The Ship and Sub

The Finding Coral Expedition used two Deep Worker manned submersibles designed by Nuytco Research of North Vancouver, B.C. The Deep Worker subs’ gave the science team the mobility to explore freely around the dive sites, and the subs’ clear field of vision allowed the pilots to pinpoint coral forest locations, see close up which coral species were most abundant, and observe how corals support thriving ecosystems teeming with life.

One member of the science team compared piloting the sub to flying a bumper car – just as easy to use and just as tough, only much more fun.

The scientists used the subs’ hydraulic manipulators, with a reach of 1.5 meters, to gather coral samples for verification by taxonomic experts. Living Oceans Society mounted the expedition in part to obtain high resolution video and the Deep Workers proved to be an excellent camera platform. The subs were equipped with high definition video cameras that recorded all the dives, capturing the visual evidence of coral forests as well as the extensive trawl door ruts observed at several dive sites. At Mid-Moresby Trough in Hecate Strait one scientist said: “It looks like the sea floor has been ploughed.”

The high definition video obtained from the dives will support Living Oceans Society’s efforts to get the Canadian Government to protect B.C.’s deep sea corals.

Prepping subs for deployment in Robson Bight in 2007. The Deep Worker debuted in 1997 and can dive to depths of 600 meters.	A Deep Worker is hoisted from Robson Bight. The mini sub s have been used by NASA, National Geographic, the BBC, BC Hydro, the Canadian Coast Guard,  and the B.C. Ministry of the Environment.
The Cape Flattery was built in 1990 as part of a fleet of U.S. Navy vessels used for retrieving tested missiles. When half of the fleet was sold, the Cape Flattery was purchased by the Alaska Native Corporation. Her home port is Anchorage, Alaska, but she spends much of her down time on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington.	The vessel's boom crane will be used to launch and recover the mini subs.  The overall vessel length is 186 feet.
Inside the bridge of the Cape Flattery. The ship's captain is Steve Wruzysky.	The former torpedo bay (with yellow skirting) on the lower deck.