Update: The Hunt for the Missing GoPro

Hi peeps!

So in the last post I talked about how in the process of testing a method for 3D mapping the underwater environment, we lost me GoPro. Well In the days following that little misadventure, there were two different attempts to find it. Both were trips came up empty. We assumed the current or a lucky Scuba diver had taken my camera and I’d even started researching the cost of a replacement. Fast forward to today.

We decided to go back to the same site. We were there because my ROV is going to be used in a study of fish abundance on a reef accessible from that site. We’d been having a slight problem though, we couldn’t find the reef…

We’d planned to do a more thorough search for the reef today. In addition to the ROV, I was going to go snorkel the area and search for the reef. I also wanted to make one final attempt at finding my lost GoPro. So while Mitch and Jesse got more practice on the ROV, I started my search. I found the area where we’d spotted the GoPro the previous weekend and I searched high and low, in among rocks, all over the place and drew the obvious conclusion that it was gone. I then turned to helping the ROV find this disappearing reef. I swam out in the direction I’d been described, and while I saw some beautiful fish in among the Dolos wall, I didn’t find a reef. I decided the last part of the attempt would be to swim the ROV out as far as it could go in the direction I’d just been swimming so see how far it could search.

So I swam back to the entry point where Mitch was sitting. Now there was a bit of surge today and the entry point is a bit rocky, so I was cautious about getting tossed on something sharp. Close to shore now and I suddenly found the water pushing me forward and I almost went face first into some rocks on the seafloor ahead of me. I put my hands out to steady myself, and as my face came close to these rocks, I saw into a gap between them and thought, “you gotta be s***ting me” and sure enough nestled down in between these two rocks sat my GoPro!. I quickly reached in and grabbed it before making my way up to the steps.

After a whole week, The GoPro had survived intact and still working. I’m yet to analyse the video.

On a side note, after talking to some locals, it looks like the reef may be too far for the ROV to reach it on the 25m tether I have. So we’re going to investigate other options

Stay tuned next week when the Ocean Research crew will hopefully be tagging a great white. I actually have to check with the boss as to whether I’m allowed to saw any more about that though…

Cheers

Tomasz