 |
Research diver Brian Killday enters the clear Caribbean water enveloped in a shroud of bubbles.
|
Chief Scientist John Reed takes a shot of the reef. Photographs are used in conjunction with collected samples and notes to document research sites.
|
|
|
As we swam surveying the bountiful shallow reef, it quickly gave way to an extremely steep slope that sank into the abyss. We descended the slope to 100 feet deep...the waters grew dark. The colors of our wetsuits and the living reef that had shined so brightly at the surface faded to a monotone blue. Blue wavelengths of light are all that makes it this deep through the light-filtering column of water overhead.
At these depths, we had to be very mindful of our dive time. With each passing minute, external pressure squeezes more and more potentially-dangerous nitrogen gas into the human bloodstream. Compressed nitrogen gas can expand on ascent to form bubbles in the bloodstream. The resulting condition -- known as the 'bends' -- can be debilitating, or even fatal.
But, safety is paramount among these divers. Research diving requires an extensive battery of training, physical exams, and tests to ensure that the scientists can operate as safely as possible underwater, even when their minds are occupied by the tasks at hand. Unlike recreational diving, where an individual's main task is often simply to dive, research divers go underwater loaded down with equipment and mental to-do lists.
As our time limit approached, we reluctantly returned to the surface. The scientist's plastic bags were filled with promising samples. We motored back across the waves, eager to get the specimens onto the ship for processing and analysis. If there are powerful new medicines to be extracted from these organisms, the team will soon be one step closer to finding them. |
|
The reef just off the southeast coast of Curaçao appears extremely healthy, perhaps due to the conservation efforts that designate this zone as a marine park. |
|
|
|
