Craig is temporarily a post-doctoral fellow at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute who is looking for a permanent position. He spends most of his time balancing his overwhelming geekdom with normalcy so he can function in the real world. Luckily his wife likes his geekiness.
Peter Etnoyer is a Graduate Research Associate at the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. He studies deep corals and ocean fronts, and he loves to be on the water.
Kevin Zelnio is a Graduate Student Researcher at Penn State studying the ecology of hydrothermal vent and methane seep communities. He raises awareness of the plight of the spineless through folk music.
I perhaps spoke too soon and in doing so invited Murphy's wrath.
We completed deployment of the respirometer and accomplished 3/4 of the video transects we planned. During our bottom time we saw high densities of flat fish, asteroids, and the jellyfish Benthocodon. We also spotted a rather large pom-pom anemone. The squid Histoteuthis was also seen and at one point inked the respirometer.
But then there was problem, the ROV went dead in the water, no power and no video feed to the surface. We lost contact with the ROV. Houston we have problem! At this time we are retrieving the dead ROV on the wire and will crane it back aboard the ship. The current loss of connection is speculated to potentially be a break in the fiber optics in the tether.
Comments
Yep - dead in the water is not good. It may be the fiber optic -- but I would guess the flat calm waters meant no one gave an offereing to the sea. You know the one, from the only spot on the boat where there is no camera.....the one the Lobos is famous for.
Good luck!
Posted by: Katie | May 30, 2007 11:25 AM
Your right no offerings to the gods were offered, no "pelagic enrichment studies" were conducted.
Posted by: CR McClain | May 30, 2007 12:28 PM
Wave to us from the on deck camera Craig!
Did you say pom-pom anemone? Is that the koosh ball looking Liponema brevicornis? I love those animals. They could be considered a 'slightly migratory' species, 'cause they can roll away and right themselves again.
Good luck jump starting Tiburon.
Posted by: Peter Etnoyer | May 30, 2007 2:30 PM
I feel the need to clarify a simple term Craig used earlier in this thread to those of you not from the MBARI neighborhood.
When Craig says he "loves" the Point Puke he is exhibiting a personal quality not unlike that which man's Best Friend exhibits to its master= Unconditional Love.
That boat is wicked. Let's all raise a glass to Craig for his good character, and big heart.
Posted by: Arlene | May 30, 2007 8:21 PM