WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:04.640 Hello! 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.160 And welcome to the virtual Get Into Your 00:00:04.640 --> 00:00:08.000 Sanctuary celebration. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:09.280 Where we take a trip to Georgia's coast 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:10.320 to learn what Gray's Reef National 00:00:09.280 --> 00:00:12.639 Marine Sanctuary 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:13.599 has for its year-round visitors. My name 00:00:12.639 --> 00:00:15.679 is Ben Prueitt, 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:17.359 I'm an Outreach and Social Media 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:18.880 Coordinator at the Gray's Reef National 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:21.039 Marine Sanctuary. 00:00:18.880 --> 00:00:22.480 Today, we'll help you make the most out 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:24.320 of your trip to Gray's Reef. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:26.320 We'll start with an overview of the NOAA 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:27.840 Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.840 take you out to Gray's Reef National 00:00:27.840 --> 00:00:30.800 Marine Sanctuary, and lastly talk 00:00:29.840 --> 00:00:32.719 technology. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.640 And specifically what technologies 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:36.960 marine scientists and scuba divers are 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:38.320 using when they visit Gray's Reef. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:39.840 If you have any questions throughout the 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:41.040 interview we want to hear them through 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:42.719 our chat feature. 00:00:41.040 --> 00:00:45.120 Our sanctuary staff will be keeping an 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:46.079 eye out for questions and comments 00:00:45.120 --> 00:00:49.680 throughout the interview. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:51.440 Don't be shy, Ask away. I'll be joined 00:00:49.680 --> 00:00:53.199 shortly by our two panelists to talk the 00:00:51.440 --> 00:00:53.840 technologies they use for research and 00:00:53.199 --> 00:00:55.600 diving, 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:58.480 but first let's get started with our 00:00:55.600 --> 00:01:00.320 celebration of Get Into Your Sanctuary. 00:00:58.480 --> 00:01:02.160 Each year, Get Into Your Sanctuary 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:03.920 weekend encourages you to get out 00:01:02.160 --> 00:01:06.720 and enjoy the wonders of your oceans and 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:08.159 lakes. Since not everyone is able to make 00:01:06.720 --> 00:01:10.159 it out and explore this year, we're 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:12.000 bringing the sanctuaries to you. 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:13.760 Each sanctuary does their Get Into Your 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:15.600 Sanctuaries a little bit differently, 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:17.360 at Gray's Reef we encourage people to 00:01:15.600 --> 00:01:19.920 explore the fishing diving 00:01:17.360 --> 00:01:22.400 and boating found at our reefs and live 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:22.400 bottoms 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.320 the National Marine Sanctuary System is 00:01:24.479 --> 00:01:27.200 a network of 14 National Marine 00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:29.759 Sanctuaries 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:31.439 and two Marine National Monuments. We 00:01:29.759 --> 00:01:33.360 encompass over six-hundred-thousand 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.720 square miles of marine waters in the 00:01:33.360 --> 00:01:36.560 United States. 00:01:34.720 --> 00:01:38.560 These sanctuaries span all the way from 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:40.799 the Northwest and the Pacific, 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.560 to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:44.399 Ocean. 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:46.000 I wish I had more time to talk about 00:01:44.399 --> 00:01:48.759 each of these incredible sites, 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:51.759 but for now you'll have to visit 00:01:48.759 --> 00:01:51.759 sanctuaries.noaa.gov. 00:01:52.399 --> 00:01:55.840 As I mentioned, we'll be focusing today 00:01:54.399 --> 00:01:56.640 on the Gray's Reef National Marine 00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:58.640 Sanctuary, 00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.360 which was America's fourth Marine 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:03.200 Sanctuary designated in 1981 00:02:01.360 --> 00:02:05.439 to preserve the extraordinary beauty of 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:07.280 the area and protect the habitat of its 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.599 diverse marine life. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.879 Gray's Reef is located ninteen miles off the 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:14.160 coast of Georgia. 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:17.280 That's east of Sapelo Island, 00:02:14.160 --> 00:02:21.360 you'll see here. The total 00:02:17.280 --> 00:02:24.239 Sanctuary size is twenty-two square miles. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:25.200 It's the same as fifty miles south of 00:02:24.239 --> 00:02:27.440 Savannah, GA. 00:02:25.200 --> 00:02:29.440 So from Savannah to the Sanctuary is fifty 00:02:27.440 --> 00:02:32.160 miles. And the average water depth is 00:02:29.440 --> 00:02:34.400 about sixty-five feet. 00:02:32.160 --> 00:02:36.720 Scientists have documented over 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:38.720 two-hundred species of fish. 00:02:36.720 --> 00:02:40.319 Visitors at Gray's Reef regularly swim 00:02:38.720 --> 00:02:42.800 with Atlantic Spadefish, 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:44.000 Black Sea Bass, many species of Grouper 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:47.120 and Snapper, 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:50.000 Seaweed Blennies, Sheepshead, 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:51.040 and other colorful inhabitants. Sharks 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:53.519 are also commonly 00:02:51.040 --> 00:02:55.040 sighted at the Sanctuary through all 00:02:53.519 --> 00:02:58.080 levels of the water column. 00:02:55.040 --> 00:03:00.720 And our two panelists today 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:02.000 have many experiences with 00:03:00.720 --> 00:03:03.360 with some of these fish and 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:05.599 maybe even some with sharks which we'll 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:07.360 get into. Over nine-hundred species of 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:09.360 invertebrates live at Gray's Reef. 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:10.560 Species like tunicates, commonly known as 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:13.040 "sea squirts", 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:13.920 corals, urchins, and many species of 00:03:13.040 --> 00:03:16.840 sponges, make 00:03:13.920 --> 00:03:19.120 up the colorful life protected in the 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:21.120 Sanctuary. 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:22.319 The Sanctuary is more than just life 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:24.720 found on the seafloor. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:26.879 The waters and the air above the bottom 00:03:24.720 --> 00:03:28.239 are studied and managed in various ways 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:30.640 to conserve the Sanctuary for 00:03:28.239 --> 00:03:32.239 generations to come. The sanctuary plays 00:03:30.640 --> 00:03:34.080 a role in supporting recreational 00:03:32.239 --> 00:03:38.319 fishing and diving, 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:40.319 scientific research, endangered species - 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:42.400 like the North Atlantic right whale and 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:44.799 the Loggerhead sea turtle. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:46.080 I'll now introduce my guests for today. 00:03:44.799 --> 00:03:47.599 The opinions presented here 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:49.599 are those of the speakers and do not 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:50.640 necessarily represent the opinions of 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:53.439 NOAA 00:03:50.640 --> 00:03:55.840 or those of the speakers organizations. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:03:59.360 So first I'll bring up 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:01.519 Peter Auster. Hello Peter! 00:03:59.360 --> 00:04:02.720 Yeah, good morning. How are you today? 00:04:01.519 --> 00:04:04.720 Doing well. 00:04:02.720 --> 00:04:06.799 Peter Auster is a marine ecologist and 00:04:04.720 --> 00:04:08.720 his research focuses on the ecology 00:04:06.799 --> 00:04:11.120 conservation and management of marine 00:04:08.720 --> 00:04:12.959 fishes and their habitats. 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:14.799 For over a decade, he has been using 00:04:12.959 --> 00:04:16.160 multiple technologies to understand the 00:04:14.799 --> 00:04:19.359 behavioral interactions 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:20.000 of predators and prey at Gray's Reef. So 00:04:19.359 --> 00:04:21.840 Peter, 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:23.840 what new technologies have you been 00:04:21.840 --> 00:04:25.520 using at the Gray's Reef National Marine 00:04:23.840 --> 00:04:28.800 Sanctuary? 00:04:25.520 --> 00:04:30.400 So as you noted I'm a marine ecologist 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:31.919 and I'm at University of Connecticut and 00:04:30.400 --> 00:04:35.280 Mystic Aquarium. 00:04:31.919 --> 00:04:35.759 So for about 12 years, I've 00:04:35.280 --> 00:04:37.680 been 00:04:35.759 --> 00:04:39.520 I've been working at Gray's Reef 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:42.160 National Marine Sanctuary, 00:04:39.520 --> 00:04:44.160 principally studying the 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:46.560 predator-prey interactions. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.160 So we've been looking at 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:50.479 predator-prey interactions. 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:51.919 How predators and prey vary over 00:04:50.479 --> 00:04:55.360 space and time 00:04:51.919 --> 00:04:57.600 within the Sanctuary and the 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.400 role that reefs play in mediating these 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:01.039 types of 00:04:58.400 --> 00:05:02.560 of predator prey roles. And so over the 00:05:01.039 --> 00:05:04.560 course of time, you know we've used the 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:08.479 human eye as the principle 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:11.039 sampling tool, augmented by 00:05:08.479 --> 00:05:12.880 handheld still and video cameras. We've 00:05:11.039 --> 00:05:15.600 used split beam acoustics 00:05:12.880 --> 00:05:16.720 which is a fancy fish finder - scientific 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:19.199 fish finder - 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:20.400 for looking at how we can actually 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:22.639 count animals 00:05:20.400 --> 00:05:24.000 over space running surveys from the 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:26.639 ship. We've done acoustic 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:28.400 tagging of fishes. We've used time lapse 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:31.440 videos using GoPros. 00:05:28.400 --> 00:05:33.280 But now we can use these small virtual 00:05:31.440 --> 00:05:35.919 reality video cameras 00:05:33.280 --> 00:05:38.160 uh that are in the old days they used to 00:05:35.919 --> 00:05:40.560 be - the old days maybe being only a few 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.680 years prior - used to be forty to fifty 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:43.520 thousand dollars. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:45.520 Now you can buy these cameras that are 00:05:43.520 --> 00:05:48.560 commercial off the shelf 00:05:45.520 --> 00:05:52.240 five hundred plus dollars that 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:55.360 we can use to over almost a 100 feet 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:56.960 of depth and they're very low profile. We 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:57.600 can place them on the reef just like 00:05:56.960 --> 00:05:59.280 this. 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:01.120 Here's one of the cameras. It's got 00:05:59.280 --> 00:06:04.000 lenses on both sides 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:05.120 so it takes a spherical view of its 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:08.560 surroundings 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:12.000 in continuous video and 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:14.720 it essentially stitches both sides, 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.600 both the images from both lenses 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:17.600 together. 00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:19.520 And like I said, they're low profile so 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:21.360 they're relatively low interference. 00:06:19.520 --> 00:06:23.280 Divers, we don't need to swim it 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:26.319 around. Divers don't need to be there. 00:06:23.280 --> 00:06:29.840 We can put it on a small tripod 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:32.639 and collect samples of 00:06:29.840 --> 00:06:35.199 behavior and species composition without 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:37.919 the interference of divers being present. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:40.080 Now it's important to note, too, that 00:06:37.919 --> 00:06:42.800 this doesn't replace diving 00:06:40.080 --> 00:06:43.600 and the surveys we do underwater. 0:06:43.600,0:06:47.199 So when we're underwater we can 00:06:45.520 --> 00:06:50.720 run these long transects 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:52.960 along reefs and on a long live bottom 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:55.120 but by leaving these video virtual 00:06:52.960 --> 00:06:56.880 reality video cameras on the bottom 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.319 we can get a picture of what goes on 00:06:56.880 --> 00:07:00.960 in individual places 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:02.720 on reefs over the course of time. And 00:07:00.960 --> 00:07:03.840 again without the potential 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:06.720 interference 00:07:03.840 --> 00:07:07.599 of of divers. So we see a wide range of 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:09.680 species 00:07:07.599 --> 00:07:11.840 like that previously just a large Red 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:14.560 Snapper, Loggerhead turtle. 00:07:11.840 --> 00:07:16.560 We see large barracuda. There's a large 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:19.440 school of of Spadefish. 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:21.039 Here's maybe a real 00:07:19.440 --> 00:07:23.039 useful demonstration 00:07:21.039 --> 00:07:24.960 of the kinds of things we can see. 00:07:23.039 --> 00:07:27.919 There's clouds of forage fish, 00:07:24.960 --> 00:07:28.960 these are small Tomtates, and Cigar 00:07:27.919 --> 00:07:32.000 Minnows. 00:07:28.960 --> 00:07:34.400 I forgot the common name for these 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:35.440 beyond Cigar minnows. In any case, 00:07:34.400 --> 00:07:38.560 these are small 00:07:35.440 --> 00:07:39.440 there's a species related to 00:07:38.560 --> 00:07:41.199 Barracuda. 00:07:39.440 --> 00:07:42.479 There's a large, might be a 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.879 Sandbar Shark. 00:07:42.479 --> 00:07:45.840 And Spanish Mackerel so these all 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:48.319 interact 00:07:45.840 --> 00:07:49.599 along the front edges 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:53.840 of these reefs 00:07:49.599 --> 00:07:56.000 We can see Black Sea Bass 00:07:53.840 --> 00:07:56.960 following Almaco Jacks as they search 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.199 for prey 00:07:56.960 --> 00:08:00.720 and hunt for fish. We can see 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:03.599 relatively rare 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:05.120 occurrences at reefs of species 00:08:03.599 --> 00:08:07.840 like this Atlantic 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:09.039 Guitarfish, which is threatened, on the 00:08:07.840 --> 00:08:11.759 Southeast 00:08:09.039 --> 00:08:12.479 U.S. coast. And we can see the behavior of 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.639 small 00:08:12.479 --> 00:08:16.720 what are usually cryptic fishes like 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:18.319 this uh White Spotted Soap Fish, 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:21.520 kind of mugging for the camera 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:24.160 probably looking at his reflection. 00:08:21.520 --> 00:08:26.800 I'm gonna switch now over to to show 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:30.560 you what the video actually looks like. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.560 Yeah, that sounds that sounds really cool! 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:35.599 And so this is what you can see 00:08:33.760 --> 00:08:36.560 from one of the two 00:08:35.599 --> 00:08:39.680 lenses 00:08:36.560 --> 00:08:41.360 on the camera. I can zoom in, zoom out 00:08:39.680 --> 00:08:44.320 slow this down 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:45.440 within the software. But you know if you 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:48.560 look at this 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:52.160 through VR glasses, 00:08:48.560 --> 00:08:55.360 a VR headset, like oculus or similar 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:57.600 kinds of visualizing technologies, 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.959 you can use these video files 00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:02.399 right out of the camera 00:08:58.959 --> 00:09:06.000 and look around, up and down, 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:08.480 right to left, and look at the entire 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:09.440 sphere around the point where the camera 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:12.640 rests. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:14.240 We don't analyze the video that way 00:09:12.640 --> 00:09:16.480 from a science perspective. See there was 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:18.959 just a strike by one of those 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:20.720 Almaco Jacks. We don't 00:09:18.959 --> 00:09:22.399 analyze the video that way we actually 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:26.399 look at it on a 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:28.080 screen and sample at one 00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:28.640 minute intervals. What's the maximum 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:30.959 number 00:09:28.640 --> 00:09:33.519 of individuals of each species? What are 00:09:30.959 --> 00:09:38.720 the species interactions? And we look at 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:38.720 each hemisphere separately. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:42.480 Then the nice thing is we 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:45.040 can collect many more hours 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:46.080 of video underwater than we can 00:09:45.040 --> 00:09:49.120 possibly stay 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:52.560 by ourselves as as divers. At least as a 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:54.480 team of two or four people working 00:09:52.560 --> 00:09:56.160 underwater. So those are the kinds of 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:58.640 interactions that we can 00:09:56.160 --> 00:10:00.000 see at particular points on 00:09:58.640 --> 00:10:02.839 the reefs. So it's a 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.640 very neat way of being able to collect 00:10:02.839 --> 00:10:06.480 information. 00:10:04.640 --> 00:10:08.240 That's amazing! That's really cool 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:10.160 that the technology has come 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:12.720 this far over the past few years to 00:10:10.160 --> 00:10:13.920 allow for underwater videos like that to 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.760 be taken at such a 00:10:13.920 --> 00:10:18.000 such a cheap price. 00:10:15.760 --> 00:10:21.120 And it's 4k. It's very high resolution 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.240 video as well. Back when I 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:23.839 first started, 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:26.000 doing this kind of stuff in the late 00:10:23.839 --> 00:10:27.200 1970s, you know we were -- 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:31.040 (I don't know if you want to switch back 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:32.480 to your screen, Ben.) 00:10:31.040 --> 00:10:34.399 -- you know we were still 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:37.760 shooting video with 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:41.200 big, big cameras 00:10:37.760 --> 00:10:43.600 with the VHS tapes in them. And big 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:44.640 bulky housings and things. So now being 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:47.519 able to... 00:10:44.640 --> 00:10:48.560 And thirty-five millimeter cameras with 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:50.560 housings 00:10:48.560 --> 00:10:52.079 that are that big. And now you know, again, 00:10:50.560 --> 00:10:53.360 this is what 00:10:52.079 --> 00:10:55.200 the camera looks 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:57.760 like in air with 00:10:55.200 --> 00:10:58.480 the two lenses. The camera 00:10:57.760 --> 00:11:00.480 itself, 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:03.040 (if I can take it out of the tripod) you 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:05.760 know that that shoots all this stuff, 00:11:03.040 --> 00:11:06.959 which is what I still find 00:11:05.760 --> 00:11:10.399 pretty amazing. 00:11:06.959 --> 00:11:10.959 Absolutely! What were some of 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:14.240 the more 00:11:10.959 --> 00:11:16.160 memorable video that you've 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:18.000 caught? I saw there were sharks that you 00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:19.600 saw and turtles. For you 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:21.360 as a researcher, what have been 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:23.040 some really 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:24.399 mind-boggling things that you've gotten 00:11:23.040 --> 00:11:26.079 from these videos? 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:27.519 Well, I mean, those continue to 00:11:26.079 --> 00:11:29.760 boggle my mind 00:11:27.519 --> 00:11:30.880 because there's, you know - a 00:11:29.760 --> 00:11:32.480 friend of mine kind of 00:11:30.880 --> 00:11:32.880 describes me as like a little kid still 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:34.399 looking 00:11:32.880 --> 00:11:36.240 for the first 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.360 time underwater. I mean all these things 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:39.760 are pretty amazing! 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:41.440 And I'm still always impressed by the - 00:11:39.760 --> 00:11:44.320 well especially at Gray's - 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:47.200 but for all the diversity and the 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:48.399 wide range of species and big animals. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:50.320 I'm really not keen on 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:52.480 advertising that but, you know, the big 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:54.399 animals that that you can see underwater 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:57.519 are just this incredible 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:59.120 aggregation of marine wildlife. When I 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:01.200 first came to Gray's, 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:02.160 the former research coordinator - 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.279 who I'd known 00:12:02.160 --> 00:12:08.240 since he was a grad student - 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:09.519 invited me to come after I had just had 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:12.160 a project looking 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:13.440 at coral reef predator-prey interactions 00:12:12.160 --> 00:12:15.519 on coral reefs 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:17.279 all around the tropics (Pacific, Indian 00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:19.200 Ocean, Atlantic) 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:21.040 and I was talking about the results he 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:22.639 was a marine biologist and 00:12:21.040 --> 00:12:24.480 and he invited me to Gray's to take a 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.320 look at all that stuff happens here. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:28.240 And the first time I get jumped in the 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:31.760 water I can see more 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:33.519 actual predation events than I could 00:12:31.760 --> 00:12:35.279 anywhere else other than the northern 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.880 Great Barrier Reef. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:39.200 Now, you know, different communities, 00:12:36.880 --> 00:12:40.560 different ecological setting, 00:12:39.200 --> 00:12:42.240 but it was like this is just down the 00:12:40.560 --> 00:12:43.839 coast from me 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:46.079 as opposed to having to fly to the other 00:12:43.839 --> 00:12:48.720 side of the world. 00:12:46.079 --> 00:12:49.680 And so Gray's just 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:51.519 continues to 00:12:49.680 --> 00:12:53.200 to amaze me when in terms of the 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:55.760 abundance 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:57.040 of animals and the the 00:12:55.760 --> 00:12:58.959 whole trophic 00:12:57.040 --> 00:13:00.800 food web is still present 00:12:58.959 --> 00:13:04.480 there. 00:13:00.800 --> 00:13:06.800 It's a great place to work! 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:07.519 That's incredible! So getting back 00:13:06.800 --> 00:13:09.279 to more 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:11.360 of the research side. How does this 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:12.959 research help inform sanctuary managers 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:15.600 about Gray's Reef? 00:13:12.959 --> 00:13:17.200 Sure. So I mean what we're doing - 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:18.880 - there's two sides to this. One is 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:20.480 real fundamental ecology: 00:13:18.880 --> 00:13:22.000 'how does the world work?', 'how do 00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:24.720 these kinds of reef systems 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:25.600 operate?'. Especially those that still have 00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:27.920 these higher 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:28.800 trophic level predators 00:13:27.920 --> 00:13:31.120 present. 00:13:28.800 --> 00:13:32.000 Because that's relatively 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:35.760 rare in 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:36.880 many places. But on the 00:13:35.760 --> 00:13:39.040 applied side, 00:13:36.880 --> 00:13:40.720 from on the manager's side - 00:13:39.040 --> 00:13:42.880 management and policy - 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:45.120 is that, you know, one of the goals is to 00:13:42.880 --> 00:13:47.360 conserve biological diversity. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:48.480 But biodiversity is not simply a list of 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:50.240 species. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:52.399 You know, as we 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:54.560 get to the smaller molecular details 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.880 it's about conserving genetic diversity, 00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:58.480 and when we get to the ecosystem details 00:13:56.880 --> 00:14:00.240 which is what this addresses 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:02.000 it gets to understanding what 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:03.120 the web of behaviors the web of 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:05.600 interactions 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:07.360 of species are within a community and 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:10.399 within an ecosystem 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:13.440 it produces a metric, 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:15.360 a goal that can be reached from the 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:16.720 management perspective. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.560 Just having that information doesn't 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:20.160 necessarily mean we're going to do that, 00:14:18.560 --> 00:14:22.079 but it allows us to understand what the 00:14:20.160 --> 00:14:25.519 choices are 00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:25.519 from a management perspective. 00:14:25.839 --> 00:14:31.519 Very interesting. Very important to 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.560 moving forward and protecting our 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:34.639 reefs and sanctuaries 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:35.760 for generations to 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:38.000 come. 00:14:35.760 --> 00:14:39.760 The last question I had for you 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:40.880 was 'what do you think is next in line 00:14:39.760 --> 00:14:42.720 for these technologies?' 00:14:40.880 --> 00:14:44.160 Any predictions for the future? 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:45.680 About 00:14:44.160 --> 00:14:47.839 what we might see in the next five to 00:14:45.680 --> 00:14:49.600 ten years? Well, I mean, what I'd like to 00:14:47.839 --> 00:14:50.480 see, you know, and everything depends on 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:53.600 money. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:56.480 Unfortunately. 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:58.079 So this work with 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.680 small VR cameras 00:14:58.079 --> 00:15:04.880 was essentially a proof-of-concept 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:08.800 kind of project. We just did this in 2018 00:15:04.880 --> 00:15:09.519 analyze the 00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:11.920 data through 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:12.800 2019. And I was hoping to get out this 00:15:11.920 --> 00:15:14.399 year, but the 00:15:12.800 --> 00:15:17.040 cruise was unfortunately 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:18.639 canceled due to the COVID 00:15:17.040 --> 00:15:20.160 issues. But what I'd like to be able to 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:21.519 do is get many be able to put 00:15:20.160 --> 00:15:24.079 out many more cameras 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:25.120 at the same time to be able to sample 00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:28.480 frequently. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:29.040 And I would hope that because of 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:32.399 their 00:15:29.040 --> 00:15:32.959 the economy of scale, we could 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:35.839 actually 00:15:32.959 --> 00:15:37.040 instrument study reefs at Gray's, like 00:15:35.839 --> 00:15:39.759 multiple reefs, 00:15:37.040 --> 00:15:41.680 and be able to either record 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:44.399 all this stuff to a buoy 00:15:41.680 --> 00:15:45.279 or broadcast it back where it can be 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:47.920 recorded and 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:49.120 reviewed. So we could get a much more 00:15:47.920 --> 00:15:51.519 continuous 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:52.320 time series, a more complete time 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.440 series 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:57.279 of species behaviors and 00:15:55.440 --> 00:16:00.000 interactions and diversity 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.720 at multiple reefs. I think 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.560 that would be - 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.000 not that I don't like diving - but 00:16:02.560 --> 00:16:05.040 I am getting older, the hair is 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.199 turning white. 00:16:05.040 --> 00:16:08.240 And maybe someday I might 00:16:07.199 --> 00:16:10.800 just 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:11.759 sit at home with 00:16:10.800 --> 00:16:14.800 a beverage 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:18.880 (this is coffee). And 00:16:14.800 --> 00:16:20.320 to do some more research. 00:16:18.880 --> 00:16:22.079 In addition to going to do the field 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:23.839 work but that would 00:16:22.079 --> 00:16:25.120 that would be ideal and I 00:16:23.839 --> 00:16:27.839 think - again - we would get 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:29.839 new insights into what those resource 00:16:27.839 --> 00:16:33.120 are that we want to protect 00:16:29.839 --> 00:16:34.560 and manage in the sanctuary. That's 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:36.560 great! Well, Peter, thank you for your time. 00:16:34.560 --> 00:16:38.320 Hang out for a little bit. 00:16:36.560 --> 00:16:40.880 I'm going to switch over to our next 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.880 presenter. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:50.160 There we go. I'd like to introduce 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.759 Joseph Glenn. 00:16:50.160 --> 00:16:53.440 Joseph Glenn is the owner of the 00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:54.240 Southern Dive Center in Statesboro, 00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:56.560 Georgia. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:58.480 He has logged over seven-hundredrecorded dives 00:16:56.560 --> 00:17:00.560 from ocean diving, 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:01.839 to technical cave diving. So lots of 00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:02.959 experience when it comes to actually 00:17:01.839 --> 00:17:04.720 getting in the water 00:17:02.959 --> 00:17:06.400 and seeing what's going on at 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:09.120 Gray's Reef. Joseph, 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:10.079 Hello, how's it going? Good. How 00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:13.439 are you Ben? 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:14.880 Doing well. Talking technology. What 00:17:13.439 --> 00:17:16.839 are the new technologies you've been 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:18.720 using at the Gray's Reef National Marine 00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:22.079 Sanctuary? 00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:24.559 So we've been using a lot of different 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:25.679 technologies that came across our board 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:28.720 and came across the 00:17:25.679 --> 00:17:31.440 basically the 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:32.000 list of things when it comes to new gear. 00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:34.480 Right now, 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:36.000 we've been using certain kind of 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:38.240 different computers. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:39.440 So the majority of what we've been using 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:42.799 are basic, 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:44.160 simple computers that now read your no 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.400 decompression limits. And 00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:47.520 even when it comes into diving, there's 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.760 so much that 00:17:47.520 --> 00:17:51.120 people just don't think about. A lot of 00:17:49.760 --> 00:17:52.400 people think that you can strap on a 00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:54.240 tank go down 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:55.760 sit the bottom of the ocean for as long 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.080 as you want until your air runs out and 00:17:55.760 --> 00:17:58.240 that's 00:17:56.080 --> 00:18:00.640 technically not true. There are things 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:02.240 that you have to take into effect: 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:05.120 No decompression limits, 'how you're going 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:07.039 to get up and down safely?'. 00:18:05.120 --> 00:18:09.200 So we've just been using basic computers 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:11.919 for that for that reason. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:13.440 As we know the depths at Gray's Reef are 00:18:11.919 --> 00:18:15.760 relatively shallow 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:18.320 for what we do. You know, it's a max 00:18:15.760 --> 00:18:20.320 depth of around sixty feet, sixty-six 00:18:18.320 --> 00:18:22.400 sixty-eight, somewhere in there. 00:18:20.320 --> 00:18:24.320 I only think I've hit one place at 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:27.760 Gray's Reef that was 00:18:24.320 --> 00:18:28.240 really over seventy feet. So Gray's Reef 00:18:27.760 --> 00:18:32.000 is 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:33.520 relatively a shallow reef in that aspect. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:37.280 Some of the main computers that we've 00:18:33.520 --> 00:18:38.880 been using are 00:18:37.280 --> 00:18:40.480 something like this. So it's a wrist 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:42.880 computer. It's actually - if you wear a 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.360 watch - it's a lot like a watch. 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:46.559 But what it does is it tracks all of the 00:18:45.360 --> 00:18:48.880 information that you need. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:50.720 What the water temperature is. What 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:52.400 the depth that you're at 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:54.480 currently. How long you've been in the 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:55.760 water. And it shows that very important 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:56.640 number of what we call a no 00:18:55.760 --> 00:18:59.679 decompression limit 00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:01.760 or an N.D.L. What an N.D.L. is 00:18:59.679 --> 00:19:03.760 is basically means of how long you can 00:19:01.760 --> 00:19:06.799 stay at that certain depth. 00:19:03.760 --> 00:19:08.160 So giving a gist of things your body is 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:10.480 taking on nitrogen when you breathe 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:13.919 compressed air at depth. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:16.720 What that basically does is 00:19:13.919 --> 00:19:17.120 on the land and on the surface it's fine, 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:19.919 but, 00:19:17.120 --> 00:19:21.440 at depth and breathing compressed gas it 00:19:19.919 --> 00:19:24.640 becomes an issue 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:26.160 so a basic simple computer will tell you 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:29.280 exactly how much 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:32.080 time you have left in certainty. And 00:19:29.280 --> 00:19:34.320 these computers range, they are 00:19:32.080 --> 00:19:35.679 big pucks like this, you've got smaller 00:19:34.320 --> 00:19:37.600 ones, 00:19:35.679 --> 00:19:39.840 there's something along like this and 00:19:37.600 --> 00:19:42.559 they all are basically wrist models. 00:19:39.840 --> 00:19:43.200 Some of them are actually can go on the 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:44.720 console 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:46.799 of like your pressure gauge. There's just 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:48.240 so many different kinds. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:49.840 We've been trying to use as many 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:50.320 computers out there as possible just to 00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:52.640 kind of 00:19:50.320 --> 00:19:54.320 see the difference between N.D.Ls and see 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:55.200 the difference of what Gray's offers when 00:19:54.320 --> 00:19:57.440 it comes to depth 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:58.480 comes to that somewhat. We've really been 00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:00.240 diving a lot - 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:01.679 in the non-research area of course - 00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:03.200 but we've been on the recreational area, 00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:03.679 we've really been trying to dive a lot 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:06.480 of 00:20:03.679 --> 00:20:07.280 many different places as we can just for 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:10.480 that reason. 00:20:07.280 --> 00:20:12.159 Finding out different ledges, 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:14.320 seeing the different animal life that's 00:20:12.159 --> 00:20:16.960 out there, 00:20:14.320 --> 00:20:17.679 just trying to get that standpoint. One 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.520 of the 00:20:17.679 --> 00:20:21.039 major new features that have kind of 00:20:19.520 --> 00:20:23.360 came out in the last couple years 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:24.960 has actually been something very simple 00:20:23.360 --> 00:20:26.720 as a tank pot. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:29.840 Now, what this does is this actually 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:33.039 connects to your first gauge on the 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:34.320 regulator and it can actually wirelessly 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:37.440 transmit 00:20:34.320 --> 00:20:38.880 your air pressure from one tank or from 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.640 your tank to the next so you don't 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:42.320 really need a pressure gauge. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:44.159 Now a lot of people including myself are 00:20:42.320 --> 00:20:45.039 a little old school, so we still use a 00:20:44.159 --> 00:20:47.440 gauge. 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:48.480 I would like to see a needle, but you 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:50.320 don't have to. 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:52.720 We've carried a lot of divers out there 00:20:50.320 --> 00:20:55.039 that have used these 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:56.559 and they love them. Again, it's just a 00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:58.000 wireless everything nowadays. It's 00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:59.679 bluetooth, 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:01.440 and this is basically what it does is it 00:20:59.679 --> 00:21:03.200 wirelessly transmits your air pressure 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:04.559 from the tank to the computer to where 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.480 you don't have to actually have a 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:09.679 pressure gauge. 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:10.480 We have seen drastic changes in the 00:21:09.679 --> 00:21:14.480 actual 00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:15.039 technology. The way that we've seen 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:17.280 changes, 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:19.120 it actually comes from something like 00:21:17.280 --> 00:21:20.480 this that we used to use. A lot of the old 00:21:19.120 --> 00:21:20.799 school divers will know exactly what 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:24.159 this 00:21:20.799 --> 00:21:24.799 is. This is basically your old school 00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:26.400 computer. 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:28.159 You had a depth gauge which showed you 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:29.840 exactly what depth you were at, 00:21:28.159 --> 00:21:31.679 and then you had a compass. That's 00:21:29.840 --> 00:21:33.280 exactly what you need out at a Gray's Reef 00:21:31.679 --> 00:21:37.120 because everything in Gray's 00:21:33.280 --> 00:21:40.400 is perfect for that area. 00:21:37.120 --> 00:21:41.520 Gray's has a lot of live bottom, it has a 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:43.120 lot of ledges, 00:21:41.520 --> 00:21:44.720 and without a compass you can actually 00:21:43.120 --> 00:21:46.400 get turned around a little bit easier at 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:47.039 Gray's Reef than you can anywhere else. Just 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.400 because 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:53.440 everything looks amazing, so it's like 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:55.039 you're kind of all over the place. 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:57.600 Especially in different spots where you 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:58.000 go. So, the technology that we use out 00:21:57.600 --> 00:21:59.520 there is 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:01.840 really mainly with the computers on the 00:21:59.520 --> 00:22:03.120 diving side of it. Obviously, with the 00:22:01.840 --> 00:22:04.480 boat side of it you know you've got 00:22:03.120 --> 00:22:07.440 radar, you've got 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:09.520 charts that we have, you have just so 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:10.799 many different things that you can 00:22:09.520 --> 00:22:13.600 take into effect, especially when it 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:15.919 comes to the technology side of it. 00:22:13.600 --> 00:22:17.840 So how long is your average dive time at 00:22:15.919 --> 00:22:20.799 Gray's Reef? 00:22:17.840 --> 00:22:22.880 So on average, we normally like to do a 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:26.159 two tank dive out at Gray's or possibly a 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:28.000 three tank dive out at Gray's. 00:22:26.159 --> 00:22:30.799 The average time out there is normally 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:30.799 anywhere between 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:36.400 thirty to forty-five minutes. Just because 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:38.400 the depth is normally shallow enough, 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:40.159 that's obviously going to 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:41.600 depend on the diver itself and the 00:22:40.159 --> 00:22:44.240 conditions that we have. 00:22:41.600 --> 00:22:44.720 Gray's Reef does have what we like to 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:47.520 call a 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:49.200 moderate to high current, or it can be. I've 00:22:47.520 --> 00:22:52.400 been out at Gray's and had 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:54.080 literally no current at all, and I've 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:55.840 been out at Gray's where it was so nice 00:22:54.080 --> 00:22:58.000 and peaceful and then you drop below thirty 00:22:55.840 --> 00:23:00.880 feet and it's almost like a hurricane. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:01.679 So it varies greatly, so it really 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:04.159 depends on 00:23:01.679 --> 00:23:05.600 the diver itself. I can average 00:23:04.159 --> 00:23:08.559 anywhere between 00:23:05.600 --> 00:23:09.039 forty-five minutes to an hour out at Gray's, and 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:10.720 then 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:12.320 just say a new diver can stay out there 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:13.679 for twenty to thirty minutes. 00:23:12.320 --> 00:23:15.600 So it just kind of depends on where 00:23:13.679 --> 00:23:18.000 you're at, what the depth is, and what the 00:23:15.600 --> 00:23:20.159 conditions are, really. 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:21.840 So with that dive time and 00:23:20.159 --> 00:23:23.039 some challenges at Gray's Reef, how is 00:23:21.840 --> 00:23:24.960 this technology 00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:26.720 helping make the most of people's trips 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:29.679 out to Gray's? 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:30.640 With air integrated computers and 00:23:29.679 --> 00:23:33.360 things like that. How 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:34.640 can that help improve a trip out to 00:23:33.360 --> 00:23:36.400 Gray's Reef? 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:37.919 It definitely helps just by 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:39.360 understanding your air pressure, 00:23:37.919 --> 00:23:41.120 it definitely helps by understanding 00:23:39.360 --> 00:23:42.400 where you're at in the water. What 00:23:41.120 --> 00:23:44.559 we mean by that is 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:46.559 in the water column, Gray's Reef's 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:49.600 visibility is not as great as what 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:50.080 we all hoped it would be, but it is very 00:23:49.600 --> 00:23:52.159 good. 00:23:50.080 --> 00:23:54.000 It is kind of like a hidden gem off 00:23:52.159 --> 00:23:57.120 of our coast that 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:58.000 is just so full of 00:23:57.120 --> 00:24:00.240 interaction. 00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:00.240 --- 00:24:01.600 --> 00:24:05.520 The biggest thing that we see that 00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:07.600 normal people, especially students, 00:24:05.520 --> 00:24:08.720 what we like to use is I want 00:24:07.600 --> 00:24:10.320 to know where you are in the water 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:11.600 column. I want to know because once you 00:24:10.320 --> 00:24:12.320 get off of the bottom and you head to 00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:13.840 the surface, 00:24:12.320 --> 00:24:16.320 you literally can only see nothing but 00:24:13.840 --> 00:24:16.960 blue. So there's no real way into 00:24:16.320 --> 00:24:19.200 tracking 00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:20.400 of where you are in the water. So what I 00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:21.120 mean by that is where you are in the 00:24:20.400 --> 00:24:23.039 water column. 00:24:21.120 --> 00:24:24.159 Where you are, what depth you're at, 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:27.120 doing a safety stop. 00:24:24.159 --> 00:24:28.080 You have to do a safety stop at 00:24:27.120 --> 00:24:31.600 certain 00:24:28.080 --> 00:24:32.640 depths that are greater, and Gray's Reef 00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:34.000 is definitely one of those that you want 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:35.679 to do a safety stop on. All the 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:36.960 safety stop is, is just you have to stop 00:24:35.679 --> 00:24:39.440 at twn to twenty feet 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:40.799 for around three to five minutes. Having a 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:43.600 computer that tells you that 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:44.960 is huge. It basically will beep at you 00:24:43.600 --> 00:24:47.039 and tell you that 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:48.559 you need to stop for three minutes, 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:49.360 three to five minutes, at fifteen to 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:52.159 twenty, 00:24:49.360 --> 00:24:53.840 ten to twenty feet. Having that 00:24:52.159 --> 00:24:56.480 technology that does that 00:24:53.840 --> 00:24:57.840 greatly reduces any risk that you have of 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:59.840 decompression sickness, 00:24:57.840 --> 00:25:00.960 or lung expansion injuries, or anything 00:24:59.840 --> 00:25:02.559 like that. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:06.080 The technology that we use out there is 00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:06.080 greatly helping out with the safety side for sure. 00:25:06.320 --> 00:25:10.159 Well that's good to hear that people are 00:25:07.840 --> 00:25:11.840 much more safe. I assume that the new 00:25:10.159 --> 00:25:12.400 technologies, as great as they can be, 00:25:11.840 --> 00:25:14.320 don't 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:15.520 replace good training and that's 00:25:14.320 --> 00:25:18.320 still important, right? 00:25:15.520 --> 00:25:19.840 Absolutely the training, you can have 00:25:18.320 --> 00:25:21.279 all the greatest, 00:25:19.840 --> 00:25:22.799 you can look like a Christmas tree out on the 00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:23.039 boat all you want, but it doesn't matter. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:24.559 --- 00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:27.279 Once you get in the water, that's where you 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:29.840 prove that 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:31.440 you are the diver that you say, and 00:25:29.840 --> 00:25:34.640 where your training came from. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:36.480 You can clearly tell. All right, 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:37.919 one last question I had. What do you 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:39.520 think is next for 00:25:37.919 --> 00:25:41.279 diving technologies and these sorts of 00:25:39.520 --> 00:25:42.400 things? Any predictions for the 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:45.120 future? 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:46.400 Really, with the manufacturers, the 00:25:45.120 --> 00:25:49.600 sky is the limit. There's 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:51.600 no telling what they have. I would not 00:25:49.600 --> 00:25:53.360 be surprised if you see 00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:56.480 a little bit more on the air integrated 00:25:53.360 --> 00:25:59.279 side, maybe a smaller tank pod or 00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:59.600 multiple tank pods, you can actually see 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:02.400 -- 00:25:59.600 --> 00:26:04.080 scooters, you can see different types 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:06.559 of B.C.Ds that are coming up. 00:26:04.080 --> 00:26:07.840 Just a lot easier but everything's 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:08.799 kind of really going through the safety 00:26:07.840 --> 00:26:10.640 side of it. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:12.000 Now obviously with COVID-19, things 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:12.559 are kind of slowing down a little bit 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:16.159 with that, 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:17.039 but I do see a lot of expansion 00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:20.880 in the actual gear aspect of it, 00:26:19.360 --> 00:26:21.279 especially when you get into the boat 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:22.640 side. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:24.559 You get into the boat side and you're 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:25.120 getting into new radar, new nautical 00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:28.159 charts, 00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:29.840 new depth finders, new gauges, 00:26:28.159 --> 00:26:33.120 new sonar, 00:26:29.840 --> 00:26:34.880 literally the sky's the limit. Well it's 00:26:33.120 --> 00:26:35.440 exciting, it's exciting times to go out 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:37.360 and 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:38.799 get to dive, to get to start diving at 00:26:37.360 --> 00:26:42.400 Gray's Reef. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:44.720 Absolutely. It is definitely a hidden gem, 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:45.600 Gray's Reef. We're running charters 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:47.279 out there 00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:49.200 every weekend just about and 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:52.480 everybody wants to go to Gray's. 00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:55.279 It is definitely a hidden gem right off 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:55.279 of our back door. 00:26:55.600 --> 00:26:58.640 Well Joseph, thank you for that. I'm going 00:26:57.679 --> 00:27:02.000 to bring 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:06.799 Peter back in just to sign off, 00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:08.559 once we get him on. 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:10.159 There we are. All right gentlemen, I want 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:11.600 to thank you very much for talking tech 00:27:10.159 --> 00:27:13.840 at Gray's Reef. 00:27:11.600 --> 00:27:14.799 For those audience members out there, 00:27:13.840 --> 00:27:18.840 if you're interested 00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:21.279 in learning more you can visit us at 00:27:18.840 --> 00:27:24.159 graysreef.noaa.gov. 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:25.919 You can read more about Peter's work, you 00:27:24.159 --> 00:27:29.120 can read more about Joseph Glenn's 00:27:25.919 --> 00:27:32.799 diving, you can also follow us on Twitter 00:27:29.120 --> 00:27:35.200 @GraysReefNMS, or we have a Facebook 00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:37.200 page as well at GraysReefSanctuary. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:38.799 So with that, I wanted to encourage 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:40.159 everyone when you have a chance to get 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:42.799 into your sanctuary 00:27:40.159 --> 00:27:44.159 either virtually or actually going 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:46.240 out fishing and diving 00:27:44.159 --> 00:27:48.320 and enjoy the wonders of our 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:52.399 protected oceans around the country. 00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:52.399 Joseph, Peter, any last words? 00:27:53.360 --> 00:28:03.840 Thank you for your interest. Thank you 00:27:55.600 --> 00:28:03.840 very much. 00:28:05.679 --> 00:28:07.760 [END]