocean issues at hand. The ‘nauts woke up bright and early Wednesday morning to visit the Indonesian Embassy, establishing friendships with other students via video conferencing. Following this meeting, the ‘nauts were filled physically and mentally while discussing ocean topics over lunch with award-winning author Alanna Mitchell. They later met with the Legislative Assistants of Representative John W. Olver, Senator John Kerry, and Representative C.W. Bill Young. The ‘nauts also had the opportunity to convene with Florida Senator Marco Rubio! Thursday morning was spent at a panel discussion of the current and future states of marine fisheries, which was followed by a meet and greet with Dr. Daniel Pauly, Professor of Fisheries and Zoology at the UBC Fisheries Centre. The ‘nauts later spent time video-conferencing with an Australian snorkel club, sharing passions and learning more about our vast ocean via skype. During free time, the desire for knowledge combined with intrigue of the city took over, and the ‘nauts toured D.C., which included a visit to the United States Capitol Building.

The 'Nauts at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

I am at CHOW right now! I can not explain how much fun that I am having and all the experiences that I get to be a part of like speaking with the Indonesian students, as well as the students from Australia. I also enjoyed the dinner on Tuesday night and meeting the senators and all the staffers. The metro was cool and easy to use after a couple of go-rounds. Colin and I also did the flight simulator at the Smithsonian: air and space museum. He ATTEMPTED to fly but all we really did is hang upside down. I still don’t understand how we managed to shoot down four planes. I also enjoyed listening to Dr. Pauly and getting to talk to him after the marine fisheries panel. It was a blast and I hope to do it again next year.
~Tyler Harder, Tarpon Springs Chapter

Florida Senator Marco Rubio with the 'nauts

CHOW in one word to explain it, AWESOME!!!! The first day (Tuesday June 7, 2011) in Washington D.C. was amazing. We went to the dinner and it was great. The speakers were very interesting. The second day (Wednesday 8, 2011) all of the SCUBAnauts went to the Indonesian Embassy. We talked to the Indonesian students in Indonesia. We told them about SCUBAnauts and what we do. They explained their school to us, and projects that have been working on. They were very nice, and speak very good English. We then met Senators and their staffers. We all talked to them about what we are interested in, such as global warming and fisheries. The third day (Wednesday June 9, 2011), we went to a panel meeting. This was mostly about fisheries and the effects on the fisheries. After that panel meeting we talked to Dr. Pauly about the international fisheries. He was a very interesting guy. After this I was able to go to the Zoo and see a ton of animals. We also talked to students in Australia. Over all, this trip was a great experience.
~Sofia Alaniz, Tarpon Springs Chapter

Waiting for the Metro

This is the first trip that I have taken with the SCUBAnauts, and it has been amazing. Although there were many things that we have done, and many people that we have met, I want to talk about Washington D.C. It is the first time I have ever visited, so I did not know what to expect. To describe D.C., I would have to say it is a mixture of old buildings meets new buildings. The people in Washington D.C. are very interesting. People in cars are not very friendly, horns and sirens are constantly heard in the distance. In my opinion, people in D.C. are nicely dressed. Also, the metro was dark yet really cool. It was easy transportation and very fast. We walked everywhere, like to the Capitol building, which was awesome. The big dome in the middle was beautiful, I was amazed! Some other places that amazed me were the Washington Monument and the Vietnam Memorial. Although it was EXTREMELY hot outside, I still enjoyed walking and seeing all the amazing sites. Over all, Washington D.C. is an awesome place, and being with the SCUBAnauts made it even more enjoyable.

~Shannon Silk, St. Petersburg Chapter

The 'nauts conversing with Chris McLean of NOAA

This is my first CHOW and one of the first big experiences that I have had as a member of SCUBAnauts, since I am one of the newest members within my chapter. I am so glad that I was invited to come to this event, I have been learning and have had many opportunities that I would not have had if I were not a member of this organization. We skyped with students from across the world, in both Indonesia and Australia, discussing things such as methods of conservation and programs for ecological activism. We also met the members of Congress from both the Senate and the House and presented concerns we had for environmental issues within our respective states. In addition, we had an opportunity to sit in on a presentation discussing the current state of fisheries, which was delivered by a board of experts. We also had an opportunity to meet and talk with the higher-ups of the NOAA. It truly was a great opportunity that I thoroughly enjoyed, and that I would not have had if I had not had been a member of this organization.

~Jeremy Koch, Tarpon Springs Chapter

Compiled by Julienne Brown.

“Feeding the Nation: National Security and American Seafood”

2011-06-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

As a part of Capitol Hill Ocean Week, the SCUBAnauts attended “Feeding the Nation: National Security and American Seafood,” a panel discussing overfishing, where they became enlightened with the discussion, debate, and panel perspectives on the potential and current state of aquaculture fisheries. The panelists included Bill Dewey, Director of Public Policy and Communications for Taylor Shellfish Company; Dr. Daniel Pauly, Professor of Fisheries and Zoology at UBC Fisheries Center; Tom Raftican, President of The Sportfishing Conservancy, and Mark Holliday, Director at the Office of Policy at NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service. The ‘nauts furthered their understanding of this topic in meeting with Dr. Daniel Pauly after the panel session.

Probably the biggest moment for me was the conference on the world’s fisheries. My school has a ninth-grade environmental science class, which taught me some of the basics of overfishing, but it was amazing to hear real experts debate the problems that the world faces today and propose intelligent and innovative solutions. I learned tons about the issues, and am very excited to take my new knowledge home. I also can’t wait to follow up on the things they were discussing such as a bill NOAA is trying to get passed (I’m not entirely sure what it was about, I think I got there a little too late in the conference to catch that).
~Sara Vannah, Lake Hitchcock Chapter

Organized by Julienne Brown.

The SCUBAnauts Meet Author Alanna Mitchell

2011-06-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

Alanna Mitchell, the “best environmental journalist in the world” (IUCN; Reuters foundation), and strong advocate for global science issues, shared conversation and knowledge with the SCUBAnauts during Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW). Mitchell lead an intriguing discussion on current ocean issues, and engaged the ‘nauts in thought-provoking question and answer sessions that provided a new perspective on these topics.

Whether you are aspiring to be a marine biologist, doctor, artist, or writer, I’ve learned that you can incorporate the ocean in everything. This is my second trip to CHOW and although we met some very memorable people, Alanna Mitchell really impressed me by being an author and having such a firm grasp on science. You could tell that she was both passionate in journaling and the ocean and just by that could create novels such as her famous book, Sea Sick. I’m really grateful to have been able to listen and learn from her because I have a great interest in writing and the ocean as well. I hope that one day I can keep the ocean as a prominent influence in my life as much as she has and I wish I could have talked to her more.
~Jessica Silk , St. Petersburg Chapter

Organized by Julienne Brown

Conversing Abroad with Indonesian and Australian Students

2011-06-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

Cultural and physical barriers were overcome when the SCUBAnauts participated in video-conferences with Indonesian and Australian students. The ‘nauts visited the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C. and connected with young men and women who also desired to bring conservation issues to light. In skyping with the Australian snorkeling club, the depths of the ocean were further explored and compared; this providing further affirmation of the incredible world-wide joys the oceans bring.

SCUBA-diving is a distinguishable connection between friends, nations, and even family. Throughout CHOW there were many moments of inspiration and fascination, but none could compare to the SCUBAnauts’ virtual conference with Indonesian students at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington D.C. I had never felt so honored to speak on behalf of the Lake Hitchcock Chapter to students, and explain the dynamics of our ocean environment to them. I felt as though I was attaining so much information every second that I was in the conference room. I learned that Indonesia has over 300 official languages, and about 26 variations of those languages. The ‘nauts’ had the opportunity to exchange school concepts and see presentations by seven schools for “a better environment” from the Indonesian students. Being able to see such a wonderful culture, and draw my own inspiration from it was an experience I will never forget. Before we departed from the Embassy, we learned of several ways to get yourself a free trip to Indonesia including an art competition to create Batik (traditional clothing of Indonesia) and the Peace Corp. Because of SCUBAnauts, I was able to discover such a wonderful opportunity.

~Danny Hentz, Lake Hitchcock Chapter

Today we met with the Indonesian embassy for a video conference, which was a great experience. Each of their schools had a series of things they were doing to make each school more environmentally friendly. Many of the schools have gardens and forests, including one that grows hibiscus plants that they use to make a medicinal tea to treat asthma. They also had floating cafeterias, where the students could feed the fish with the scraps of their leftover food, create wastewater treatment arrangements, and other efforts. It gave me ideas for things to try at my school. They also performed an amazing traditional dance for us.
~Sara Vannah, Lake Hitchcock Chapter

Thus far the D.C. trip has been pretty awesome. The whole trip has been very interesting, but I have to say that tonight has been the highlight of it all! We skyped with students in Australia doing the snorkeling equivalent of what we do with our diving. They were very entertaining, and it was interesting comparing the differences between our programs. They are very much an early version of what our organization was once. I was really interested in what they had to say and the science that they do. It was definitely a highlight for the trip and I look forward to keeping in touch with them and seeing how their program evolves and expands.
~Connor Waugh, Tarpon Springs Chapter

Compiled by Julienne Brown.

CHOW Leadership Awards Dinner

2011-06-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

The SCUBAnauts were invited to attend the Leadership Awards Dinner; put on by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation for Capitol Hill Ocean Week in Washington D.C. The ‘nauts enjoyed a sustainable seafood meal while learning about important ocean issues, conservation strategy, and the leaders- scientists, volunteers, and congressional members, who devote their time and effort to these causes. A special honor was given to the ‘nauts in their recognition, alongside other esteemed organizations and individuals, at this awards dinner!

One of the most memorable moments of the 2011 CHOW trip was the Awards Dinner. Interesting to me was the fact that they were celebrating the 9th anniversary, when in fact last year at CHOW we celebrated the 10th anniversary. The reason for this was because the first year was not celebrated with a dinner. We met many very esteemed scientists and photographers, including Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Dan Basta, and Craig McLean. We also mingled with countless significant figures from the NOAA, along with other scientists. This is my second CHOW trip and favorite so far; I always enjoy coming here and meeting our role models.
~Colin Cassick, Tarpon Springs Chapter

The Awards Dinner over all was very pleasant. There were many influential people there that deserved awards. Out of the few who did receive awards, the person who received the Volunteer of the Year award, Randy Rudd, really stood out to me. He seemed like just your regular guy who had a deep and passionate love for the ocean, so much that he would do 126 dives within 6 months! That dedication and selflessness is very admirable. He wasn’t doing it for an award or credit, or for a certain club; he is in it for the general good of the environment. He has really inspired me to do more community service.
~Mary Silk, St. Petersburg Chapter

Capitol Hill Oceans Week (I can finally spell “capitol” now) is an experience where the messages have influenced and inspired me, and will continue to throughout my life. Despite getting up at 3:30 am to beat NYC traffic and nursing tender pink blisters, CHOW was the adventure of a lifetime. The dinner the first night was a major highlight, with its classy, high-authority guests and fantastic food. It was great to learn about the scientists being honored and, of course, to meet Senator John Kerry. The desserts were also fantastic.
~Sara Vannah, Lake Hitchcock Chapter

CHOW is an amazing experience where we learn more about the ocean and also have more doors opened up. The CHOW dinner was definitely the most inspiring event. It may have not been the most exciting, but it was the event where I learned the most. To see so many people who have accomplished great things in their lives, such as the conservationists, was incredibly inspiring.
~Cole Kolasa, Tarpon Springs Chapter

Compiled by Julienne Brown.

How are you Celebrating World Oceans Day?

2011-05-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

The SCUBAnauts love the ocean! In celebration of World Oceans Day (June 8th), the nauts are taking on Washington D.C. for Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. SCUBAnauts will discuss current ocean issues with Members of Congress and Congressional Staff, as well as experts from federal, state and local government agencies, industry, academia, and the nonprofit community. SCUBAnauts International is a Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) U.S. Partner focused on collecting data in the marine environment. During CHOW, SCUBAnauts will engage with students from around the world through virtual conferences to discuss ocean-related issues. The goal of this program is to provide a diverse group of young men and women with the opportunity, knowledge and tools to become the next generation of ocean explorers, stewards, and scientists.

Follow along as SCUBAnauts post their reflections throughout the week of June 7-10th.

PLEASE POST A COMMENT (no login required), Tell us why do you love the ocean, and what are you doing in celebration of World Oceans Day? (please include your geographical location e.g., St. Petersburg, FL USA).

First SNI Dive of the Year

2011-04-12T07:30:00.001-07:00

The Tarpon Springs (TS) SCUBAnaut Chapter couldn't have had a more beautiful day for their first dive of the season. As you can see from the pictures, the water was like glass and the visibility was great! We visited two patch reefs: Sofia's Garden and Brooke's Kitchen. Both are sites that were surveyed a few times last year, so we're adding to the data we've already collected. The 'nauts performed underwater surveys that looked at fish diversity and abundance, coral diversity and size, and the types of benthic substrate on the reef. On board the boat, the 'nauts collected Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE ) hydrologic and atmospheric data (see pics below).

TS SCUBAnauts, Colin Cassick and Brooke Liston, measuring the transparency of the water with a Secchi disk.

TS SCUBAnaut, Sofia Alaniz, measuring salinity with the refractometer.

TS SCUBAnaut, Aaron Rusoff, checking the relative humidity with the whirling psychrometer.

This was also the first dive to use our new leadership roles. Under the direction of the Chapter Officers, three of the 'nauts were assigned special roles for the dive: Brooke was our Science Leader, making sure the survey sheets were filled out correctly, coordinating which buddy pairs were doing which surveys, and collecting the surface measurements. Colin was our Dive Leader, checking that everyone was aware of the dive plan and ensuring everyone filled out their dive logs after dives. Aaron was our Boat Operations Specialist. He helped drive the boat out to our dive sites, helped everyone get in and out of the water, and worked to map the reef after the 'nauts were done with our surveys.

Overall, a very successful dive and a great way to start off the dive season!

-Julie Galkiewicz, Tarpon Springs Chapter Chief Scientist

SCUBA Olympics

2011-03-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

The SCUBAnauts spent their Sunday participating in the fun-filled SCUBA Olympics, a community event benefiting the special needs swimmers of the Adaptive Swim Team. The Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg Nauts competed in several judged events including an underwater bicycle race, buddy tow, balloon lift, raft race, and tug-o-war.

Jessica Silk, a SCUBAnaut of the St. Petersburg chapter, describes scuba diving as “one of the biggest rushes anyone can experience, yet scuba diving while riding a bike to raise money for a well-deserving team was an even bigger rush.” Jessica was thrilled at the opportunity to participate, and personally loved the raft race, bike race, tug-o- war, and watching the Adaptive Swim Team complete a race of their own. Despite the soreness from practice, Ashley feels that her participation in the SCUBA Olympics was worth any pain, and the event made her realize that “a goal is something worth working for, even if you do not receive a gold medal in the end.” Ashley looks forward to getting back on the bike next year!

Bob Silk, St. Petersburg chapter president, described the event as “well organized and professionally yet courteously run.” He noted that the event was well received by all, and that everyone in attendance was having a grand ole time whether in the water or out.

Ashley Hilbert, a Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut, described the event as an “overall great day.” She was happy to be able to bond and team up with fellow Nauts Conner Hutchisson and Danny Alaniz, as well as with her father, Bryan, while raising money for a good cause. Ashley participated in all events and was excited to bring home a silver medal in the tug-o-war, and a bronze medal in the balloon lift.

Ben Prueitt, the St. Petersburg chapter’s Assistant Unit Diving Coordinator and a SCUBAnaut alumnus, also had a memorable time at the SCUBA Olympics. He is proud to have received a bronze medal in the tug-o-war, and a gold medal in the buddy tow with his partner Mary. Ben loved that at the SCUBA Olympics he was able to be immersed in the diving community with others who love the sport, while also “raising funds for the disabled persons who have chosen to stay active despite their disabilities.”

Many members of the SCUBAnauts team received medals for their outstanding performance in the various events, and their participation helped contribute to the $1,600 raised for the Adaptive Swim Team. Ben Prueitt, Mary Silk, Jessica Silk, Sebastian DiGeronimo, Ashley Hilbert, Danny Alaniz, Conner Hutchisson, Bob Silk, Jim Cassick, and Bryan Hilbert represented the SCUBAnauts well. A special thank you goes out to the Naut’s sponsor, PADO, an organization of professional dive operators started by Captain Joyce Hannaseck.

-Julienne Brown

Glover's Reef Science Projects

2010-07-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

Today is our last day on the island, since we leave at 6 am tomorrow in order to catch our plane back to the US. We had to squeeze in our last dive before noon because you should always leave 24 hours in between diving and flying. The excess nitrogen that we inhale from our SCUBA tanks needs time to get out of our systems.

The final dives were on a spot just outside the atoll edge. Even though the wind has been consistently strong, this reef area is close enough to the atoll that the waves aren't too bad. However, since the small boat can't anchor, we have to get ready to jump in the water the minute the captain stops. Otherwise the boat starts drifting, and the divers entering the water might get separated. We've all become pros at gearing up quickly!

The final dive was split into two. The big boat we usually use had to make a run into the mainland this morning, so we used one of the smaller boats instead. Unfortunately the smaller boats can only fit about 7 divers, instead of all 14 of us. So we split up, with the fish survey team going first, and the two benthic survey teams going second. As usual, the dive was gorgeous! Lots of coral that's looking very familiar by now and fishes we're all well acquainted
with. The 'nauts are getting so familiar with the Belizean reefs that they can now spot unusual fishes and corals.

After the dives, we rinsed our dive gear for the first time all week. Let me tell you, a week of sun, salt water, and high humidity leads to some stinky gear. The rinse didn't even begin to get rid of the smell. I feel bad for the customs agent who happens to open my gear bag... And with the diving for the trip over, it was time to finish up the science portion.

All week long, the 'nauts have been collecting data on underwater paper during their dives. They've been entering in the data on the computer so we'll have a record of everything they did. They also learned the importance of quickly reviewing their data - oftentimes the little marks we make during the survey to remind ourselves of something become cryptic notations after a few days. Looking over the datasheets the same day allows them to fill in any blank spots and make those little marks more understandable. The final count for the week was 18 fish surveys, 10 Point Count transects, and 5 Coral transects. That's an impressive amount of data, and even more impressive is how knowledgeable all the kids are about their specific survey now.

Early in the week, I asked the kids to think up a small science project, collect data throughout the week (either independent from the surveys, or using them to answer a question), and give a short presentation at the end of the week. They were given free range to pick a project, and they came up with a diverse set. The presentations evolved from a quick science meeting to a large gathering of many of the research station residents and visiting scientists, and the kids definitely showed their skills at public speaking. I know I would have been nervous!

Brooke spent the week studying different sediment samples from around the island and at several reef sites. She taught us about how sediment is formed, what causes the grains to be different sizes, what small animals live in the sediment she collected, and how sediments can affect coral reefs. One of the visiting scientists will soon be
studying sediments, and Brooke was able to connect her project with the scientist's future work.

Morgan, who spent the week focusing on fish counts and identification, chose to focus on juvenile fish distribution. Fish can be very tricky animals to identify, since their juvenile, initial and terminal phases can all look very different.
Morgan was able to identify lots of juvenile fishes, and she compared their depth distribution at our dive sites. She found that more baby fish hang out in the shallow waters, to stay safe from the larger predators. However, some young fish were found at every depth.

Connor W. and Colin also observed fishes, but they decided to focus on a single patch reef. This reef is a favorite of the 'nauts since it's within snorkeling distance of the dock. Connor and Colin snorkeled out to the reef at different times of the day (morning, afternoon, evening, and night) and counted fishes. They found that more fish were out during the day, and that there were a lot of several types of fish. However, one of the more prevalent reef fish, the blue chromis, was fairly rare. Given more time, the guys wanted to figure out why that is!

Madison was able to take advantage of some of the science equipment we brought along. She worked with our intrepid Science Officer, Keith Kolasa, to measure temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration and pH
of the waters around the island throughout the day and night. Dissolved oxygen can help us find out how much photosynthesis is happening, since that process produces oxygen. In low oxygen waters, very few animals can survive. Maddie found that there were some clear patterns in the temperature (colder at night), and dissolved oxygen
(lower at night, since photosynthesis needs light to occur). However, one of her sites had dissolved oxygen was consistently the opposite from all the rest of the sites. No one can offer an explanation why!

And finally, our coral experts gave us a talk on coral distribution at different depths. Conner and Danny observed the different species of coral at the three depths we dove, looking at the abundance and shapes of the coral. They found that some species have definite depth preferences. Other corals can live at all the depths we visited, but they have very different shapes: the deeper the coral was, the flatter it looked. This is so the coral can catch as much light filtering down from the surface as possible. In shallow waters, there's so much light that corals can form more upright structures.

The experiments the 'nauts thought up and performed were amazing, and the station crew was extremely impressed. I'm so proud of the kids for putting in so much time learning and working this week. They have improved their dives skills, become experts at their various survey methods, and put together science projects from start to finish in a
week's time. And the whole time, they've had a smile on their faces!

Congrats for all you have accomplished, Belize Crew!

Glover's Reef Research Station

2010-07-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

After all our dives for the day were over and the kids grabbed dinner and a quick shower, we had the chance to hear the Glovers Reef Research Station manager tell us about the role that the station plays in conservation of the Belize marine ecosystem. The station is on a caye that was bought by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) back in the 1980s. WCS has hundreds of projects worldwide, dealing in conservation of wildlife and wild places. They realized the importance and uniqueness of the Belizean reef system and decided to set up a research station. The only coral atolls in the Atlantic are found in Belize, and they are formed by a different process than typical atolls in the Pacific. In addition, there is a large barrier reef system.

The coral reefs in Belize are important to the country in a multitude of different ways. The Belizean economy is largely supported by tourism, and because of the massive reef system, many of those tourists are SCUBA divers. We definitely agree that this is a lovely place to dive! Besides tourism, the reefs provide a livelihood for fishermen and food for many people. The reefs are even integral in protecting the mainland from hurricanes; the barrier reef can buffer the shoreline from larger storm surges.

Because of these reasons, it's incredibly important to preserve the corals and reef ecosystems. WCS has partnered with the Belizean fisheries services to provide education for fishermen, including retraining fishermen who no longer can make a living on the reefs. WCS also helps the Belizean government write laws protecting the reefs by placing limits on fishing and harvesting from the reefs. And providing a research station for scientists to visit and make observations and run experiments is also vital.

The Glovers Reef Marine Reserve has been divided up into zones with varying levels of conservation. There is a small section called the Wilderness Area that is completely closed off - no fishing, lobstering, diving, snorkeling, or boating is allowed. The goal is to make this area as free from interference as possible. Other zones are no-take areas for fish, but diving and snorkeling are allowed (that's the area we're in!). However, it wouldn't be practical to completely closed off the atoll from fishing - many fishermen depend on this productive area to earn a living. Without the support of local fishermen, it's extremely difficult to enforce fishing rules. So there are areas that are open to fishing, but with important limits imposed by the Belizean fisheries service.

During one of our boat rides to a dive site, we passed several small canoes in deep waters. We asked our captain what they were doing and he told us they were free-diving for lobster. It is illegal to use SCUBA to collect lobster in Belize. But these guys were free-diving in 40-50 foot waters! Can you imagine if the Florida Keys restricted lobstering to free-divers? Either the fishermen of Florida would have greatly increased breath-holding skills or there would be a lot more lobsters. It's definitely interesting to see how other countries are approaching conservation and management of their natural resources as the US struggles with its own regulations.

Accomodations at GRMR

2010-07-01T17:58:00.001-07:00

The research station at Glovers Reef is almost energy independent. All of the water comes from captured rainwater or desalinated ocean water. There are solar panels to grab energy from the plentiful sunlight. And the toilets are composting, meaning that all of our waste can go to help create more food.

Of course, being energy independent doesn't mean we're allowed to freely waste water and power. Instead we're all learning to conserve as much as possible. We use very little freshwater, except for drinking and rinsing some scientific equipment. Our showers are extremely quick, and they're in brackish water. Showering in freshwater will be a much-appreciated luxury when we all return home.

Lights are used only sparingly at night, which works out for us. We're all so tired from diving by the end of the day that going to bed soon after the sun sets is a welcome respite. There's no a/c, a single washing machine, and no dryer (that's what wind and clothes lines are for!).

It's funny how quickly we've all adjusted to this new way of living. It's not strange to walk to an outhouse to use the bathroom, or to sleep under a mosquito net. We're finding cool, breezy places to hang out during the hottest part of the day, and the guys will tell anyone who asks that hammocks are the only way to sleep on a tropical island.

But while we all appreciate the simplicity of living like this, as well as how ecologically friendly it is, we are looking forward the returning to the comforts of home (including showers, ice-cold sodas, and clean clothes).

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

Stingray Research in Belize

2010-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Last night the wind picked up. We've had gusty, sporadic wind before, but it always died down sometime during the night which left everyone not smart enough to bring a hammock very sweaty and sticky. But this wind has been consistently and strongly blowing for almost 24 hours now. We all appreciate the cooling effects of the breeze, but the increased wind has created a lot of high surf and waves outside the atoll. Since our island sits right on the edge, we can compare the calm, inner waters with the raging outer waters. And the captain and our various divemasters made the decision not to attempt our first dive outside the atoll. We went to a spot inside where there's a steep drop off. However, unlike the walls we've dove on before, we could see the sandy bottom that was about 120 feet deep.

The time we have at 90 feet is only about 20 minutes - much too short to do some of the science surveys. Instead, I instructed the 'nauts to observe the reef closely. When we got back to the lab, we discussed what differences they observed between deeper reefs and shallow reefs. They told me that there were fewer large fish at 90 feet, but if you looked up at the top of the wall, you could see large schools of fish. There were fewer corals total, but a lot more algae and sponges. The number of different types of species of coral was much lower, and the corals themselves were smaller and flatter. Coral depends on light, and at deeper depths, it tends to grow in a flattened, plate-like morphology to catch as much of light that penetrates to that depth as it can.

Before our second dive, a few of the 'nauts and parents got the chance to visit a research site near the station. Several of the research scientists who are living at the station are studying sting rays.There is a small patch reef located near the dock that serves as a cleaning station for sting rays, and the researchers often snorkel out and observe the rays, counting, measuring, and identifying them. The rays swim onto the reef and arch their backs. This is a signal for the small fish that live there to swarm all over the ray, picking off dead skin and parasites. This is a mutually beneficial symbiosis - the rays get cleaned of potentially harmful parasites and the fishes get a good meal. Stations like this exist on coral reefs too. It's not unusual to see large fish sitting perfectly still with their mouths open and fins splayed wide, with small fish pecking at their gills. The small fish have to trust that the big fish won't eat them!

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

Jellyfish Patch Reef, Belize

2010-06-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

Today was our first day of "regular" diving, even though we've already been diving for 2 days. We planned a 90 foot dive for the morning, a 60 foot dive right after lunch, and a 30 foot dive right before dinner.

To start off the day our 90 foot dive was along the edge of the atoll, outside of the protective coral ring. We saw lots of fishes, a GIGANTIC lobster (a few of our sports-fishers were amazed by the size), and some of the same corals we've seen on our other reef dives. Deep dives are always fun, with the chance to see very different types of corals and creatures on the reef. Too bad we can only stay down there 20 minutes!

The second dive was in the shallower area right above where the wall began its steep drop-off. The kids were hard at work doing their science surveys - fish counts and classifying the benthic cover.

And our third dive was at a new spot, which we are lovingly calling Jellyfish Patch Reef. This new dive spot is inside the protected atoll area. From aerial views or satellite pictures, you can see that the Glovers Reef coral atoll forms almost a complete protected circle around the inner lagoon area. The few breaks along this coral boundary are the only ways for boats to get in and out of the atoll. Outside of the coral ring, the wall drops off sharply into very deep depths. Inside of the atoll, depths are much shallower, reaching a maximum of about 70 feet. As all of our Belize group is well aware, the shallow protected lagoon area has much smaller waves. Going outside the lagoon means large ocean swells and a much bumpier boat ride.

Staying inside the lagoon area is new for our group. The patch reef was about 20 feet deep, but the sides sloped down to about 50 feet. We all had to be careful not to go too deep, since our dive was planned for 30 feet maximum depth. And this dive presented a new obstacle: jellyfish! There were large numbers of big moon jellies, which are essentially harmless. Unfortunately, there were also a lot of sea wasps and smaller jellies with a much more painful sting. Cruising around the patch reef on this dive required a sharp eye to watch out for the nearly see-through jellies and quick reflexes to change direction if a collision was imminent. A benthic cover survey and two fish surveys filled out our science for this dive. Morgan and I were actually able to circle the entire patch reef in our 50 minute dive while she performed a fish survey.

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

Our first dive was at a site called the Aquarium. It amazes me how many great reefs are by the island. Our dive was outside the atoll so the waves are bigger and the current was stronger. I saw three huge black grouper that each weighed about 60 pounds! Conner (CHutch) and I went snorkeling on a reef off the coast of our island. It was absolutely beautiful. There were no bleached corals and the reef was so healthy. Our second dive was also at the Aquarium. We did fish counts again. Our third dive was fish counts again. IT WAS MY 100TH DIVE!! We saw a TON of moon jellies. Maddie and I were playing with them. Some of them were bigger than my head.

~Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

The Great Blue Hole, Belize

2010-06-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

The first dive today was at a world famous dive spot - Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef Atoll (seen in NASA satellite image to left). It's an amazing geologic feature - a 400 foot deep hole in the lagoon of the atoll which averages about 40 feet deep. Diving the Blue Hole in Belize is like seeing the pyramids in Egypt. You've just got to do it if you're there!

But to get there required an hour and a half boat ride through 6-8 foot seas. Even with an expert captain, this meant a lot of big ups and downs as

we rode over the waves, and a few hard knocks if the boat landed a bit crooked. This affected people in two ways: 1) seasickness - as a person with a lot of first hand knowledge about this, I prepared for the trip by taking Dramamine and sat in the back where the wave motion wasn't quite as extreme. And 2) soreness - bouncing up and down, side to side, over and over again for 1.5 hours can make anyone sore. And if you're sitting on a hard seat, going airborne over particularly large waves can lead to a hard landing.

After a quick stop at Half Moon Caye to check in, we ran the last bit over to Blue Hole. Unfortunately for us, the legendary great visibility

was significantly lower because of Tropical Depression Alex who had just blown through. But at 90 feet deep, we were able to see the strange wall formations just fine. The hole is absolutely covered in algae, cascading down the sides. It almost looks like a stationary green waterfall. In a few crevices we could see some hardy lobster. Not sure how they plan on getting out of the hole! And there were a few corals as well. Fish were few and far between, although we did see two reef sharks at the beginning of the dive.

The second dive was another science dive - two groups of 'nauts did REEF fish surveys, while the third group worked on coral measurements and identification (the AGRRA belt transect). The coral group is having a hard time finishing their transects in time because there are so many types of coral! Of course, it's always awesome to see lots of coral, but it sure is faster to do this survey back home in Florida.

Our final dive of the day was a night dive, on the same 30 foot reef we've visited twice before (Bev's Garden). But as familiar as the reef may be, it's always different at night. Every diver was marked with a glowstick on their tank, just to give a location. And every diver had a dive light to help them explore the reef. It's always reassuring to have a dive light with you, but sometimes its nice to swim around without it on. That way you get to see what everyone else is doing, and you don't have to worry about plankton swarming around your light.

We saw many of the same creatures we've seen previously on the reef, just acting differently. There were parrotfish asleep in crevices, squirrelfish out and about, and corals with polyps extended to feed. But there were also a lot of new creatures! I saw a baby squid, who accidently ran into my dive light and was so alarmed that he inked. We saw basket stars on top of coral heads, and lots of biolumnescent plankton.

So even with only three dives, we accomplished a lot today, and definitely can't wait for bed.

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Office, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

The Blue Hole was big and basically empty. We saw a shark (unable to tell what type because it was too far) and a sea turtle, but basically that was it. The algae growing on the sides wasn't too interesting and to be honest, everything else was just dark blue nothing. It wasn't a total bust, though. The reef that formed [circling the Blue Hole] about 30 feet down and went towards the surface (literally like within 2 feet of the surface) was pretty nice. It reminded me of Bev's garden, another site we've been diving on here in Blieze, being that a lot of the coral and fish that I noticed were in both locations and both are shallow reefs connected to long drop-offs.

~Connor Waugh, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

Glover's Reef Atoll, Belize

2010-06-28T10:45:00.000-07:00

After all the traveling yesterday, plus the fact that Belize doesn't use daylights saving time and sunset arrived at 6:45, most of us went to bed around 8:30 or 9. And with the sun rising at 5, the whole crew was awake and ready for the day by about 6 am. I know most of the parents of the kids on the trip will be amazed to hear that!

Diving on Glover's Reef Atoll did not disappoint. Our first dive was fairly shallow, with our maximum depth at 30 feet. We wanted to use this dive to get acquainted with any special Belize differences on the reef. Since most of our dives back home on the Springs Coast of Florida only go to 15 feet, 30 feet is a depth we're not used to. We got a chance to explore Bev's Reef, an area right outside the protected inner lagoon of the atoll. There were many more species of coral and fish than we're used to seeing, and the amount of coral was much higher.

The second dive of the day has gone down in the log books as everyone's favorite, or at least top five. In a similar area to the first dive but over the side wall of the atoll down to 60 feet, we drifted along checking out overhangs, looking up valleys that headed towards shallower water, and stared over the edge of the wall into darkness. The leading part of the group even got a chance to see a pod of dolphins swim by, and two or three sea turtles also made appearances.

In between dives, the kids are enjoying the island location, snorkeling out a few hundred feet in the shallow lagoon waters. There are reports of small patch reefs with large coral colonies, and a wide variety of fish.

The third dive of the day was back to Site 1 (Bev's Reef). But instead of taking it easy and exploring, we started our science surveys. Three groups of 'nauts were formed, one to perform a point-count survey method to assess the dominant benthic cover; the second group used a belt transect, measuring and identifying corals along a one-meter wide belt; and the third group swam around the reef and identified and counted fish species. Since this is the first time some of the 'nauts have used these methods, it was important to try them on a shallow site and work out any problems that popped up. The kids have chosen to specialize in one of the three survey methods. This will allow them to become pros, and the TS chapter can rely on them in the future to teach younger 'nauts the survey techniques.

After quick showers (very rustic conditions), and a delicious dinner, we held our final science meeting of the day. The kids reported on what they saw, what successes they had, and what challenges they faced. The rest of the night was spent looking up corals and fishes in ID books in order to learn more about them.

~ Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

Our first dive was so cool! First time seeing a lot of corals (like Staghorn, Mustard Hill, and Pillar) and fist time seeing Triggerfish and Lionfish. It was really cool watching the parrotfish eat the algae off the coral skeleton. Colin and I went snorkelling after our first dive and saw Boulder Brain Coral, which seemed like it was confused, and there was fire coral everywhere. Our second dive was really cool, too. There were dolphins swimming above us and we saw a couple of sea turtles. I saw another Lionfish and lots of shrimp. Our third dive was at the same location as our first except Danny and I did the coral survey together. I felt so cool knowing the corals. I wouldn't have had a chance at that survey a few months ago. I liked seeing the lionfish, since I hadn't ever seen any before (even though the are invasive to the Caribbean) and all the corals looked like they were straight from my study guide. I'd been used to seeing only 4 or 5 corals in the Gulf of Mexico but here I'm seeing like 20!

~Conner Hutchisson, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

On the first dive we dove at Bev's Garden. I was amazed at how clear the water was and the color of the water was so blue. The water looked like it had just come out of a movie. The first dive I did not see a lot of fish but there was so much coral. It was so beautiful. The second dive was a lot better it was a 60 foot dive at Long Key Wall. Right as we were going down, I saw a Green sea turtle. It was a big one too. While we were swimming along we saw another turtle and when we were following it a dolphin swam right over it and following it was about 6 other dolphins!! It was an awesome sight. That dive I saw a lionfish for the first time. They are not as cool as people said. The third dive Conner and I did coral surveys. I had a good time.

~Danny Alaniz, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

The reefs of the Springs Coast, Keys and Belize (thus far) are immensely different in many ways. While the roles the organisms play are consistent, the players - and sheer quantity - are vastly different. The species diversity is incredible in Belizean waters. For example, I saw Blue Hamlet, Indigo Hamlet, Creole Wrasse, and numerous parrotfish that I have not seen since the Bahamas in 2008. The coral is also healthier, larger and more numerous. There is Porites porites, Montastraea cavernosa and M. annularis, Porites astreoides, and oh so much more. I also saw Acropora cervicornis and Dendrogyra cynlindrus for the first time. In addition to the stony corals, I saw many octocorals, including sea fans, sea plumes and sea whips. I also saw a variety of sponges. On the second dive I saw two sea turtles, one of which was a Hawksbill. I did a fish count on the third dive. Unfortunately I saw a few lionfish on each dive :-(

~Morgan Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

Tarpon Springs Chapter travels to Belize

2010-06-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Our travels to Belize were off to an early start. The connecting flight departed at 6:30 am, so the whole Belize crew needed to get to the airport at 5 am. A long night of packing and preparing, plus the excitement of the trip meant that most of us only got a few hours of sleep. Checking in our bags was an adventure as well. With two free checked bags allowed for international travel, along with the two carry-ons allowed on all flights meant that some of us (definitely me!) were dragging along 4 large bags. Scuba gear and scientific equipment take up a lot of space!

After 4.5 hours of flights, 3 hours of bus travel from Belize City to Dangriga, and 1 hour by boat to the Glover's Reef atoll, we were thrilled to finally be able to drop our bags and start exploring. The island is pretty small (the nature trail around it takes about 15 minutes to walk), but the views are gorgeous! We're sleeping in dorms that are right on the water. The crashing of waves on the reef break will help us fall asleep even faster than the exhaustion alone.

After a delicious dinner and some planning by the adults, the kids had their first science meeting. We went over some assessments (basically quizzes) the kids had taken on the plane ride over to Belize. Instead of regular quizzes in school, though, it's ok to get most of the answers wrong on this assessment. It's to give me an idea of who knows what about the various topics, which include identifying corals, geology, geography, sampling methods, and reef structures. Sounds like a lot, but these 'nauts know so much already! And now I know what to focus on for the rest of the trip.

Tomorrow begins our first day of diving, and none of us can wait to get in the water. We know the dive sites and reefs will be very different from what we typically see on the Springs Coast of Florida, but no one knows exactly what to expect. We'll be amazed!

~Julie Galkiewicz, Education Officer, SNI Tarpon Springs Chapter

It is so different here than at home. There aren't any real "cities" the same as we picture them. There are huts pieced together and not many cars. Everything looks a bit run down and I can't imagine there are many modern accommodations. On the island, they use solar power, recycled rain water, and compostable outhouses. Electricity is limited. It's strange not being able to turn up the AC or flush a toilet. Comfort isn't the same here. It's not awful though. It's actually very beautiful and strangely relaxing not to rely on electricity and instant comfort when the slightest thing goes wrong. (I'll still be thankful for all I have at home though!) Poverty seems to be the norm here, as opposed to at home where it's the exception.

~Madison Hayes, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

7th Annual NABS Youth Education Summit

2010-06-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

I recently chaperoned three SCUBAnauts, Mary and Jessica Silk (St. Petersburg Chapter) and Ashley Hilbert (Tarpon Springs Chapter) to attend the 7^th Annual Youth Education Summit for the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS) in Florida City. This 5 day summit was in conjunction with NOA A, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. There were close to 50 youth and adults in attendance. Our NOAA guide for the week was Kathy Sakas (Education Coordinator Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary) and her knowledge of the Keys history and Sanctuary Ecosystems was a constant source of information. Other NOAA educators were Mary Tagliareni (NOAA-Florida Key National Marine Sanctuary) and Timothy Runyan, PhD (Maritime Heritage Program). The youth attended a series of classes on coral reefs, fish identification, neutral buoyancy activities and underwater archaeology. There was a community beach clean-up day, we learned about the Miccosukee Indians and took an air boat ride and of course the youth had opportunities to snorkel and dive on various reefs.

We started our week with Mary Tagliareni giving a class on the Introduction to Coral Reefs followed the next day with an interactive demonstration of four types of instruments used in coral reef research. On Tuesday, the Youth had the opportunity to give back and clean the beach at Bahia Honda State Park. Everyone was issued a bag and glove to comb the beach for trash. Kathy Sakas came back with a collection of trash and turned it into a mini hands-on demonstration for the Youth to see how harmful litter can be to marine animals. Later that evening, the Youth attended an Ocean Science Technology presentation and were taught how to build a Neutral Buoyancy object. Every summit has a fun day and Wednesday was it. We traveled to Key West for a Behind the Scenes Underwater Archeology tour with Corey Malcolm, an archaeologist with the Mel Fischer Museum. The Youth learned how artifacts found in ocean waters are preserved for historical museums. We met up with Mary Tagliareni again and had a tour of the Eco Discovery Center, a very interactive museum open to the public. The evening was topped off with time at Malory Square, a place where local artists sell their art or perform street acts.

Thursday and Friday were primarily snorkeling and diving days. Our SCUBAnaut Youth were able to log four dives; unfortunately due to very windy conditions Aquarius on Key Largo was not possible. Dr. Chris Moses (SCUBAnauts Dive Safety Officer) was able to join the divers the last day and observe their diving skills. The week culminated with a banquet. The guest speaker was Dan Orr, president of Divers Alert Network (DAN). Various awards were given out to Youth participants and SCUBAnaut Jessica Silk was awarded Female Youth Diver. Her award is a testament to the character building and active citizenship promoted in the SCUBAnaut program. Overall the week was jam packed with substantive educational and water opportunities.

~Midge Silk, St. Petersburg Chapter (Adult Leader)

My experience at the NABS/YES Youth Summit was very rewarding. I was able to speak to very inspiring individuals that have an immense love for the ocean and all the animals in it. Mrs. Kathy Sakas was very nice and I'm so grateful to have been able to learn from her. Where ever we went she always had useful information.

One time when we were doing a beach cleanup she collected the weirdest things that were washed up on the sand and even though we were staring at this stuff all day searching for trash I never really stopped to think what that stuff was.

On this trip we were immersed in cultural history, when we toured the Mel Fisher Museum and the Cemetery. We learned about the lives of people during the Middle Passage and how they were treated once they reached Key West. We also got to experience the tourist attractions such as the cat guy who lost a couple of his marbles. We were able to do a couple of dives but the people from the NABS organization really made the trip a fun and rewarding experience. I made some real great friends that I hope to keep in touch with.

~Mary Silk, St. Petersburg SCUBAnaut

Today's Energy Mix: Implications on Ocean and Coastal Resources

2010-06-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

On June 9^th, the SCUBAnauts attended the CHOW sessions on energy and it was very interesting. I learned so much more on the oil spill and how it will hurt our economy and our ecosystem. We also learned why we need to help in any possible way to save marine life. We also meet three Representatives of Florida, Congresswoman Corrine Brown (FL-3), Congressman Allen Boyd (FL-2), and Congresswoman Kathy Castor (FL-11). It was such a great experience meeting them and talking about what we do with SCUBAnauts. Also we gave suggestions on how we can help with the oil spill and how to get the word around to kids. It is a couple of moments that I will never forget. Later we visited some of the museums and had a blast, seeing so many exhibits. We also went to see the Washington Monument and the White House. One of the coolest things I have ever seen. This trip is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

- Sofia Alaniz, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

On June 9^th, the SCUBAnauts got to attend the Capitol Hill Ocean Week talks. In the morning we went to a talk, and the topic was Today’s Energy Mix: Impacts on Ocean and Coastal Resources. It was especially intriguing because of the recent events in the Gulf of Mexico, the Deep Sea Horizon Oil Spill. We also meet with three Representatives from Florida: Congresswoman Corrine Brown, Congressman Allen Boyd, and Congresswoman Kathy Castor. We had the opportunity to discuss our opinions on important issues, and ask what they were doing to help ocean preservation. We later visited the Natural History Museum as well as the American History Museum. It was very educational and exciting.

-Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

On Wednesday, June 9th, we woke up bright and early- we had an important day in front of us. After navigating our way through the basement of Congress, we met with Florida Representative Corrine Brown. She told us about her efforts to create a high-speed train connecting many of Florida’s major cities, bringing us up to the standards set by the more efficient, environmentally sound modes of travel used in Europe, for example. She then let us sit in on a BP hearing where we heard speeches made by many important men and women about the oil spill, which was heartbreaking to hear. We also met with Representatives Allen Boyd and Kathy Castor, who listened to our stories and suggestions and answered our questions about our futures and the future of our environment. Representative Kathy Castor’s district is very close to where we are so she was especially interested in our work. It was a very exciting, empowering day. It was great that we got to have our say and actually have people in power listen to our concerns about our futures.

-Madison Hayes, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

CHOW: A New Nauts Perspective

2010-06-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

This experience with meeting Florida and Massachusetts Representatives opened my eyes to the political view involving the oil spill, windmills, and faster transportation. Personally, it was very nerve-racking. However, it was worth every emotion. It did not only give me the opportunity of being responsible, but it also gave me the confidence to approach and carry out a conversation with a Representative. I hope I will be able to do more of these events to build up more confidence and do more with questioning. SCUBAnauts has opened my eyes to a bigger world in politics with oceanic issues.

-Emily Pitchko, Lake Hitchcock SCUBAnaut

This was an excellent experience for me. Talking with Anne Nelson, science advisor for Congressman John Olver, about the oil spill in the Gulf and other things such as windmills instead of oil to fuel homes was phenomenal. Meeting with the Representatives from Florida was also inspiring. I am so excited that I am a SCUBAnaut, and I can't wait to go on more trips. This was the beginning of a huge adventure for me.

-Caity Wilkins, Lake Hitchcock SCUBAnaut

Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Jacques Cousteau

2010-06-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

"From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free."

- Jacques Yves Cousteau

While in DC, the SCUBAnauts had the opportunity to attend the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF) Awards Dinner. This year’s dinner was especially significant as it marked the 10th anniversary of the NMSF as well as the 100th anniversary of Jacques-Yves Cousteau’s birth. We spent the first part of the evening mingling and conversing with the other guests at the dinner. We had the opportunity to meet many new people as well as reunite with old friends. Most notably we met Jean Michel, Fabien and Phillipe Cousteau, Bob Ballard, and many other notable people within the world of oceanography. Upon sitting down at our table we saw that everyone received a red cap, similar to that of the famed red hat of Jacques Cousteau. We all celebrated his legacy and his dream by donning our red caps in the presence of his family.

-Morgan Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

At the NMSF dinner, we met Jean Michel Cousteau in person. He was a really interesting person to meet. He was one of the people that spoke at the dinner. He did not like the tragedy of the oil spilling into our ocean. We talked to him about the oil spill and ocean conservation. It was a really exciting experience.

-Danny Alaniz, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

At the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation dinner, we met Robert Ballard in person. He was a wealth of information and a very knowledgeable person. I am glad I met him. Robert Ballard was one of the people who found the Titanic after it sunk. We met interesting people such as Jean Michel Cousteau who is the son of the inventor of the Aqua Lung, and Don Walsh who has gone the deepest in a manned submarine. All and all Capital Hill Ocean Week was a great experience and I would love to do it again.

-Colin Cassick, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnaut

Life is all about traveling down the road and adding a few stops on the way. Traveling to Washington D.C. was definitely a stop won to be remembered. The trip started out with the big “BANG” of fun in Capital Hill Ocean Science Week Award dinner. There I met the person who discovered one of the most interesting topics in my life; the R.M.S. Titanic Robert Ballard

(I even got a picture!). I also met the Cousteaus and this too was an awesome meeting since I’ve done a project on Jacques-Ives Cousteau. However, one of my favorite things on this whole trip was getting to receive a red hat just like Jacques Cousteau and traveling on the metro! I’ve learned many things along this trip such as how to mingle with other important people, how to find ice cream in D.C., and most importantly; how to travel on the metro. I hope to go next year!

-Jessica Silk, St. Petersburg SCUBAnaut

Capital Oceans Science Week was a great experience that has really furthered my view of the science world. I was lucky enough to talk to Dan Basta, Director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and it was a real privilege. He was very nice and supportive of the education of young people. Then, I got to meet with Jacques Cousteau’s son, Jean Michel, and his grandson, Fabien, both of which are genuinely nice guys. We were able to get into an intriguing conversation about the unfortunate event of the oil spill. He was quite upset of the horrible event but focused more about how to help the affected areas. He was very inspiring.

- Mary Silk, St. Petersburg SCUBAnaut

2010 CHOW: Focus on Clean Energy

2010-06-03T07:28:00.000-07:00

Next week, twenty SCUBAnauts from three Chapters (St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs and Lake Hitchcock will be attending Capital Hill Oceans Week in Washington, DC . Capital Hill Oceans Week (CHOW), sponsored by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF), provides our 'nauts with a great opportunity to meet ocean explorers, science and policy leaders. In 2008, while attending this event, SCUBAnauts were invited by White House staff to meet with the First Lady Laura Bush. In 2009, the NMSF recognized SCUBAnauts International for its volunteer and environmental work. This year will have particular significance with the focus on "Clean Energy and a Healthy Ocean: Navigating the Future". The 'nauts will have the opportunity to meet and discuss these issues with members of Congress, including Congresswoman Corrine Brown, as well as ocean and energy experts.

Why Naut Arc GIS?

2010-06-02T11:52:00.000-07:00

Four SCUBAnauts from the Tarpon Springs Chapter recently attended the Southeast Regional ESRI conference in Charlotte, NC in April 2010. We were featured as guest speakers in the closing session of the conference as a unique example of the application of ESRI's software. We presented our Chapter's work on developing the first geospatial database of natural reefs along Florida's Springs Coast. The ESRI conference was a great opportunity to boost our public speaking skills. In addition to learning about the software and interesting job opportunities, we met several new and exciting people. This conference gave us a new vigor for exploring the Spring's Coast.

In addition to monitoring the benthic habitat and fish populations, our Chapter has been working with Florida Fish and Wildlife scientists to monitor populations of sea turtles (such as the green sea turtle shown in the picture on one of our study sites).

-Morgan and Brooke Liston, Tarpon Springs SCUBAnauts