We only got out of the water a short while ago, and our team is in the thick of the post-dive inspection. But nearly right away, they will be starting their pre-dive routine, and we will be back in the water just a short distance from our last location. Starting at 12 pm PST, we will be diving on Catalina Basin, about 1310m deep, and expected to be the home of a thick bed of glass sponges.
Then we will work our way up Catalina Canyon, zigzagging back and forth as we ascend its steep slope. We expect that this region will consist of solid rock, providing excellent substrate for a variety of creatures. Additionally, we may see evidence of ancient shorelines as we work our way through the canyon, giving us a glimpse of Catalina Island through the ages, and helping us to understand where Catalina is rising or sinking overall. As we explore this region, we will also be examining the fault structure where we come across it, helping us to better understand the tectonic forces in play throughout this region. The dive should last about 12 hours.
As always, I will be on watch from 8-12; so I will be in the control van for the last third of the dive, as we near the surface. I expect that this will be one of the most exciting portions of the dive, as we tend to see a greater abundance of creatures as we creep nearer and nearer to the surface. Please join us at www.nautiluslive.org and send us your questions!
By the way, if you have not chimed in on the Pedro vs. Diego debate, please visit my blog post on the matter, and cast your vote! You only have a few more days to weigh in, and help me to decide who is going to feel the pressure! Remember to use the hashtags #PedrovDiego and #NautilusLive when you share your opinion through social media! You can add your voice through GSCCC's Facebook page, where there is a link to the blog post and some more information.
The above is part of a multi-part series to run over the next week and a half. Melissa Baffa, Vice President of Program and Volunteer Services for GSCCC, is part of the Corps of Exploration again this year, exploring the deep sea aboard the E/V Nautilus. This blog series chronicles her dive into the Unknown.
Want to catch up on what happened last season?
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Want to go on an adventure with me? Skip to the next blog post by clicking here.
Want to catch up on this year's adventure so far? Go back to first blog post for this season.
Want to catch up on what happened last season?
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