Plastics, Toxicity, and Our Ocean

This weekend, the Living Oceans Society will be a part of the Living Green initiative at the Vancouver Island MusicFest in Courtenay. A large part of this years' Living Green efforts have been centered around the issue of plastic and waste reduction.

Along with many other green initiatives, this year's festival offers: comprehensive sorting, composting and recycling of all site waste; a “Vancouver Island Tap Water” initiative to dramatically reduce plastic water bottle use; new plastics-free policies for food vendors (phase 1); introduction of ‘litterless lunches’ for the volunteer kitchen; and replacement of all kitchen plastics with paper and bio-degradable alternatives.

Plastics don't just end up in our landfills. They also end up in our animals, our bodies, and, yes, our oceans. Watch the video below to see Captain Charles Moore give a TED talk about plastic and its impact on the ecosystem.



Captain Moore doesn't offer any solutions for the damage that has already been done. Now, according to Moore, we can only adjust our current practices before things get any worse. One of the most common suggestions that I have heard from many people advocating environmental protection or healthy living is for us to make more thoughtful everyday choices.

Sometimes, this seemingly simple suggestion is easier said than done. I'll admit that in a few weak or lazy moments, I have chosen the easiest or cheapest option, instead of the most environmentally sustainable. It is certainly not something that I am proud of; and unfortunately I am not the only person on earth who is guilty of poor choices. So where does this leave us?

Maybe, as a society we need a bit of a push to make us change our ways. What if the path toward positive change were to shift and become less towards individual choice and more towards encouraging community leaders, businesses, and governments to make healthy choices the only option?

Want to read more about plastics and toxicity? Check out today's Globe and Mail article, or last week's op-ed in the New York Times.

Finding Coral Expedition Wraps Up

The Finding Coral Expedition has now concluded. So, after all the effort and excitement, at the end of it all, did the members of the FCE team really "find coral" as they had intended?

Did they ever. The Finding Coral Expedition documented over 14 species of coral, ranging from small orange cup corals to metre-high red tree corals.

And while the Finding Coral Expedition has officially come to an end, the work has really only just begun. Over the next few months, the expedition scientists will be examining the samples, studying the underwater video footage, and documenting their findings. The Living Oceans Society's conservation strategy and community education efforts will then be based upon the scientists' research and conclusions.

Here is the last video from the ship. Mark and Tavi, your work speaks for itself: amazing. Thank you for the incredible videos that allowed me to live vicariously through my colleagues over the past couple of weeks.




Also, a special thanks to my fellow bloggers for posting about our expedition along the way: Ava at the Reef Tank, the folks at Oceana, Greg Laden, Jeff at Frag'd it, Mark Powell at Blogfish, the Deep-Sea News team, MCBI, and Rick at Malaria, Bedbugs, Sea Lice, and Sunsets. I'm sorry if I've left anyone off this list that has written about the FCE as well.

Bottom Trawling

Dr. Lance Morgan talks about bottom trawling:

Day 10 - Deep Sea Coral

The Finding Coral Expedition is coming to a close early this week. Thankfully the expedition did indeed "find coral" as we can see in the most recent video clip:

Day 9 - The Search

Day 6 - The Vision

These videos just get better and better. In this video, Jennifer talks a little bit about PNCIMA and the vision of Integrated Management for BC's coast.

Day 4 - Fathoms Below

We found coral! Check out this video from Day 4 of the Finding Coral Expedition. I love seeing the videos from the deep worker, and I can't wait to see the next video from the FCE team.

Day Three - Into the Deep

Day 2 - Testing the Subs

I'm a little behind with posting the Finding Coral Videos, so here is the footage from Day 2. This is the day that the LOS Sointula staff was able to come aboard the Cape Flattery while the FCE dive team stopped in Mitchell Bay to do some test dives.

As I watched Jennifer get lowered into the water, I was amazed by the amount of manpower it takes to launch one of these subs. From the crane operator to the men on the main deck giving the submersibles a final once-over and lowering them to the ocean floor: the Cape Flattery was a flurry of activity, with everyone in charge of a specific task. In spite of the minor annoyance my presence (as an untrained observer, just gawking and getting in the way) likely created, everyone on the ship was very welcoming and gracious as they bustled around my colleagues and me, trying to get the test dives underway.

While watching the first test dives, it became very clear that in addition to the LOS FCE staff, the science team, and the Cape Flattery crew, the behind-the-scenes Nuytco crew is so integral to the successful operation of this expedition.

Finding Coral - Getting Started

Here is a video from Day 1 of the Finding Coral Expedition. The Cape Flattery launched in West Vancouver on June 8. Hours away on Malcolm Island, our office buzzed with the excitement of the launch of this important expedition. Good luck everyone, and keep the great footage coming!

Clean Up Starts in Robson Bight

Footage of the wreckage in Robson Bight

The Robson Bight clean up effort to recover a fully laden fuel truck and a container of hydraulic oil barrels starts this month, almost two years after a barge tipped 11 pieces of equipment in this important ecological reserve. The equipment that spilled into the water contained an estimated 19,000 litres of petroleum.

It is unfortunate that only select pieces of equipment will be recovered: "the provincial and federal governments have decided, mainly because of cost, that the rest of the equipment, including vehicles, log loaders, a grappleyarder, bulldozer and ambulance, will be left on the bottom of the ocean."1

The federal and provincial government are sharing the costs of the clean up operation, which is estimated at about $2.5 million.

Margaret Wertheim gives a TED talk

If you have not yet heard about this phenomenon, I would suggest that you check out this video. Margaret Wertheim and her sister model coral reefs using crochet hooks and hyperbolic geometry. This is just too cool to keep to myself!

"Snowflakes, fractals, the patterns on a leaf -- there's beauty to be found at the intersection of nature and physics, beauty and math. Science writer Margaret Wertheim (along with her twin sister, Christine) founded the Institute for Figuring to advance the aesthetic appreciation of scientific concepts, from the natural physics of snowflakes and fractals to human constructs such as Islamic mosaics, string figures and weaving.

The IFF's latest project is perhaps its most beguilingly strange -- a coral reef constructed entirely by crochet hook, a project that takes advantage of the happy congruence between the mathematical phenomena modeled perfectly by the creatures of the reef, and repetitive tasks such as crocheting -- which, as it turns out, is perfectly adapted to model hyperbolic space. It is easy to sink into the kaleidoscopic, dripping beauty of the yarn-modeled reef, but the aim of the reef project is twofold: to draw attention to distressed coral reefs around the world, dying in droves from changing ocean saline levels, overfishing, and a myriad of threats; and to display a flavor of math that was previously almost impossible to picture. By modeling these complex equations in physical space, this technique can help mathematicians see patterns and make breakthroughs.

Wertheim is now working on a book about maverick scientist James Carter."1

World Oceans Day

Come and celebrate with the Living Oceans Society in the lead-up to World Oceans Day.

On Saturday, May 30 at 3:00 pm, bring your whole family to the Pioneer Theatre in Port McNeill for a free matinee screening of Once Upon a Tide and the BBC's Deep Blue.

Then, on Saturday, June 6, stop by the Fire Hall in Sointula for our World Oceans Festival from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. At the festival, we will have games, an art station, educational activities, and even a free seafood chowder lunch. As an added treat, our friends from the Go Wild Kayak Expedition will stop by to show us some pictures and to talk about their trip!

Both of these events are free, and everyone is welcome to attend. If you are not able to make it to the North Island area, check out the official World Oceans Day website to find an event near you!

Underwater Volcano Erupts in South Pacific

Check out this video:



Last week, an underwater volcano erupted close to the Tonga coast, in the South Pacific ocean. This is just another one of Mother Nature's wonders that I thought I would share!

Healthy Oceans

Once in a Lifetime!

It was just passed 7am this morning when I started to hear calls from pacific white-sided dolphins on our hydrophone right here in Taylor Bight. It sounded like a lot of dolphins and they seemed to be getting closer and closer. The sun was not about to rise for another hour but because of the clear sky there was already enough daylight to perhaps see them.

It is rather unusual for the dolphins to come close into our bay especially in large numbers, so I was pretty excited to go and see them. Just as I was about to open the door to go outside I heard what I thought were faint transient Orca calls among the now close dolphin chatter. Intuitive I grabbed the video camera instead of binoculars not knowing that I was about to witness something extremely extraordinary.

As I walked towards our viewing platform I saw a group of dolphins deep in the east corner of Taylor Bight. They were swimming very fast either hunting fish or running away from potential danger. A few moments later I reached the platform and immediately heard an Orca blow to the west. There were the transients, four of them, two females and two juveniles traveling very slowly and staying close to shore. They were not following the big group of dolphins instead they stayed in the same area going in big circles remaining so very close to the rocky shoreline. It took me a few minutes to understand what was going on as the whales disappeared behind exposed rocks due to the low tide. They were pacing, waiting. But what was it that they were waiting for?

In order to find out I had to go back towards the house as the whales were right close to the beach on the west side. Of course Neekas, our dog, was with me, and in anticipation on what I was to see I locked her in the house. Then I slowly walked to the beach on the west side. The four transients were swimming right close to edge of the rocky beach in only about 10feet of water and just a few meters away from them barely above the tideline on the rocks was the reason why they were there. A young juvenile dolphin. The poor thing most likely beached itself while it was chased by the whales. It was still alive, its tail still touching the waters edge. I did not go close instead I stayed in the forest and filmed the event from a distance. The last thing I wanted to do is interfere.



My emotions were divided, on the one hand there were these beautiful transient Orcas close to my house and on the hand there was this small dolphin scared to the bone and facing death. The tide was still ebbing so it would be at least another two hours before the water would be high enough for the whales to perhaps grab the dolphin. They continued to stay close to the beach, taking turns on who would patrol close by the dolphin. They were clearly excited, especially the juveniles as they spy-hopped and rolled over each other numerous times. I did not get the feeling that my presence disturbed them, after all they continued to patrol the beach for another hour. At least one of the whales was always in eye contact with the beached dolphin and sometimes they would create waves with their tail flukes hoping the waves would pull the dolphin off the beach. To witness their strategic patrol was just amazing! But then, just after the tide turned towards a flood the whales suddenly disappeared. I thought they just a took long dive and would continue their patrol but minutes later I saw the whole group heading out of Taylor Bight. To be sure I waited another 10minutes but they never came back. I saw them one more time as they surfaced close to the east end of Taylor Bight, following the big group of dolphins perhaps.

Now I was left with a young dolphin on the beach that so urgently needed to be back in its element in order to have a second chance. I put on my drysuit and slowly approached the dolphin. I could see a few deep scratches it was bleeding from, most likely from barnacles on the rocks. The water was rising fast now, the rear end of the dolphin already submerged. So I gently lifted its body to get it back in the water. I turned its head towards the open water and held it. I waited for the dolphin to start swimming out of my hands and after a its breathing calmed down from the stress it did just that. A few shallow dives and then a long one and off it went. I heard myself screaming “You go girl!” I saw it a few more times surfacing before it was out of my sight. Of course it is hard to say what its survival chances are, the sooner it finds its pod again the higher the chances will be... This was truly an experience of a lifetime and one that I (Hermann) will never forget in my life! I later figured out that the transients where the T59s.

About the Author: Hermann Meuter is one of the founders of the North Coast Cetacean Society, a charitable organization dedicated to the research and protection of whales in BC coastal waters. Click to visit the Cetacealab and Hermann's blog.

The Coolest Deep Sea Fish Ever...

... according to me.

Just when I think that the ocean can't amaze me any more than it already has, it goes and does it again:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MBARIvideo

Check out this video made by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.


This deep sea fish, called the barreleye, or macropina microstoma, "has extremely light-sensitive eyes that can rotate within a transparent, fluid-filled shield on its head. The fish's tubular eyes are capped by bright green lenses. The eyes point upward [...] when the fish is looking for food overhead. They point forward when the fish is feeding. The two spots above the fish's mouth are olfactory organs called nares, which are analogous to human nostrils." 1

Fossils

A fossil found on a highway construction site near Courtenay has been identified as an 80-million year old ancestor of the current-day vampryoteuthis, better known as the Vampire Squid. This recently-discovered specimen, now known as nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi, garnered the attention of marine fossil experts around the world, including Dr. Kazushige Tanabe at the University of Tokyo in Japan.

Rick Ross, the Comox man who discovered the fossil and co-wrote a paper about it with Dr. Tanabe, will be giving a lecture tomorrow night (February 19) at the Courtenay Museum at 7 pm. If you're in the neighbourhood, you should check it out!

Read more about the fossil here. And check out this BBC clip of the modern-day Vampire Squid:

Sounds of the Sea

When I am reveling in peace and quiet on a boat in the middle of the ocean on a calm day, or alone on a strip of beach, it is easy to forget how loud the ocean actually is. The other day, I stumbled upon a pretty neat educational tool that I thought I would share: the University of Rhode Island's Audio Gallery for Discovery of Sound in the Sea. Just click on the species of your choice, and prepare to be amazed.

Google Ocean

Sylvia Earle introduces Google Ocean

Google has done it again. Yesterday, Google launched its most recent iteration of the popular global mapping software, Google Earth 5.0, generating much excitement and media attention. The biggest buzz is around the addition of the Google Ocean feature to this incredible educational resource. I could go on about the myriad of features that Google Ocean offers (for free!) through its 20 layers of ocean information, but why not take some time to explore the 3D ocean terrain, the marine life, the shipwrecks, the historical imagery, and all of the other features of our diverse ocean yourself?

If you're pressed for time or imagination, I would suggest that you at least check out this two-minute video, in which the folks at BBC give you their own whirlwind tour of this upgraded software. It's well worth the watch, and it may inspire you for further exploration on your own!

Have you already explored the new Google Ocean? Tell us your favorite features in the comments section of this post!


To read about John Davis, a Canadian who contributed to the content of Google Ocean, click here.