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Guardians of the Gulf - 2008 USF/CMS Production Dispatches
07/20/2008 - 08:00
07/26/2008 - 20:00
Etc/GMT+7
The EISF production team returns to Florida for more in-depth investigation into the researchers studying the Gulf of Mexico's red tide. EISF goes into the field with scientists and engineers from the University of Southern Florida (USF) - College of Marine Science (CMS) and Center for Ocean Technology (COT), Mote Marine Laboratory, along with Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, documenting their collaborative efforts to develop and employ state-of-the-art oceanographic technology to unlock secrets of the red tide's harmful algal bloom.
Dan Powell, EISF's Director of Marine Operations, reports on the Behind-the-Scenes production of this High Definition Documentary Project; voyaging offshore on research cruises, diving into sea grass habitats, and flying over the Tampa Bay area in a helicopter for aerial footage.
Right: Aerial photo of the University of South Florida - College of Marine Science facility and dock with research vessels.
Guardians of the Gulf - 2008 Dispatch 1
07/21/2008 - 07:00
07/21/2008 - 19:00
Etc/GMT+7
-Submitted by Dan Powell, EISF Director of Marine Operations
After working overtime performing ocean engineering on Navy projects for the last few months, I was so ready for a break. Timing was ripe when Susan Sember, EISF President, called me up and offered tasking to work on an high definition documentary production covering oceanographers researching the red tide, along with another HD documentary production later in the week, on critical sea grass studies. I jumped at the chance to travel back to Florida; it had been years since I took a boat cruise along tropical shorelines or been immersed in the warm Gulf waters.
On Sunday July 20th, the EISF production crew assembled in Saint Petersburg, flying in from all over America, several of us traveling out from California. Our meeting covered the upcoming week’s assignments, with challenging logistics to cover research cruises and concurrently conduct interviews at various research facilities. My tasking was to perform as field production support and capture “Behind-the-Scenes” media, and then generate some Blog dispatches.
As I came to discover, “Guardians of the Gulf” was a most appropriate title for this documentary since the scientists and engineers that we interviewed expressed such a genuine passion to unlock secrets behind recent threats to the Gulf’s vital marine ecosystem.
Bud Cross, EISF Science Advisor, met us Monday morning to brief the crew on what to expect during the day’s events. Six of us were scheduled to cover a Mote Marine Laboratory cruise on the research vessel R/V Eugenie Clark. Dr. Gary Kirkpatrick was deploying a BreveBuster module on an autonomous unmanned vehicle glider platform called SLOCUM. Also joining the cruise were research engineers and scientists from University of South Florida (USF) - College of Marine Science (CMS) and the Center for Ocean Technology (COT). They would be demonstrating the capabilities of a microbial genosensor that was developed through the research of USF/CMS faculty member, Dr. John Paul.
The EISF production crew quickly prepared equipment for underwater filming after a short transit out to just offshore of Sarasota. Our underwater cameramen strapped on SCUBA tanks and dove off the stern with a Sony F-900 packaged in an Amphibico underwater housing. The topside crew covered Mote Lab personnel launching SLOCUM. EISF divers then filmed the glider as it dove and surfaced several times before it went off on its programmed survey route.
Next up Brian Gregson and Bob Ulrich from USF assembled the Autonomous Microbial Genosensor (AMG) for deployment, while explaining this complex system to an EISF camera. USF team member, Jim Wilson, was also there to assist. The AMG is an oceanographic instrument that free floats in the ocean collecting water samples to analyze and determine if the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is present. AMG performs K. brevis cell recognition by filtering sea water, mixing with solution to extract RNA, partially purifying and then utilizes fluorescence detection using molecular beacons. Data is then transmitted at intervals to shore-based monitoring stations. Brian and Bob then reenacted receiving AMG data on a computer, presenting a chart showing Karenia brevis detection.
EISF interviewed Dr. Kirkpatrick who explained the Mote Marine Lab program for real-time monitoring of the ocean off Sarasota in order to provide red tide early detection, quantifying the extent of harmful algal bloom coverage and movement. The SLOCUM glider performs extensive surveys autonomously much more cost effectively than done previously with research boats collecting data. Mote’s BreveBuster sensor can also work continuously 24/7, where operators on shore can reprogram the survey route remotely via satellite transmission.
Before leaving Mote Marine Lab, the EISF crew visited the Sarasota Operations - Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratories (SO-COOL). From this state-of-the-art control room, an audience can view the red tide monitoring efforts, with data graphically displayed in color codes geospatially for easier comprehension of red tide tracking. Barb Kirkpatrick explained the shore detection efforts, where beach lifeguards have been outfitted with Blackberry devices to report current conditions. This information is available online at www.mote.org/beaches.
Our entire EISF crew was impressed with the extent of research being conducted on Florida's red tide. Not only are researchers utilizing a variety of high technology oceanographic instruments to unlock the secrets of harmful algal blooms, they are also developing computer models for predictive analysis similar to hurricane tracking methods. The mutual respect between these scientists was evident in their interactions. We witnessed a good example of their collaborative efforts when listening to discussions of using Mote’s SLOCUM/BreveBuster to search out K. brevis blooms, then relay locations for USF/CMS to strategically deploy their AMG monitoring units.
Guardians of the Gulf - 2008 Dispatch 2
07/22/2008 - 07:00
07/22/2008 - 19:00
Etc/GMT+7
The second day of production started very early for some of the crew, needing to board the R/V Suncoaster for a midnight departure from the USF/CMS dock. Bunking four to a room, they tried to get some shut-eye on the transit out of Tampa Bay in order to get offshore and arrive on station to service buoys starting at dawn. Their morning started with a quick breakfast and then attended a meeting on the operational procedures. One of the cameramen commented that it sure was a “manly boat” after hearing the potential hazards to avoid during a safety briefing.
Meanwhile I joined another EISF crew mobilizing at dawn to transfer camera gear and dive equipment onto the R/V Fish Hawk. The vessel master, Andy Farmer, efficiently directed load-out. While informing us on safety procedures, he indicated we would have the honor of being on the 2nd cruise of this newly acquired USF/CMS research vessel. Chad Lembke, mechanical engineer from the USF Center of Ocean Technology, was loading two Bottomed Stationed Ocean Profiler (BSOP) units he developed.
The R/V Fish Hawk transited out to USF/CMS’s instrumented Buoy C15, which is located offshore of Sarasota. Dr. Robert Weisberg, USF/CMS Physical Oceanography Staff, is in charge of a series of these buoys outfitted with sensors for determining ocean circulation in the Gulf. We found a Mote Marine Lab boat moored with divers in process of switching out a BreveBuster sensor. EISF’s underwater cameraman immediately dove in to capture the procedure before they finished. After anchoring, Chad Lembke deployed the BSOP off the stern while explaining its programmed operation.
EISF cameraman took underwater video of the BSOP diving and surfacing in the clear blue water. We lucked out on weather that morning, with calm seas and good visibility. One diver reported there was a school of colorful fish below the buoy, so we towed the BSOP over to that area for good background scenery when it touched down on the seafloor. Chad told us about one of their more interesting retrievals, where an octopus jumped out of the top dome right at face level when getting the BSOP back on deck.
That afternoon the R/V Suncoaster rendezvoused with us so that EISF could film the Buoy C15 replacement. It was quite a show, watching Rick Cole direct the complicated sequence of events occurring on the aft deck. First they launched an instrumented subsea platform close to Buoy C15, then backed up in reverse to retrieve the buoy with the A-frame. Waves slapped over the flat stern as seas picked up with an approaching storm.
Several brave crewmen, including Rick Cole, jumped onto the bucking buoy to attach lines, and then install some sensors when the new one was deployed. The two captains decided to try a live boat transfer of an EISF cameraman, which was risky with the vessels moving differently in the waves. All hands were on deck watching the line handling and applauded the smooth transfer. As Andy skillfully maneuvered the Fish Hawk away, we had a laugh as he shouted out his disappointment when finding out the Suncoaster forgot to pass over some ice cream they promised.
Unfortunately with a thunderstorm approaching, the R/V Fish Hawk needed to depart before the divers from both vessels got a chance to film each other in action underwater for some behind-the-scenes video. The new vessel was fast, but the storm front was moving quickly in the same direction towards Tampa Bay. Luckily we won the race and were welcomed with a full rainbow arching right between the spans of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge as we entered the bay. The Suncoaster crew got to witness a waterspout spawned by the storm.
The University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science campus was still lit up with the setting sun’s rays prior to the storm darkening the sky. While we made it to dock in time for dinner, the R/V Suncoaster did not make it back until 11:00 that night.
Editor's Note: EISF would like to extend special thanks to Rick Cole, Jay Law, John Ogden, Randy Maxson, Chris Schwint, Andy Farmer, Jim Patten, Bill Dent, and Ben Meister for their efforts in committing the time and resources in coordinating the vessel logistics for this production and getting EISF cameramen cleared to dive from the USF/CMS research vessels.
Submitted by Dan Powell, EISF Director of Marine Operations
Guardians of the Gulf - 2008 Dispatch 3
07/23/2008 - 07:00
07/23/2008 - 19:00
Etc/GMT+7
On Wednesday July 23rd, an EISF team joined another R/V Fish Hawk cruise, this time lead by Dr. David Mann with graduate student Peter Simard. An Eckerd College survey team was invited along to photograph and record any sightings of dolphins during the voyage for their ongoing cetacean photo-identification project.
The cruise objective was to deploy passive acoustic sensor systems, devised by Mann and Simard, as well as retrieval of acoustic data loggers that had been recording underwater sound data from existing sensor locations. These sensors are part of a large acoustic array system spread across the West Florida Shelf, developed with the goal of researching the role of oceanographic processes on cetacean distributions.
An EISF cameraman dove with Dr. Mann in order to film the retrieval and replacement of underwater data loggers. Later, topside interviews were conducted with Dr. David Mann and Peter Simard. Dr. Mann is an expert on marine bioacoustics, whose studies focus on sound production and hearing of organisms ranging from lobsters and fishes to sea turtles, manatees, and dolphins.
Film audiences will be surprised as to how "vocal" marine inhabitants can be and that the sounds they make are remarkable indicators of environmental conditions they live in. Correlations are being discovered between certain sounds that marine animals make dependent on being in various ocean conditions, healthy or otherwise.
Peter Simrad is working on Dolphin Ecological Variation and Oceanography, collaborating with other researchers in dolphin tracking and identification. The Eckerd College dolphin survey team assisted him in lowering hydrophones over the stern to listen and record dolphin vocalizations, stopping at different locations on the cruise.
Meanwhile that day, I was supporting another EISF team boating around the Tampa Bay area filming various underwater habitats near Fort De Soto, Egmont Key, Longboat Key Pass, Mullet Key, Jewfish Key, and Sister Keys. We found some wonderful sea grass areas lively with many varieties of fish, crabs, and scallops. When the sun came out we filmed some picturesque shorelines.
Back on shore, EISF’s Dr. Bud Cross was accompanied by Kent Fanning, USF/CMS Associate Dean, to scout campus locations for filming interviews and various “B”-roll (background) shots over the next two days. The University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science is teaming with activity, where the labs are busy with faculty and students conducting cutting-edge research.
Submitted by Dan Powell, EISF Director of Marine Operations
Guardians of the Gulf - 2008 Dispatch 4
07/24/2008 - 07:00
07/24/2008 - 19:00
Etc/GMT+7
On Thursday July 24th, the marine forecast did not look good for being out on the water. A busy production schedule could not afford delays, so we decided to head to a nearby island shoreline across the inlet from our boat launch at Fort De Soto. Dr. Ernst Peebles, USF/CMS faculty teaching Biological Oceanography, came to demonstrate and discuss plankton collection. USF/CMS student James Locascio came along to assist.
We also filmed a fish survey performed by Kerry Flaherty and her crew from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). The FWRI team started by setting up a purse seine net around a sea grass area in shallow water, then drawing it close before bringing onboard to record a count of the juvenile fish.
There was a serene calm before the approaching storm when birds on the island started sounding off … unfortunately it was at the same time we were conducting an interview with Flaherty. She had to start the same sentence multiple times because of the loud squawks, but Kerry took it in stride, gestured at the scenic tropical setting and smiled as she told us “This is my office”. Flaherty explained that performing surveys of juvenile fish in various natural nurseries around Florida enables FWRI to determine forecasts for future years’ sport fish abundance. The FWRI long term monitoring program has also provided insight into the effects that red tide has on fisheries.
As lighting started streaking through the dark cloud front looming towards us, we all realized there was very little time remaining to perform the plankton collection. Fortunately Dr. Ernst Peebles’ demonstration only took ten minutes to accomplish. Ernst‘s principle research focus has been on spatial-temporal interactions between coastal fishes and their prey, especially as they are affected by physical processes.
We barely made it back to shore and safely packed the expensive HD video camera into our van before the rain and high winds reached us. While driving back to St. Petersburg in a torrential downpour, we worried about how another EISF team member was doing offshore on a private dive charter. We heard later that he faired well, finding several secret spots after the storm that revealed amazing underwater life in the Gulf, capturing on film a variety of charismatic megafauna.
Another EISF crew spent the day at USF Knight Oceanographic Research Center conducting interviews with Dr. Bill Hogarth, USF/CMS Dean, along with faculty member Dr. Chaunmin Hu. Dr. Hogarth discussed the unique educational opportunities provided to students that attend USF/CMS. He then explained how CMS faculty was pioneering oceanographic research into topic areas such as red tide, ocean acidification, coral reef studies, fisheries' issues and more. To conduct this research, they employ state-of-the-art instrumentation with remote sensing capability. USF/CMS is also a committed partner and collaborator with other marine research organizations, including Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s FWRI and Mote Marine Laboratory.
Dr. Chaunmin Hu described the satellite-derived data and real time monitoring system utilized by the Institute for Marine Remote Sensing (IMaRS). Research activities focus on analysis of digital data obtained by satellite and airborne sensors, as well as development of applications of these data at local, regional, and global scales. The main objective is to provide a better understanding of the world oceans on a large spatial and temporal scale. One of the projects is red tide research.
Susan Sember demonstrated her producer expertise by quickly rearranging the schedule to perform indoor interviews during that rainy afternoon, switching them with outdoor productions that could be performed the next day. Luckily the USF/CMS staff was flexible enough to accommodate us.
My first assignment at USF/CMS was to interview Chad Lembke in the Bottomed Stationed Ocean Profiler (BSOP) lab. Chad explained how the Center for Ocean Technology supports CMS researchers by engineering sensor platforms with capabilities that meet unique requirements for deployment in the harsh marine environment. Many times they have to invent new systems to meet project needs.
The BSOP is a good example of this, where researchers needed a system that could dive to the seafloor as deep as 200 meters (656’), collect physical oceanography data, hover at specific depths, return to the surface to transmit the data, and then repeat the process autonomously for about 50 cycles over extended periods of time. This system had to be developed from scratch, since no commercial system existed. Once a prototype had undergone successful testing, they needed to produce multiple units for deploying in sufficient locations of the Gulf with the goal of scientists being able to generate comprehensive ocean circulation models.
Next we went to the Autonomous Microbial Genosensor (AMG) lab, meeting up with Dr. John Paul, Brian Gregston, Bob Ulrich, Jim Wilson, and David Fries. When they took the AMG system out of the pressure housing, our cameraman was quite impressed, exclaiming: “Wow- it looks like something a Hollywood prop-master would make for a science fiction film”. Bob Ulrich jokingly asked if they win the award for most complex sensor. The AMG is definitely a very complicated system, where we needed to film several different versions of Brian Gregston’s interview; one with the scientifically correct terminology and another in layman terms that a general audience may be able to understand. (See Dispatch 1 for explanation of AMG’s function)
The final interview that day was with Gino Gonzalez who presented the Shadowed Image Particle Profiling Evaluation Recorder (SIPPER). Gino explained he was developing the third generation system in a more compact form to fit on a relatively small tow sled platform. SIPPER3 utilizes a new high-speed camera that images ~1.5 million pixels per second to capture continuous images of everything that passes through a sampling tube.
The SIPPER allows scientists to view zooplankton in their ocean environment without physically capturing them. SIPPER can record images of zooplankton in their natural shape, without damaging these fragile organisms; unlike the traditional method of capture with a towed net that breaks them into pieces, losing their soft matter. This has enabled new discoveries of previously unrecorded organisms.
Submitted by Dan Powell, EISF Director of Marine Operations
Red Tide HD Documentary Production Dispatches
09/28/2006 - 08:00
10/30/2006 - 08:00
Etc/GMT+7
Join the EISF production team in Florida as they explore the local red tide – a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) caused by the micro-organism Karenia brevis.
Residents and tourists, scientists and entrepreneurs, doctors and politicians are among the people EISF encounters on this quest to unearth the impact and causes of this naturally occurring, but unwelcome, phenomenon.
Writer/Production Coordinator Betsy Crowfoot reports on the production of the High Definition Documentary Project; spotlighting the fascinating and inspiring work being done to preserve Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast.
Right: This NOAA satellite image of the Gulf of Mexico displays chlorophyll and forecast winds for Sept. 13, 2006, illustrating verified HABs in red and other bloom areas in yellow.
Red Tide HD Production Dispatch 1
09/28/2006 - 08:00
10/30/2006 - 08:00
Etc/GMT+7
Another 15 minutes.
We arrived painfully early at our rendezvous point at Fort Desoto, Florida after a 45-minute drive – having allowed two hours. The sun was barely poking out of the horizon, and all I could think of at that dawning hour on Tampa Bay, was how I could have stayed in bed another 15 minutes.
Scouting the island for coffee (non-existent at this hour) we stopped instead to capture on HD film the golden sun as it rose from behind the Skyway Bridge. A multitude of seabirds danced their stealth ballet at waters edge, seemingly oblivious to the cars buzzing in the distance. It was a spectacular juxtaposition of natural and man-made elements, and reminded me of the permanence of the footprint mankind has placed on the earth.
Florida’s red tide could be one such example of the impact of man. The root of this Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) is a naturally occurring micro-organism (Karenia brevis) that seems to be proliferating in recent years – much to the chagrin of tourists, residents, health officials and businesspeople. One can’t help but wonder: is it something we are doing that has caused this HAB to be so frequent, and so enduring, of late?
This, of course, is the nature of much of the scientific research going on by organizations like Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) – a group we were to join that morning at Fort Desoto. Researcher Ryan Pigg and his team were venturing a few miles out into the Gulf of Mexico to collect water samples at specified study sites, and we’d follow along: bounding sloppily in our own boat through four-foot seas, drenched from head to toe, trying to capture the essence of the research.
Water temperature, salinity, the presence of Karenia brevis and other organisms, and so on would be culled from the samples, to determine what conditions coincide with the red tide bloom.
Later, after a brilliant interview with FWRI Biologist Sue Lowerre-Barbieri, we would join a second (much drier) research trip through the bay. Sue’s team had been studying the reproductive habits of Spotted and Sand Sea Trout and had documented, via the spawning trout’s drumming noises, their visits to the spawning site … until one day, all-of-a-sudden, the trout all disappeared. It concurred with a red tide bloom in July 2005; and we would watch this day in September of 2006 as Biologist Sarah Walters cast net after net in the hopes of catching a Spotted Sea Trout – and found none.
The team worked until sunset: casting nets, making visual studies, and listening on hydrophones for any hint of the trout. I was struck with the tenacity and dedication of all of the field workers we met on this trip – despite long hours, uncomfortable weather and sea conditions, unanswered questions, and disappointing results. And I dared anyone to say ‘Nothing is being done about red tide’ – as we had heard so often – as the researchers puttered back to the launch ramp beneath a crimson and gold streaked sky.
-Submitted by Betsy Crowfoot, EISF Writer and Production Coordinator
Red Tide HD Production Dispatch 2
09/28/2006 - 08:00
10/30/2006 - 08:00
Etc/GMT+7
It was a grim sight: a juvenile loggerhead sea turtle splayed in a big black tub; curiously still.
So paralyzed by the potent neurotoxins of Karenia brevis, it was unable to lift its head to breathe while swimming. Instead, it lay motionless on a thick pad of foam, kept moist by a fine mist of water, at the MOTE Marine Laboratory’s Rehabilitation Center.
Loggerheads are benthic, or bottom feeders. They eat shellfish, crabs, and fish – animals laden with high concentrations of Karenia brevis during red tide blooms like the present one. Over 100 sick sea turtles had been brought in last year and now 2006 numbers were rivaling that count: just another example of the effects of this Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB).
But chances of recovery had improved in the past year, thanks to Dr. Charles Manire and the MOTE staff, who do the twice-daily checkups and treatment at the center.
Dr. Manire’s staff began their early morning rounds by lifting the lumbering turtle gently up, so the veterinarian could take a blood sample. Then its head was rested on the padded edge of the tub and hindquarters elevated, to encourage the symptomatic mucus to drain from its throat and mouth. After the routine exam, the assistants stood the turtle on end while Dr. Manire slid a tube down its throat, to force-feed some fishy gruel. It was then laid back on its cushioned perch, misters turned on, and Dr. Manire proceeded to the next.
Sea turtles are thought to be barometers of the seas – sort of like canaries in coal mines, they are indicators of woes. And here there were –- a slew of sickened sea turtles. I couldn’t help but wonder: what is the red tide doing to us?
At Siesta Key, Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick (MOTE Manager of the Environmental Health Program) and Dr. Lora Fleming (University of Miami Professor of Epidemiology) were working on just that. Along with a swat team of field workers numbering in the dozens, the partnership was studying the effects of the Karenia brevis ‘aerosol’ on human health.
Because of the fragile exoskeleton of Karenia brevis, the neurotoxin is released in to the air when the micro-organism is ruptured in the tumbling waves. The amount people breathe in is a fraction of what sea turtles ingest in their diet. But still, Public Health officials are resolved to determine whether it’s a fleeting irritant, or can cause chronic problems.
So on select days, a study group of volunteers come to the beach and submit to a round of tests -- nasal swabs, spiramoter breathing tests that measure lung capacity, blood samples, etc. – both before and after their exposure to the aerosol.
They came in all ages, shapes and sizes to participate in this vital research and the crew filmed the process; then proceeded to the beach where water and air sampling were underway too. Everywhere we went, people asked what we were doing, asked about Florida’s red tide, and we asked them questions in return. Their perceptions and knowledge were far and wide, but a common denominator was the quest to know more.
-Submitted by Betsy Crowfoot, EISF Writer and Production Coordinator
Red Tide HD Production Dispatch 3
09/28/2006 - 08:00
10/30/2006 - 08:00
Etc/GMT+7
It’s always an amazing experience when I show people high definition footage, particularly, when it is their first time seeing this high resolution, immersive format. The wonderment, the awe, the total engagement with the content is so rewarding. Further, the spontaneous and even unsolicited brainstorming that transpires when the viewers recognize the unmatched scientific, education and outreach applications of this very special media is additionally satisfying. These same outcomes occurred with our recent mobile high definition screening at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. During a marathon week of 18 hour production days, my team and I were also involved in several high definition screenings in Sarasota and Bradenton Beach, Florida. With the assistance of Brian Greene and his “one of a kind” mobile HD production coach, we took the world of high definition, literally, right to the doors of our selected audiences.
Brian pulled up the gleaming silver 45 ft. mobile production coach to the Mote parking lot, complete with his “high definition theater on wheels”, including a large high definition plasma screen, a HD deck and a load of HD tapes for the screening. Dr. Bud Cross, EISF’s Science Advisor, and I were also on board, anticipating how our visiting viewers might react.
Throughout the afternoon, scientists from Mote and various governmental agencies, Mote employees and board members, START (Solutions to Avoid Red Tide) members and others boarded the coach and were directed to their seats in the mobile HD theater. Surrounded by the high definition equipment and the surround sound audio, our guests eagerly listened to our overview of high definition and the details of our red tide documentary production. But when they were treated to a multitude of high definition videos, as well as, a glimpse of some of the high definition footage shot during the September red tide production shoots, the comments made our work as filmmakers all the better.
Ryan Denton, START Manasota Chapter director, exclaimed that the HD footage inspired him, that it was the most effective means of outreach that he’s ever seen and said we should “show it to the legislators to raise more funds for red tide research.” Andy Reich, Coordinator for the Aquatic Toxins Program of Bureau of Community Environmental Health Florida Department of Health, as another example, said that our underwater, marine related high definition footage prompted him to feel the same emotions he experienced when he first decided to be a marine biologist. Statements like that reminded me as to why I decided to become a filmmaker and why I started the Essential Image Source Foundation. The passion Ryan and Andy felt viewing our HD footage is the same intense passion that motivates my team and me to make a difference with high definition media every day and with every project. And on this day, Ryan, Andy and the others really made a difference to us!
-Submitted by Susan Sember, President & Founder of the Essential Image Source Foundation
Lionfish Invasive Species Research Mission Logs
07/27/2006 - 08:00
08/04/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
Mission Logs from NOAA research vessel R/V Nancy Foster in its expedition from July 27 to August 4, 2006.
Betsy Crowfoot, EISF's journalist, participated in this exciting voyage to investigate the Indio-Pacific red lionfish invasion into U.S. Atlantic coastal areas. Betsy posted Blogs "live" daily to inform us about her at-sea experience and new scientific discoveries from this mission's research.
Lionfish Project, EISF Mobilization - July 25th
07/25/2006 - 08:00
07/25/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
After successfully writing a grant proposal for the NOAA Sea Grant & The Aquatic Invasive Species Program, Susan Sember and Dr. Bud Cross, in collaboration with NOAA research biologist Paula Whitfield, see the lionfish educational and outreach objectives begin to materialize today in a dynamic and wide-reaching way. Months of research and communication with the NOAA scientists, as well as with the medical, SCUBA, fishing, aquarium and the coastal target communities, lead now to the production of our high definition products. In addition, the opportunity to be a part of the R/V Nancy Foster lionfish research cruise provides an unmatched platform for this vitally important invasive species subject matter.
Susan Sember, President and Founder of EISF and Executive Producer on the Lionfish Project; Betsy Crowfoot, writer; Dr. Bud Cross, EISF Scientific Advisor; Norbert Wu, underwater high definition cinematographer; and Curtis Callaway, topside high definition cinematographer all head to North Carolina to participate in the NOAA lionfish research cruise today. A bit tired from the intense preparation for this production shoot but running on excitement and adrenalin, the team-each flying from different cities and every part of the country-heads to the east coast in great anticipation of discovering the “Lions of the Deep.”
Lionfish Project, EISF Preparation - July 26th
07/26/2006 - 08:00
07/26/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
The morning begins with a very informative on-camera interview with Morehead City physician, Dr. Jeff Anderson. Dr. Anderson, intimately involved with the SCUBA community, discusses the potential health hazards of the invasive lionfish and the recommended treatment for envenomation (lionfish stings).
Lionfish stings are excruciatingly painful and are a new marine-related injury, previously not encountered by Atlantic coast physicians and first responders. As such, the footage from Dr. Anderson’s interview is a valuable resource for the medical communities, as well as those in the SCUBA, fishing and coastal communities.
While Curtis, Susan and Betsy were at Dr. Anderson’s office, Norb was with the Beaufort Lab’s Dive Master and scientist, Pete Parker, having his final dive and swim “check-out.” Prior to launching our trip, Pete and the NOAA Chief of Operations, Dave Dinsmore, as well as Doug Kesling, the research diving coordinator of the Foster cruise and others, aptly provided the professional and expert knowledge to lead us through the complex process of getting our underwater cinematographer, Norb, certified to be able to dive off of the NOAA vessels. Norb has gone through the arduous process of becoming NOAA-certified to dive off of the NOAA vessels and with the NOAA scientists on this trip…lots of paperwork, letters regarding scientific diving experience, decompression with oxygen/first aid/CPR certifications, medical exam, written NOAA dive exam, and more. He passes with flying colors and the underwater shoot is now definitely on!
Two local college students, Patrick Moore and Alex Heller, join our team as production assistants during the afternoon topside production shoots. EISF has a mission of mentoring young people interested in film making and marine science and these two soaked up every word and experience of the day, while providing additional assistance on location.
With Curtis doing the topside cinematography, our writer, Betsy Crowfoot interviews Dr. David Johnson, the NOAA Beaufort Lab Director, in the afternoon. The Beaufort Lab is the second oldest federal marine research laboratory in the nation, founded in 1899. The lab is uniquely situated at a location on the east coast where two biologic and geographic areas overlap, i.e. where northern and southern species inter-mix. The Gulf Stream represents an extension of tropical and sub-tropical habitats with species that one would typically imagine reside only in the Caribbean. Yet, these exotic and captivating species reside in the waters, nestled amongst the shipwrecks, rocky reefs and tropical corals of North Carolina. Because of its proximity and abundance of lionfish off the North Carolina coast, the NOAA CCFHR (Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research, a/k/a the Beaufort Lab) has become the predominant federal marine laboratory to study the lionfish invasion.
Dr. Johnson, a very articulate and forward thinking manager, eloquently presents the numerous benefits of high definition in scientific research during his on-camera interview, as well. Susan, having visited the Beaufort Lab on other North Carolina trips and establishing numerous collaborations with Dr. Cross and the lab scientists there, views Dr. Johnson’s vision and pro-technology attitude as a real plus in EISF’s partnership with the NOAA CCFHR.
Later in the afternoon, scientist Jennifer Potts is interviewed on the knoll outside of Duke’s marine laboratory overlooking the water, with the historical Front Street of Beaufort in the background. What an inspiring example of women in marine science she is and she advises young girls interested in following her footsteps to “persevere!” Jennifer studies the aging and growth of the lionfish. Initial analysis of the samples suggests that lionfish off the coast of North Carolina have not been there for very many years. The aging is determined through the examination of the otoliths (the ear stones) of the lionfish which is analogous to counting the rings of a tree. The lionfish in North Carolina, having no predators, are also larger than the Indio-Pacific lionfish found in their indigenous habitats. Jennifer also explains that the lionfish in the Atlantic are growing at a faster rate as they haven’t any known competition for food and habitat. The economic impact of the lionfish on recreational and commercial fisheries, like the groupers, is also an important research study for the future. The recreational and commercial fishing communities have been a critical source of information regarding the proliferation of the lionfish in the local fisheries’ waters.
At the end of the day, the EISF team heads to the NOAA R/V Nancy Foster for a pre-cruise briefing and to load the equipment for the next day’s sail.
Topside research scientist James Morris' excitement is palpable. An earlier lionfish retrieval hadn't yielded what he was looking for: eggs and sperm to fertilize, to incubate lionfish larvae. But now Christine Addison, scientist and diver, proudly hands him a lionfish plump with eggs. She's just brought it up from a 120-foot dive on the reefs off North Carolina where beneath the endless blue waves and rich Gulf Stream waters, is a hidden Garden of Eden of the sea.
We set sail today promptly at 0900 aboard the R/V NANCY FOSTER. This 187-foot ship is massive, with so many levels I continually get lost, walking into walls and doors, up and down stairs, in and out (it seems) of the same room, through various head-banging hatches. Steaming out past Fort Macon, we did fire drills and abandon ship drills (including mandatory donning of our 'Gumby suits' - oversized orange neoprene survival suits with built-in footies and mittens that make getting in and out of them next to impossible), on our way to the specific sites where earlier research has been done.
Everyone is so excited to see what has changed and what has stayed the same; to gather their data, their temperature gauges, their eggs, and do their counts. I guess the thing that has struck me strongest so far is how excited everyone is! How enthusiastic and passionate they are about their part in the puzzling proliferation of this Indo-Pacific species in the coastal Atlantic.
And their enthusiasm is contagious. Norb, our underwater cinematographer, does two underwater dives today and works endlessly to perfect his housing. Topside cinematographer, Curtis and I stay up 'til 2100, trying to light and film a beaker of eggs, reveling in the fact that today, the scientists think they may have solved a mystery about the lionfish' egg sacks.
Exhausted with the excitement and anticipation of the day, I tiptoe into the bunkroom I share with three other gals, slip in to my bottom bunk (more head-banging) and hurry to sleep, anxious for what the new day will bring. -Betsy Crowfoot
Lionfish Research Mission Log - July 28th
07/28/2006 - 08:00
07/28/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
Life aboard a ship at sea is dictated by unfamiliar parameters.
There are strictly adhered to boat deployments and dive times. Emails come and go twice a day. There's a dress code (no flip flops; no tank tops in the mess hall). And the most precisely planned and regimented things are meal times, by which everything else is planned. They are chiseled in stone.
With all of this under our belts, we tackle Day 2.
Curtis films the early morning (0630) plankton tow: a search for lionfish larvae, while Norb readies for the first dive of the morning (0730) - a survey of lionfish on one of the earlier identified research sites - along with a side by side comparison of HD (high definition) vs. SD (standard definition) footage; or as he puts it "jumping off a two-story building with 600 pounds of equipment."
Throughout the morning the wind picks up, to a rip roaring 25k. Great for sailing; not so for retrieving divers and dinghies. The afternoon dive is abandoned and instead R/V Nancy Foster undertakes more multi-beaming exercises, utilizing the state-of-the-art equipment upgraded this past winter.
Multi-beaming is a form of echolocation which uses a 'fan' of beams to map the ocean floor. Out here, Paula is looking for the kind of hard bottoms and structure the lionfish like to hang out on, for further studies. Everything we do is oriented toward finding out the most information possible about this fish: where it lives, what it eats, how it reproduces, whether it is thriving ... and tomorrow, we just may even find out how it tastes.
[Editor's note: Paula Whitfield is the NOAA mission's chief scientist; Curtis Callaway and Norbert Wu are EISF's high definition cinematographers]
Meanwhile, back in Beaufort at the NOAA Lab, Susan Sember and Bud Cross are coordinating logistics of the lionfish production, working on several other high definition documentary projects, including their Florida red tide film and writing several more grant proposals....
Somewhat disappointed that they were unable to go out to sea with the rest of their film production crew, Bud and Susan are rewarded, however, with an unanticipated "up close and personal" encounter with a lionfish. Just as Bud and Susan are exiting the Lab, a NOAA employee shouts, "We have a commercial fisherman out in the parking lot with a lionfish!"
Several go out to meet Milton Mathis, a long time North Carolina fisherman. This is actually the second lionfish he's caught. The first was last year. He brought that one to the Lab for reporting and examination by the NOAA scientists, as well. The lionfish he has with him today was caught hook and line using a cigar minnow as bait. It was caught six miles off of Cape Lookout at a depth of nine fathoms.
The NOAA scientists weigh Milton's catch. It's 2.66 pounds and 17 inches long. Milton tells Susan, "The lionfish I caught last year was forty miles offshore. This one was only six miles off the coast. They're getting closer, bigger and more abundant. I wish I had had a video camera when this one was alive swimming, she was a beauty!"
Just wait, Milton ... our underwater cinematographer, Norb Wu, will have lots of high definition video of the lionfish for you to see!
[Editor's note: Photo of R/V Nancy Foster aft deck by Curtis Callaway; photo of fisherman Milton's lionfish catch by Curtis Lewis, NOAA]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - July 29th
07/29/2006 - 08:00
07/29/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
Chief Scientist Paula Whitfield popped up from the RIB (the accompanying dive boat to the R/V Nancy Foster) onto the deck of R/V NANCY FOSTER beaming. ‘We hit the mother lode,’ she announced, in her eternally effervescent way.
A record 16 lionfish had been surveyed in the transect – a 10m X 50m swathe of rocky ocean bottom.
But it was bittersweet news. High numbers were good for the scientists’ research, but bad for the environment. Invasive lionfish have a powerful toehold in their new habitat.
To do our part to slow their invasion, we ate some.
The crew was served blackened lionfish, along with vegetables, salad and yellow rice (we are fed well -- and did I mention, regularly? – on R/V NANCY FOSTER). Lionfish is a white fish with firm texture, like flounder; meaty and not at all oily or fatty. I think it would make a killer fish taco.
Another of the scientists aboard studying lionfish is Dr. David ‘Wilson’ Freshwater, a Research Analyst 2 for the Center for Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. With each fish collected and dissected, a small chunk of flesh is gathered for DNA testing at Wilson’s lab. These little glass jars of sushi line the table where we talk in the wet lab.
Wilson admits that he bartered his way aboard this research cruise, offering to work as a ‘grunt diver’ on deck in exchange for the chance to study the fish in person. The extensive work that Wilson and his associate Rebecca Hamner have done has proven so far that North Carolina’s invasive lionfish are all from Indonesia. One might expect a more diverse background – with a mix of fish from Taiwan, the Philippines and Mozambique. But Wilson says genetic markers indicated otherwise – and suggest a lack of genetic diversity in North Carolina’s invasive lionfish: what you might call ‘inbreeding’ – risky business for a species indeed.
The wet lab is unusually empty and quiet as we wrap up our talk. Wilson has stayed up late to ensure a good and thorough interview. But the days start early here on R/V NANCY FOSTER, so we put away the ‘sushi’ and sign off.
Even Paula, the Chief Scientist and orchestrator of all the activity, is asleep when I enter our quarters. The individual bunks have heavy maroon curtains drawn for privacy, and mine is the only one still open. As I get ready to crawl into bed I notice a small chocolate candy nested on my pillow, and smile. This may not be the QUEEN MARY but the R/V NANCY FOSTER is one special ship.
[Editor's note: Photo of Paula Whitfield preparing to dive, with Doug Kesling and Norbert Wu in background, by Curtis Callaway; underwater photo of Paula Whitfield taking a video of a lionfish by Doug Kesling]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - July 30th
07/30/2006 - 08:00
07/30/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
Day 4 is dawning and the residents of R/V NANCY FOSTER are already scurrying about. Scientists up for the plankton tow (looking for lionfish larvae) search for the sun too, as it allegedly rises at 0617.
A buoy drop is next on the agenda.
In this part of the Atlantic lionfish reside on the coral reefs, rocky ledges, shipwrecks and other man-made artifacts along the Gulf Stream. Buoy drops are crucial; as Chief Scientist Paula Whitfield attempts to place the marks at the exact spot where prior research has taken place - so the team can compare ‘apples to apples’.
Nighttime multi-beaming gives Paula the precise outline of the ledges and reefs - armed with this, the latitude and longitude, and real-time echolocation - Christine Addison and Jennifer Dorton prepare to fling the anchor and buoy into the sea.
R/V NANCY FOSTER is a huge ship and the currents strong.
It takes a lot of effort to get this 187-foot behemoth to the exact location. Missing a buoy drop by a few beats might seem slight to the ship, but to a diver underwater it is critical, to maximize the brief 30-minute window they have to spy on the lionfish undersea.
There are two dives each in the morning and the afternoon, with the separate purposes of surveying, and collecting lionfish.
Today’s collection nets nearly 30 lionfish, and they are literally ‘stuffed to the gills’ with food.
As tiny fish after fish is pulled from the stomach of the lionfish, the team gets excited over the valuable input this provides on feeding habits; and clues as to what species the lionfish might impact via consumption, or competition for food.
Today is my last day with the lionfish team. Tomorrow Curtis Callaway, cinematographer, and I will be transferred off the R/V NANCY FOSTER and shipped home. Our other cinematographer Norbert Wu will stay aboard to capture more underwater high definition film.
My emotions are mixed. I'm anxious to get home to my family and home in California - but I’ve grown fond of my shipmates, and of life on an expansive sea. And I’ve finally gotten used to the rolling motion of R/V NANCY FOSTER; the strange rumbles and groans of a ship underway; and even the famed ‘Foster shudder’ that reverberates through the ship from the mast when the bow hits a wave. I’ve even learned to sleep through it.
[Editor's note: Christine Addison is a NOAA scientist & diver; Jennifer Dorton is the Outreach & Education Coordinator of the Coastal Ocean Research and Monitoring Program for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Photographs by Curtis Callaway]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - July 31st
07/31/2006 - 08:00
07/31/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
“It’s not all about the divers,” Christine Addison explained as she leapt back aboard the R/V NANCY FOSTER.
It was an interesting statement from Christine, who had just surfaced from a half-hour lionfish survey in 120 feet of water (plus an equal amount of time in decompression). As much as we had been eager to hear her lionfish reports, she had made an interesting point.
Without the dive operations team facilitating with equipment and logistics, and ensuring the safety of the scientists; and without a well-oiled machine like the R/V NANCY FOSTER to carry them 60-miles offshore to the research site; the divers would be like ‘fish out of water’. It would be impossible for them to embark on the kind of extreme diving expeditions necessary to perform the critical survey and collection missions they were undertaking four times each day.
We spoke with Doug Kesling, whose monumental task has been to coordinate and oversee the dive ops aboard R/V NANCY FOSTER. Doug comes from the NOAA Undersea Resource Center (NURC) and has technically trained all of the divers for the ‘extreme’ conditions they would see on the trip.
‘Extreme’ as in long bottom times. ‘Extreme’ as in depths up to 150 feet. ‘Extreme’ as in deploying off the steel deck of a 187-foot moving vessel, in to rough ocean waters and strong currents, with 150-lbs of gear strapped to their backs.
“Safety is paramount; science is secondary,” is Doug’s mantra. He has parlayed a love for SCUBA diving and fascination with marine sciences into a long career that focuses on this type of research and exploration.
Doug remarked that R/V NANCY FOSTER was a well-suited platform for these kinds of operations. Sturdy, long-ranged, self-sufficient; she has compressors, equipment, utility boats and a diver staging area that’s functional, secure, and safe.
So it wasn’t unusual that safety-conscious Doug was standing by when cinematographer Curtis Callaway and I were disembarking R/V NANCY FOSTER to one of the smaller dive tenders, to get a lift back to the Morehead City, NC after five days of filming.
We were scheduled to transfer to a 47-foot US Coast Guard rescue boat.
Transfer, as in transferring funds, or transferring files, is swift. Effortless. But this was intense. Heralding the low dark clouds that were swiftly approaching were rough, choppy seas. Our low-lying tender and high profile USCG vessel handled the swells differently, and tangoed wildly on the sea. R/V NANCY FOSTER Captain James Verlaque instantly called us back to the mother ship, to attempt a safe transfer from there.
We reboarded R/V NANCY FOSTER to cheers – by now the entire crew had lined the deck; even master cook David Fare had left the galley, his apron still on, to observe.
Bags were offloaded and rewrapped in plastic (I think to keep them wet, as everything was already drenched from bouncy ride). The USCG pulled their vessel alongside the massive R/V NANCY FOSTER -- fenders fending, gunwales banging -- but somehow Capt. Verlaque and the USCG managed to hold steady as the crews loaded the massive camera-laden trunks and equipment aboard the lurching deck. The skies crackled with lightening and the first fat drops of rain plummeted, as strapping young Coast Guardsmen steadied us aboard.
Then we were off: on a wet and wild ride back to port, eager to tell the story of our adventure on the lionfish expedition.
Underwater cinematographer Norbert Wu stayed behind to film the final four days of research, and will carry on this email blog. Stay tuned for Norb’s dispatches from the R/V NANCY FOSTER.
Signing off – Betsy Crowfoot
[Editor's note: Photo of Christine Addison waiting to dive by Curtis Callaway; photo of Paula Whitfield conducting a video transect by Doug Kesling; photo of USCG transfer by Barry King]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - August 1st
08/01/2006 - 08:00
08/01/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
Underwater cinematographer Norbert Wu joined the lionfish collection team on two dives today in the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”
At the first, a shipwreck in 18 fathoms (108 ft) of water, Norb reported, “There was a severe thermocline at about 100 feet. Below this, the water was very cold, green, and full of marine snow.” A thermocline is a temperature transition zone between warmer surface water and colder deep water.
“I followed Brian Degan around a bit and got shots of Brian spearing lionfish.” The collection of lionfish for dissection is critical to understanding their genetic history, reproductive systems, and what they eat. “At one point, a sand tiger shark was harassing him a bit for his fish.” Brian, one of the NOAA Beaufort Lab technicians, started diving just three years ago, and swiftly advanced to technical diving.
Norb filmed Dr. Wilson Freshwater too, collecting algae samples for fellow University of North Carolina researchers while an audience of spadefish watched.
Later in the day the team dove again, this time on the CITY OF HOUSTON – a freighter that sank in 1878. It was one of the team’s shallower dives, at 90 feet, in waters full of a myriad of small tropical fish – but no lionfish. Few of the dives have produced no lionfish, so it was good news for the environment … but disappointing for the ‘guts and gizzards team’ waiting topside for specimens to dissect.
[Editors note: Photo of Norb Wu by Doug Kesling]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - August 2nd
08/02/2006 - 08:00
08/02/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
“Excellent weather. Flat, calm seas.”
Weather conditions are critical to the team aboard R/V NANCY FOSTER on the lionfish ‘safari’. Calm seas mean ease in maneuvering the massive research vessel to the exact marker location; straightforward deployment of tenders and divers; safe retrieval of divers and equipment – including cinematographer Norbert Wu’s 80-lb enclosed HD camera and lights.
The team has been watching the seasonal development of low pressure systems such as Tropical Storm Chris, which luckily is fizzling to the south. But although this year’s hurricane season is expected to be much less fierce than last year’s, the threat remains.
So it was no surprise Wu began today’s report with a glowing account of the weather.
Calmer waters and less current also translate to better visibility, and Wu returned to the survey dive team better able to focus on close-up shots of lionfish in their adopted habitat.
But visibility and high definition (HD) video technology aren’t just important to the film-making team. HD video has a valuable place in research – allowing scientists to remotely view the features of the lionfish’ habitat; do thorough surveys of the subject, their food sources, and other species they might impact; and study the behaviors and characteristics of the lionfish. The high definition format is dramatically superior in resolution, color and detail - again, providing significant benefits to the scientists as compared with the standard definition digital video or film.
High definition is, additionally, superior to any other format when working in low light or turbid conditions underwater. HD video can also bring the entire research team to the ocean floor – virtually – where they too can study the lionfish, while still staying completely dry. EISF’s Media Bank technology further allows the scientists, along with the film makers-to review the HD footage, utilizing it for research purposes, annotating it and requesting dubs or copies of the footage, stills and audio.
The second dive of Day 7 marked a new location, discovered during the multi-beam mapping done on previous nights. Wu reported “a good, five-foot-high ledge with lots of life” enabling him to film “a great shot of five or six lionfish all gathered under a ledge … then Jay Styron [NURC technical diver] coming in to catch a live one.”
[Editor's note: Underwater photos by Doug Kesling]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - August 3rd
08/03/2006 - 08:00
08/03/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
Final days, final dives…
Day Eight‘s dive was right on the money. Cinematographer Norbert Wu filmed Chief Scientist Paula Whitfield as she discovered the temperature sensor from last year’s survey, right next to the anchor line.
“I retrieved a temperature sensor from a site that is one of the farthest from land, and the temperature did not go below 60F all winter long,” Paula noted. “This is definitely warm enough for year-round survival of lionfish and other tropical species.”
Scientists have wondered whether the summertime expansion of the lionfish range can be maintained during the cold winter months. Apparently in some spots, along the warm Gulf Stream currents, they can – even at depths of 145 feet.
In addition to the success of the ‘treasure hunt’ for the temperature sensor though, the ability to return to the exact same location year to year is, in itself, a plus for scientists -- as it provides the most accurate picture of the lionfish ‘invasion’.
Discussing the four sites the team dove on Day Eight, Paula said, “Last year they were the lowest density sites.
“But no more: the densities are climbing. We saw lionfish at all these locations.”
That pretty much summed up the preliminary findings of the 2006 lionfish research cruise aboard the R/V NANCY FOSTER. Lionfish seem to be here to stay.
“All in all a very successful cruise,” said Paula after the final dive of the day. “We’ve collected 120 lionfish specimens, for reproductive, diet and other life history examination.
“We’re heading back tomorrow after one last dive,” she smiles, contemplating what last potential discovery on that day, may be revealed.
[Editor's Note: Photograph of Paula Whitfield by Curtis Callaway]
Lionfish Research Mission Log - August 4th
08/04/2006 - 08:00
08/04/2006 - 12:00
Etc/GMT+8
It’s the final day of the lionfish research cruise.
The last dive starts early in the morning in darkness, making it difficult to find last year's survey site. The scientists and our underwater cinematographer, Norb, discover, however, a new site that has, according to Norb, “a ton of lionfish.” Norb captures some engaging shots of the lionfish hunting in groups of three and four. The team’s persistence…and patience has paid off.
“Patience is one of the best attributes a wildlife or underwater cinematographer can have,” says Susan Sember, EISF President. “Cinematographers wait for the right light; they wait for the selected species to appear; they wait for the desired animal behavior to occur; they wait for inclimate weather to pass; they wait for the hours to pass when they can make their next dive; and they wait for the often delayed planes and lost baggage to show up.”
Yet, there is that element of surprise, intuition and a passion to make things happen that is also coupled with intense preparation and research, discipline, artistic vision and technical expertise that all factor in with that patience, as well.
As the last EISF member remaining on the cruise, Norb arrives with Paula Whitfield and her scientific team back to Morehead City, via the NOAA ship, the R/V Nancy Foster. He then must wait 24 hours, due to diver decompression limitations, after his last dive to fly home to California. There is the reward and satisfaction of new discoveries, new collaborations, new areas of research and a job well done.
Meanwhile, Curtis Callaway, our topside cinematographer is already home in Texas, reviewing the topside tapes and still photographs he shot.
He reflects, “Our writer, Betsy, a real trooper, and I were running non-stop from 0545 to 2300 with very few breaks between except for the “mandatory meal times”, which were usually brief with discussions of our next shot. The days were really long but with all of the excitement and enthusiasm from the scientists we never even noticed. Interviews, topside dive ops, shipboard activities, work in both wet and dry labs, macro photography, production stills, ship shots and much more were all critical components that had to be covered. The ship was continually filled with activity and everyone had their focused tasks and responsibilities."
It was non-stop shooting to get all of the scientists’ and divers’ activities, along with the ship’s personnel’s activities and then, our entire behind the scenes.” “It was truly satisfying to see how much these scientists recognized the power of imagery for both research and outreach purposes. When we weren’t knocking off our “shot list” and capturing all of the activities, the scientists were shouting, like excited kids, to shoot this or that. It was wonderful! They also got the “high definition fever”, too, seeing, immediately, the benefits of the format’s high resolution, low light capabilities and immersive nature.”
Curtis, also an underwater cinematographer, as well as a topside cameraperson, spent many years diving in the Indo-Pacific around the native lionfish but said, before this trip, “I knew very little about them other than they are great subjects to photograph, they are venomous and you don’t touch! This trip was such a thrill to be a part of since it was what the scientists refer to as ‘working on the edge.’ Instead of following the work of other scientists, you have a chance to break new ground and discover new things that have never been seen before. This is critically important research these people are doing and the invasive species issue is one that most of our country is unaware of and the need for education, outreach and research is huge.”
But the work on our invasive lionfish project is only beginning. There will be additional production, editing and post-production, further writing, and creation of the lionfish educational and outreach products and continuing partnerships with the scientists.
Dr. Bud Cross, Scientific Advisor to EISF, also notes, that “the scientists will be able to review and utilize the high definition footage from this trip for their research purposes, as well. The high definition video, still photographs and audio will be reviewed, logged, transcribed and annotated for "A" clips of interesting lionfish identification and behavior, habitat review, scientific interviews and more, all correlated to location, through EISF’s Media Bank."
Dan Powell, EISF Web Master and Director of Marine Operations, will also be integrating the GIS (geo-interspatial) components of the Media Bank with this lionfish imagery for additional use in the future.
“So, although today marks the end of one chapter of the lionfish project, it also marks the beginning of another: bringing these extraordinary high definition images and messages to people across the nation," says Susan Sember, “and we are very pleased to be in partnership with the NOAA Beaufort Lab to do so”!
[Editor's note: Photos by Curtis Callaway. Also check out the NOAA mission logs of the R/V Nancy Foster at "2006 Lionfish Cruise Logs".]
