East End dive site game ROUND 2

[Ian Popple]

Hi everyone. Just posting round 2 of Ocean Frontier’s GUESS THE DIVE SITE game. They’re doing this with the raw 3D models we developed earlier this year, just for full transparency.

The image show three sites in the East End. Can you guess which sites these are?

One is Grouper Grotto, one is Three Sisters and one is Breakers Cut Back.

 

[scubadada]

To not spoil it for others:

Spoiler

Grouper Grotto E
Three Sisters F
Breakers Cut Back D

 

[FindingMenno]

Pretty cool, how are these generated?

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Ian Popple

Are these 3D models part of your Grand Cayman guide or a project with Ocean Frontiers, perhaps a new 55 Green Short Challenge log?

 

[Ian Popple]

Hi @Ian Popple

Are these 3D models part of your Grand Cayman guide or a project with Ocean Frontiers, perhaps a new 55 Green Short Challenge log?

They're from the guidebook we're developing for Grand Cayman, which should be available later this summer. We've managed to model 45 sites on the island - including about 20 for the East End. We had significant assistance from Ocean Frontiers to collect the data and develop the models. Adaptation for an updated Green Shorts Challenge log is certain possible, but we'd have to return and map the remaining 35 sites, which would be a significant undertaking. It's certainly possible though.

 

[Ian Popple]

Pretty cool, how are these generated?

We generate these 3D models through a form of photogrammetry. Real photogrammetry is incredibly accurate, down to the individual coral head, which is great if you're a marine biologist or nautical archaeologist doing research, but the process is incredibly labor-intensive, requiring thousands of images for just a tiny site. As a dive map, we don't need this level of detail (plus the map would be out of date within six months). Plus, for sites of this size, the process would literally take weeks of diving, which we don't have. We need to collect the data in just a couple of dives, so we use a "light" version of photogrammetry that focus on documenting structures and depths, which can then be transformed into the 3D models you see here. Textures are then rendered afterwards, which saves time and explains how the raw models appear "clean". I've pasted Babylon below, so you can see what it looks like after texture renders. This one is still a work in process, but it's getting there.

 

[FindingMenno]

Very cool, thanks for the explanation! Mind posting any of the NW sites, as I'm more familiar with them than the East End sites?

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Ian Popple

When is round 3?