The end of telepresence week

The team in Scituate, MA

The end of a project is always jarring. After working closely with a group of people for weeks on end, it feels weird to suddenly be without them. It's like being sucked instantly into a vacuum - both surreal and sad.

Telepresence week concluded yesterday in the most fitting way possible - with a rainstorm. We had made countless adjustments to the plan for this project over the summer, mostly driven by the pandemic, so when it started raining, I couldn't help but laugh. Even at the last moment, nature had to throw us just one more curve ball. We moved all the cameras and electronics under tents to keep them dry, pulled out our jackets, and pressed on.

The team at the Inner Space Center

As soon as the last rainy broadcast concluded, we had a toast with the team and then began disassembling our equipment - "striking the set," to use a theater term. It took about an hour to pack everything into boxes and trucks, and when the boathouse was empty, we all looked at one another as if to ask "What now?"

The Stellwagen Telepresence Project may be concluding, but the team is not breaking up. Over the past two years, we've established a collaboration between WHOI and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary that is mutually beneficial. We'll keep working together as long as there is funding to do so - there are so many more shipwrecks in the sanctuary to explore!

In case you missed our live broadcasts this week, you can find them on YouTube. I'm embedding my favorite program (Tuesday 2:30 pm, when we got to show live ROV video from inside the Portland) and posting links to the other programs below.

Tuesday 11:30 am program with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItmlSdIBfTs

Tuesday 6:30 pm program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc6Zm-kjBw0

Wednesday 11:30 am program with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aknrOv7Nk8E

Wednesday 2:30 pm program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jMMjNV1AK4

Wednesday 6:30 pm program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=II0Ld7YJfNk

Thursday 11:30 am program with Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUG0_KrbsRM

Thursday 2:30 pm program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RnkD8l2nac