FOX7 Aquarena Underwater Camera

[scubashawn123]

Talking to Ron I have 23 spots available to dive March 26th for the official launch of the underwater camera.

So far I have the following divers on the team:

K-Valve
BOgrady
Zinc
Cruiser
driftwood
Guba
Mack

Plenty of time to sign up. Like Ron was telling me the more the merrier on launch date, bring your spouse or girlfriend for the festivities.

Regards,

Shawn O.

PS: please join us for the diving and event fun. We will have a lot of fun and get to hear Sylvia make a presentation.

 

[texdiveguy]

Really dumb question--- what is the purpose and intent of this camera...is it a webCam type for the public can see diving at the site??

 

[scubashawn123]

Really dumb question--- what is the purpose and intent of this camera...is it a webCam type for the public can see diving at the site??

As part of the community the web camera underwater will be a unique and distinctive experience for people who want to check it out on the web site. It is being located at deep hole at Aquarena Springs to support Aquarena Springs, the River Institute, Texas State University, the community for this years common experience (at TSU) "the water".

It is a great way to promote the conservation, preservation and restoration of spring lake. And hopefully catch some fish action at deep hole not seen before.

I work at FOX 7 so my General manager donated the technical resources necessary to pull this little project off. Camera, cabling, housing, IT support, engineering, install and web space.

Ron the director at Aquarena is in charge of the project and was able to get Sylvia Earl
(world renowned marine biologist) involved. Ron is blocking the shot at deep hole for the viewers on the web site.

It sounded to me like an interesting opportunity and I am honored to be involved and be able to offer the opportunity for any of the Texas Swamp Divers and friends to join us on the day of the launch.

I hope that helps.


Shawn

 

[Zinc]

BRAVO SHAWN
:luxhello:

 

[Guba]

Hey! Check out the newest edition of Sport Diver, April.
Dr. Sylvia Earle has been named the 2008 "Legend of the Sea" by the Historical Diving Society. There's a write-up and pic on page 18.

I'm more pumped than ever to be a part of this project! There are a variety of reasons, of course. First, the project itself is terrific, and I'll use the underwater cam in my classes. Second, it's great to promote the Center and its goals. Finally, the chance to meet and get underwater with a "Legend" is just icing on the cake. Way to go, Shawn, for breathing life into this project and letting folks like me be a part!

 

[scubashawn123]

Hey! Check out the newest edition of Sport Diver, April.
Dr. Sylvia Earle has been named the 2008 "Legend of the Sea" by the Historical Diving Society. There's a write-up and pic on page 18.

I'm more pumped than ever to be a part of this project! There are a variety of reasons, of course. First, the project itself is terrific, and I'll use the underwater cam in my classes. Second, it's great to promote the Center and its goals. Finally, the chance to meet and get underwater with a "Legend" is just icing on the cake. Way to go, Shawn, for breathing life into this project and letting folks like me be a part!

Glad to have you on the dive team. Right now we have 14 volunteers to help out on March 26th, the time for the official launch and ceremony with Sylvia is bumped up to 3 PM. I am thinking a 11 AM call time to do set up and team up have a camera meeting, I also need to field produce interviews above the water with the everyone who will let me interview them above the water.

We have plenty of room and assignments for another 16 divers if interested or more if we connect people to Erica, who is having dive teams clean up deep hole and arch site on this day while Sylvia takes the glass bottom boat tour. Lots to do could use 30 - 40 people easily with how this project has grown.

We will definetly want to set up at least 4 camera angles(I hope more) of photogs underwater that is at least 8 people with buddies, 2 people to move the UW camera into position, at least 6 more divers to bury the cabling back to The Landing area. Quite the little production.

So to keep it simple for everyone. I will work all the logistics, testing, trials and coordination in the background. This will allow everyone who wants to help to show up the day of the event for the briefing set up and final assignments underwater.

We may be able to get a camera rehearsal in also this day. Just a thought.

I will keep everyone informed. If you have not PM'd me your phone number. Please do.


Shawn

 

[CenTexDivin]

I'm down for Sunday and I can probably do something on Monday if I can convince my boss it's a "marketing event"

 

[cruiser]

I'll be driving down from Dallas for the event, so will be in San Marcos Thursday also.

Does anyone plan to do some Aquarena diving on Thursday?

 

[scubashawn123]

FYI Press Release from Aquarena:

World¹s Leading Underwater Explorer at Aquarena


Dr Sylvia Earle will visit Texas State University-San Marcos on March 26,
2008 as a special guest speaker for the university¹s Common Experience. Dr.
Earle will also be on hand to cut the ribbon at a ceremony to be held at Aquarena Center at 3 pm on Wednesday, March 26 to officially announce the underwater web cam recently provided by television station Fox 7 News in Austin Texas. The general public is invited to attend the ceremony at The Landing, adjacent to Spring Lake.

Dr. Earle is the National Geographic Explorer in Residence and a Distinguished Lecturer for the James and Marilyn Lovell Center for Environmental Geography and Hazards Research at Texas State University. Named Time Magazine's first "Hero for the Planet" in 1999, and called a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress, Dr. Earle has authored more than 150 scientific, technical, and popular publications, and appeared in hundreds of television productions.
She has directed over 60 diving expeditions, logged more than 6,000 hours underwater, and set the record for solo diving: 1,000 meters or 3,281 feet.


The web cam was the brainchild of Shawn O¹Shea, one of Aquarena¹s most enthusiastic Diving for Science volunteers. The Diving for Science program actively supports Aquarena¹s mission with certified divers representing all parts of Texas who help protect and preserve natural springs and aquifers throughout the state. O¹Shea, Fox 7 Vice President of Engineering and Operations, approached Aquarena with his idea of providing the web cam to make an underwater view of Spring Lake available to the public via the world wide web. The web cam was recently installed in Aquarena¹s ³Deep Hole,² one of the most scenic viewing areas and the deepest location in Spring Lake.
Viewers will be able to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the beauty of the sensitive spring-fed habitat; home to 8 endangered and threatened species found only in Spring Lake and San Marcos River.

The diving for science program is a nationally recognized for its unique approach of organizing certified scuba divers to perform strictly regulated tasks in this ³critical habitat². Divers not only take 40 hours of course work to qualify to join the work group, but they are financially self-supporting. This is in perfect alignment with all of the educational programs at Aquarena that are also self supporting. A totally self-sustaining nature center, aquatic wildlife preserve and a registered historical landmark, Aquarena is a rare and endangered entity all to itself.

Ron Coley, Aquarena Center Director, calls the installation ³a very exciting development.¹² ³Allowing the general public to log on to see what is going on underneath Spring Lake will increase awareness of the crystal clear spring-fed water bubbling up from the Edwards Aquifer. We hope the scenic view motivates people to come enjoy the glass bottom boat tour and get more people interested in our Diving For Science program to learn about this unique aquatic habitat.²

Visit TRC-Aquarena : Texas State University for more information about Aquarena¹s Diving for Science program. To view the underwater web cam located in Deep Hole, visit myFOXaustin Webcams

____________________________________________________________________

 

[scubashawn123]

Status report on the Aquarena underwater web camera. It is in position and working. It should be on the web later this week and I will send out the URL for anyone who wants to check it out.
I have listed all my notes and emails into the line up for the day of the ceremony with Sylvia and the ribbon cutting at Aquarena below.
Please forgive me if I missed you and left you off the list. Contact me and I will get it fixed, things have been very busy in my schedule.
Making a mistake is not out of the question. Contact me directly.
I want to thank everyone ahead of time for their continued support and assistance to make this a value to our community.


March 26th Dive Team line up

Executive Producer
Shawn O’Shea

Diving Supervisor
Paul Murphy

Safety Divers
Charles Machacek (Mack)
Brandon Cook

Production Assistant
John Andrews

UW camera diver for Dive Team 1
Gary Tucker (Sony HD cameraman)

UW camera diver for Dive Team 2
Hunt Armistead (PD150 cameraman)

UW camera diver for Dive Team 3
Bill Crowley UW camera person)

UW camera diver for Dive Team 4
John Lindsey

Dive Staging Coordinator
Jeff Eichelberger

Divers and presenters(Science for Diving stations)
Linda Gruben
Bill and Steven O’Grady
Brian Broussard
Brenda Reagan
Mike Graves
Bill Holt
Tom Bizzel
Ed Santiago
Chase McGuire
Pete Bellino