Drop Off
We got to the site at low tide. Looking over the side of the boat, it looked like we could hit a coral any second. I knew it was partially an effect of the crystal-clarity of the water, but still, it was a bit nerve-wracking. When we deployed our panels at Drop Off, we had done so at high tide, but the semidiurnal tidal schedule had shifted in the intervening time to make the water level much lower when we returned.
"Honestly, we could just snorkel," Hanny said. No need to haul out our dive gear when a mere 4 feet of water separated the surface from the sand. We pulled on our masks and fins and slid over the side of the boat. Splash!
The terra cotta tiles we had deployed to catch settling coral juveniles were right where we had left them, and we recovered them with ease. We held our breath to pull the steel rods out of the sediment and loosen the tiles from their clamps. Holding the panels tight, we paddled back to the boat and placed them in water-filled containers for transit. It was very exciting to get them back!
For our next task, we collected tissue samples from small juvenile corals that we found on the reef. We had started collecting samples during our deployment dives earlier in this trip, but we needed more individuals to reach our sampling goals. With the water level so low, it was again pointless to drag out our SCUBA gear, so we swam with just masks and fins. The juveniles were easy to spot from the surface, but then we discovered the catch: sitting in 4 feet of water, the juvenile corals were just out of reach as we floated on the surface. We wanted to chip away tiny pieces of tissue with a screwdriver acting as a chisel, but we couldn't reach the colonies with our hands. We would have to free dive.
Hanny was eager to try. "I'll do it!" she proclaimed and handed me the bundle of sample bags. In one motion, she filled her lungs with air, dove headfirst to the seafloor, floated over to the colony, chipped off a piece, grabbed it in one hand, and kicked her way back to the surface. I watched the whole thing with my face underwater, and I was impressed. I held the sample bag open to receive the coral chip, and we moved on to the next sample.
With our tiles safely recovered and our juvenile chips in their bags, we checked the time and realized we had an extra hour. Now, what are two scientists with full SCUBA tanks and spare time at a beautiful coral reef site going to do? Go for a fun dive, of course!
Drop Off is aptly named because the seafloor drops off. All of our sampling had been in the shallow portion, but we were only a few feet away from the sheer cliff that gives the site its name. With tanks on our backs and regulators in our mouths, we swam over the edge into the void. We descended down the wall to about 50 feet below the surface. And it was gorgeous.
The wall was covered in branching and massive corals. Large, colorful sea fans extended out from the wall like porous paddles, and small fish swam here and there. It was a beautiful dive, and I'm really glad we got to experience the site!
It was a successful day of sampling at Drop Off!
"Honestly, we could just snorkel," Hanny said. No need to haul out our dive gear when a mere 4 feet of water separated the surface from the sand. We pulled on our masks and fins and slid over the side of the boat. Splash!
The terra cotta tiles we had deployed to catch settling coral juveniles were right where we had left them, and we recovered them with ease. We held our breath to pull the steel rods out of the sediment and loosen the tiles from their clamps. Holding the panels tight, we paddled back to the boat and placed them in water-filled containers for transit. It was very exciting to get them back!
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| Hanny free diving for a coral sample |
Hanny was eager to try. "I'll do it!" she proclaimed and handed me the bundle of sample bags. In one motion, she filled her lungs with air, dove headfirst to the seafloor, floated over to the colony, chipped off a piece, grabbed it in one hand, and kicked her way back to the surface. I watched the whole thing with my face underwater, and I was impressed. I held the sample bag open to receive the coral chip, and we moved on to the next sample.
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| With a cool sea star on the Drop Off wall. Photo by Hanny Rivera. |
Drop Off is aptly named because the seafloor drops off. All of our sampling had been in the shallow portion, but we were only a few feet away from the sheer cliff that gives the site its name. With tanks on our backs and regulators in our mouths, we swam over the edge into the void. We descended down the wall to about 50 feet below the surface. And it was gorgeous.
The wall was covered in branching and massive corals. Large, colorful sea fans extended out from the wall like porous paddles, and small fish swam here and there. It was a beautiful dive, and I'm really glad we got to experience the site!
It was a successful day of sampling at Drop Off!
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