Amazing technological advances out of Arizona State University mean that coral reefs can be mapped at a rate of 250,000 acres a day, and at resolution of 4 centimeters!
Full article at: NYTimes 10jun19
Aerial Reef-Mapping Technology
Live ROV exploration off Holmes Reef
The Schmidt Ocean Institute has started a month-long exploration of the Coral Reef Marine Park in northern Queensland and is broadcasting live to YouTube and Facebook. Check out their daily live-streams for amazing deep-sea creatures and geological structures!
The expedition is maintaining social distancing regulations by connecting the scientists from their individual locations on-shore to the vessel’s crew operating the ROV SUBastian aboard the RV Falcor. Technology is so amazing!
ROV exploration without scientists onboard
The Schmidt Ocean Institute has figured out a way to explore the Queensland Coral Sea Marine Park under the direction of scientists on the mainland:
Full article at: ABC Far North 06may20
Australia’s Great Southern Reef
See if you can spot the camouflaged cuttlefish in one scene, or the hermit crab in another while you escape below the waves in a modified BlueROV2, ~8km offshore Batemans Bay NSW.
Gangster in Underwater Garden
Escape below the waves and discover one of the NSW South Coast’s characters – the white ear (Parma microlepis). This fish lives on shallow reefs between 5m and 50m deep