Seth Patterson
Registered
I've been away from the forums for a few months but not away from the water, so I thought I'd recap a bit on some of my recent excursions for those interested in what goes on in the Gulf...
Earlier in September, I joined the University of Texas at Brownsville on an expedition to survey some of the outer banks (50-60 miles offshore) between Corpus Christi and South Padre Island. Previously mapped out by UTB aboard the R/V Falcor using multi-beam sonar, this trip was focusing on a visual survey in 180-240+ feet of water using ROVs. Unfortunately, as the water depth was beyond recreational limits, scuba diving was not permitted on this trip but we did see a lot of the bottom via the ROV. We spent four nights aboard the Fling and spent every available minute either piloting the ROV along the bottom or side-scanning the banks with sonar. It was a long, exhausting, whirlwind of a trip but very fun and interesting! The Fling crew, including owner Ken, were exceptional and the accommodations great.
After leaving dock at night, this was sunrise on our first morning at sea.
UTB graduate student, Maria, runs diagnostic checks on the ROV prior to launch.
Launching the ROV... This was the only time I was allowed in the water and it was a very brief stay as they were live-boating around the position of the ROV.
The least glamorous of jobs, the tether tenderer; making sure enough--but not too much--tether is available as the pilots navigate the ROV some 200 feet below.
The controls used to pilot the ROV.
The Fling's mess hall converted into mission control.
I believe they decided this was a Thresher Shark, several were seen on camera as the ROV descended into the depths.
The bottom consisted largely of rocky outcroppings covered with sponges and soft corals.
The tether team; all smiles in spite of spending day after day standing in the hot sun.
The screen to the right is a GPS referenced multi-beam sonar map of the banks being surveyed. A hydrophone positioned on the boat allowed the ROV to rely it's position underwater which was then converted into GPS coordinates for navigation.
At one point, while waiting for launch time, a pod of 13 Pan-tropical Spotted Dolphin cruised around our idle vessel. I quickly grabbed my underwater housing and, lowering it blindly off the back deck of the ship, fired away a few shots as they passed below us.
Recovering the ROV after a successful launch.
In between ROV surveys, a special side-scanning sonar apparatus, known as a TowFish, was deployed to further map out the banks.
Evening time was often the only break our crew had and the sundeck was a popular place to relax in the cool evening air.
Our team, consisting mostly of UTB professors and graduate students along with the ROV and TowFish.
A week or so after we returned, we took a trip out to the Texas Clipper for our quarterly surveys for TPWD. While the sea was calm, the sky was angry! Large summer storms were rolling over the Gulf and bringing with them pelting rains. At one point, we must have spent 45 minutes sitting within a monster storm. The rain, which felt like pebbles smacking against you, was chilling to the bone. Luckily, the thermocline was nonexistent and our dives were a very comfortable 81 degrees throughout. Unfortunately, visibility was sorely lacking and the currents quite strong. There were areas along the hull of the ship where the currents flowed like a flooded river over a bridge, dragging the nepheloid layer along with it. Visibility ranged from 5-30 feet max. But it was still a fun two dives and I managed a few pictures while surveying invertebrates.
A barracuda lingers over the Texas Clipper.
There were several very large barracuda hanging out around the riggers.
UTB Professor, Dr. Hicks, photo-documents the benthic growth on the Clipper.
Spadefish schooling around the rigging.
My most recent trip was a little over a week ago, we went to the Port Isabel Playground, which is located 5 miles directly offshore from the mouth of the Rio Grande. This site, being so close to shore, is rarely very clear and this trip was no exception. Visibility ranged from 5-10 feet with quite a bit of suspended particular in the water column. The site is comprised of several rig jackets that have been cut in half and sunk at a depth of approximately 75-80 feet (rising to 50 feet), a large naval barge, and a tug boat. There are also 30+ reef balls scattered around the bottom. Over two dives, I explored several rig jackets and the barge. We saw some neat fish, including large schools of Cobia, a couple of purple mouth morays, and lots of little tropical fish.
Divers doing an invertebrate survey along one of the platforms.
Two graduate students securing a chain where their data loggers will be attached.
A White-spotted Soapfish pretending I don't see him.
Another graduate student doing a fish survey.
Underwater paperwork.
Posing behind what was once a walking deck on an oil rig.
Earlier in September, I joined the University of Texas at Brownsville on an expedition to survey some of the outer banks (50-60 miles offshore) between Corpus Christi and South Padre Island. Previously mapped out by UTB aboard the R/V Falcor using multi-beam sonar, this trip was focusing on a visual survey in 180-240+ feet of water using ROVs. Unfortunately, as the water depth was beyond recreational limits, scuba diving was not permitted on this trip but we did see a lot of the bottom via the ROV. We spent four nights aboard the Fling and spent every available minute either piloting the ROV along the bottom or side-scanning the banks with sonar. It was a long, exhausting, whirlwind of a trip but very fun and interesting! The Fling crew, including owner Ken, were exceptional and the accommodations great.
After leaving dock at night, this was sunrise on our first morning at sea.
UTB graduate student, Maria, runs diagnostic checks on the ROV prior to launch.
Launching the ROV... This was the only time I was allowed in the water and it was a very brief stay as they were live-boating around the position of the ROV.
The least glamorous of jobs, the tether tenderer; making sure enough--but not too much--tether is available as the pilots navigate the ROV some 200 feet below.
The controls used to pilot the ROV.
The Fling's mess hall converted into mission control.
I believe they decided this was a Thresher Shark, several were seen on camera as the ROV descended into the depths.
The bottom consisted largely of rocky outcroppings covered with sponges and soft corals.
The tether team; all smiles in spite of spending day after day standing in the hot sun.
The screen to the right is a GPS referenced multi-beam sonar map of the banks being surveyed. A hydrophone positioned on the boat allowed the ROV to rely it's position underwater which was then converted into GPS coordinates for navigation.
At one point, while waiting for launch time, a pod of 13 Pan-tropical Spotted Dolphin cruised around our idle vessel. I quickly grabbed my underwater housing and, lowering it blindly off the back deck of the ship, fired away a few shots as they passed below us.
Recovering the ROV after a successful launch.
In between ROV surveys, a special side-scanning sonar apparatus, known as a TowFish, was deployed to further map out the banks.
Evening time was often the only break our crew had and the sundeck was a popular place to relax in the cool evening air.
Our team, consisting mostly of UTB professors and graduate students along with the ROV and TowFish.
A week or so after we returned, we took a trip out to the Texas Clipper for our quarterly surveys for TPWD. While the sea was calm, the sky was angry! Large summer storms were rolling over the Gulf and bringing with them pelting rains. At one point, we must have spent 45 minutes sitting within a monster storm. The rain, which felt like pebbles smacking against you, was chilling to the bone. Luckily, the thermocline was nonexistent and our dives were a very comfortable 81 degrees throughout. Unfortunately, visibility was sorely lacking and the currents quite strong. There were areas along the hull of the ship where the currents flowed like a flooded river over a bridge, dragging the nepheloid layer along with it. Visibility ranged from 5-30 feet max. But it was still a fun two dives and I managed a few pictures while surveying invertebrates.
A barracuda lingers over the Texas Clipper.
There were several very large barracuda hanging out around the riggers.
UTB Professor, Dr. Hicks, photo-documents the benthic growth on the Clipper.
Spadefish schooling around the rigging.
My most recent trip was a little over a week ago, we went to the Port Isabel Playground, which is located 5 miles directly offshore from the mouth of the Rio Grande. This site, being so close to shore, is rarely very clear and this trip was no exception. Visibility ranged from 5-10 feet with quite a bit of suspended particular in the water column. The site is comprised of several rig jackets that have been cut in half and sunk at a depth of approximately 75-80 feet (rising to 50 feet), a large naval barge, and a tug boat. There are also 30+ reef balls scattered around the bottom. Over two dives, I explored several rig jackets and the barge. We saw some neat fish, including large schools of Cobia, a couple of purple mouth morays, and lots of little tropical fish.
Divers doing an invertebrate survey along one of the platforms.
Two graduate students securing a chain where their data loggers will be attached.
A White-spotted Soapfish pretending I don't see him.
Another graduate student doing a fish survey.
Underwater paperwork.
Posing behind what was once a walking deck on an oil rig.
