Global Adventures, LLC

Turtles: Soon an endangered species?

Bernd — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:58:32 +0000

Washington, DC (Global Adventures): Scientists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have proposed to re-classify the loggerhead sea turtle’s designation from “threatened” to the more critical “endangered” category. Environmental groups say that the proposal could be a turning point leading to greater protection.

“Following a thorough assessment of the global loggerhead populations it was clear the nine populations were distinct,” said Eric Schwaab, assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “Our joint analysis of the nine loggerhead [distinct population segments] DPSs also lead us to the finding that two of these populations should be proposed for listing as threatened, while the other seven should be proposed for listing as endangered.”

Adult loggerhead sea turtles weigh from 170 pounds (77 kg) to 350 pounds (159 kg) and measure 31 inches (79 cm) to 45 inches (114 cm). The greatest concentration of loggerheads is along the southeastern coast of North America and in the Gulf of Mexico, but they are common throughout the temperate and tropical zones around the globe.

NOAA hopes that the endangered declaration will convince governments to designate critical habitats for the turtles and convince the fishing industry to install devices in their nets that allow the animals to escape. In the late 1990s, scientists thought that the turtles are on a path to recovery; however, nesting has declined by more than 50 percent in the past decade.

The endangered species measure now goes through a public comment stage and could be in force by summer of 2011.

Photo: NOAA/Fondazione Cetacea

$1.1 Million Robot lost at Sea

Bernd — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:55:26 +0000

Falmouth (Global Adventures): A $1.1 Million remotely controlled deep-sea robot was lost at sea off the coast of Chile, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) said in a press release. Scientists believe that the 15-year-old Autonomous Benthic Explorer (ABE) may have suffered a catastrophic implosion. The vehicle was on its 222nd research dive at a depth of 1.86 miles (3,000 meters) when all communication with the surface vessel abruptly ceased. All efforts to reestablish contact failed.

The robot could survey wide swaths of undersea territory on dives lasting up to a day. “After a smooth launch, the dive began normally,” scientists and engineers on the ABE team reported. “ABE actively homed to its assigned position, reached the seafloor, released its descent weights, and then leveled off to check its ballast. After this point, we received no more acoustic returns from the vehicle.”

Enhanced over the years with multibeam sonar, Doppler navigation, and an anchoring system, which were funded by NOAA, ABE was pre-programmed to maintain a designated course but had enough decision-making capacity to avoid collisions with seafloor terrain. The robot was the first autonomous vehicle to make detailed maps of mid-ocean ridges and to locate hydrothermal vents.

ABE explored seamounts, undersea volcanoes, and other areas with harsh, rugged terrain and was used by scientist from Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Italy, Ecuador, and most recently Chile. The loss was not related to the seismic activity in Chile, WHOI said.

Photo: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)

Google Maps add Bike Routes

Mike — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:50:46 +0000

Menlo Park (Global Adventures): Cyclists in 150 cities in the US can now use Google maps to plane their routes. The new feature introduced by Google gives step-by-step directions. Bike-friendly roads, trails and bike lanes show up as a new layer and are outlined directly on the map. Users can simply enter a starting point, choose a destination, and then select “Bicycling” from the drop-down menu.

Google says that the new feature has been the most requested addition to Google maps. An organization called Google Maps Bike There collected more than 50,000 signatures to endorse the addition of bicycle routes. “This new tool will open people’s eyes to the possibility and practicality of hopping on a bike and riding,” says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “We know people want to ride more, we know it’s good for people and communities when they do ride more – this makes it possible. It is a game-changer, especially for those short trips that are the most polluting.”

Much of the data comes from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Cyclist will appreciate that Google developed an algorithm that estimates travel times and factors in changes in elevation and even fatigue. In standard mode, the planner avoids steep climbs. Another useful feature allows cyclist to find locations where they can take a break or find repair shops along the route.

“Streets are not just for cars,” said Jim Lecinski, managing director for Google in the U.S. “This is the next move in what we think mapmaking should be.” While the bike-trip-planner will not immediately be available on cell phones and other wireless devices, Google says it is working on mobile applications.

Other applications that allow cyclist to plan their routes include mapmyride.com and ridethecity.com.

Baltic Sea: 12 century old wrecks found

Bernd — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:59:20 +0000

Stockholm (Global Adventures): 12 well preserved shipwrecks have been discovered in the Baltic Sea by a gas consortium building an underwater pipeline between Russia and Germany. While most of the ships are from the 17th and 18th centuries, some of them are believed to be up to 1,000 years old, the Swedish National Heritage Board said in a press release.

Three of the ships were found upside-down at a depth of 430 feet (131 meters) with their hull intact. Many of the wrecks are believed to be of high historic value. However, further exploration may require expensive expeditions and advanced techniques, due to their depth.

The wrecks are not in the projected pipeline path, but in the so-called anchor corridor. This puts them at risk of damage since ships working on the pipeline project might anchor in the area.

All wrecks seem to be in excellent condition. Due to the low oxygen and salinity levels and freezing temperatures, the Baltic Sea is known as an ideal environment for conserving shipwrecks.

Russia’s Gazprom holds a 51 percent stake in the Nord Stream consortium, which will start with the construction of the pipeline in April. While exploring the route, the conglomerate did discover many objects including 80 sea mines. A 300-year old shipwreck was discovered in Germany’s Bay of Greifswald while clearing a route for the pipeline and salvaged in 2009.

When finished, the new pipeline is expected to carry 1.9 trillion cubic feet (55 billion cubic meters) of natural gas per year.

Scapa Flow: Diving the German Fleet

Bernd — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:43:37 +0000

Orkney (Global Adventures): Scapa Flow is best known as the site of the United Kingdom’s chief naval base during World War I and World War II. The huge body of water is sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. The base was reinforced with minefields, artillery, and concrete barriers starting in 1914.

Following the German defeat, 78 ships of the Kaiserliche Marine’s High Seas Fleet were interned in Gutter Sound at Scapa Flow pending a decision on their future in the peace Treaty of Versailles. On June 21, 1919 Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, the German officer in command at Scapa Flow, gave the order to scuttle the ships to prevent the British from taking control of the fleet.

In one of the greatest salvage epics in modern times, the Germans attempted to sink 74 ships, including 10 battle ships, 6 battle cruisers, 8 light cruisers and 50 destroyers. 52 ships went to the bottom and 22 were beached or saved by armed naval boarding parties. Over the years, salvage operations raised 45 ships. Nine German sailors died when British forces opened fire as they attempted to scuttle their ship, reputedly the last casualties of the First World War.

On 14 October 1939, German submarine U-47 penetrated Scapa Flow and sank the British battleship HMS Royal Oak. Of the 1,400-man crew, 833 were lost and the wreck is now a protected war grave. Three days later, the battleship HMS Iron Duke was badly damaged during a German bombing attack.

While almost all of the ships were eventually raised and scrapped, a few remain on the bottom and have become a magnet for scuba divers. The wrecks are mostly located at depths of 115 to 164 feet (35 to 50 meters) and divers are permitted to enter the ships, but not to retrieve artifacts located within 328 feet (100 meters) of any wreck.

The following wrecks wait to be explored by divers:

Sitting at a depth of 118 feet (36 meters), the Koeln is a well preserved 551-ton light cruiser. It is possible to penetrate the ship through a hole in the forecastle deck, and to examine the conning-tower with the two stern guns still in place. The Dresden II-class warship was the last class of light cruisers to be built during the war.

The Dresden settled at depths ranging from 92 to 118 feet (28 to 36 meters) and sits almost intact on its starboard side. The 5,531-ton light cruiser offers good access and many areas inside the ship can be explored, including the quarters of the commanding officer. Since the ship lies on a slight slope with the bows at the shallowest point, it allows for easy multilevel profile dives. The Dresden is listed as one of the top wreck dives in the world.

Divers looking for a shallower opportunity to explore some remains of the German fleet will appreciate the Karlsruhe, a fast 5,300-ton light cruiser. The ship rests in 59 to 82 feet (18 to 25 meters) on its starboard side. While much of the ship has been damaged by salvage operations, the remaining parts still contain interesting features. Several openings in the platform deck allow access to an electrical control room. The two forward guns lie almost on top of each other and are clearly visible. Local dive operators report that the Karlsruhe frequently offers the best visibility, due to tidal water movements, though never more than an experienced diver can handle.

The bridge, remains of the boiler room, the officers’ quarters, and the crew accommodations can be explored while diving the Brummer. The 5,856 ton light cruiser and mine layer did hit the sandy bottom in 118 feet (36 meters) and lies on its starboard side. The Brummer features a propulsion system that was originally built for a Russian warship. However, after the war broke out, the German navy decided to use in its own fleet.

Another interesting dive is offered by the Markgraf. The sheer size of the 25,797-ton battleship, which sits upside down at a depth of 154 feet (47 meters), is breathtaking. The open hull makes penetration easy. Many divers spend time exploring the inside of this large wreck. The ten 12 inch and fourteen 5.9 inch guns are also easily accessible.

The former flagship of the Third Squadron of the High Seas Fleet, the Koenig, lies almost upside-down. Divers will find out that the 25,797 ton ship did hit the bottom in 148 feet (45 meters). The wreck is badly damaged and the hull is ripped open along much of its length, exposing the vessels inside.

The Kronprinz Wilhelm, a sister ship to the Markgraf and Koenig, settled upside down in 124 feet (38 meters) of water. Many sections of the ship’s hull have been removed. The wreck is 581 feet (177 meters) long with a beam of 98 feet (30 meters), so divers may want to spend some time exploring the boat. Being shallower, the Kronprinz is often dived first before visiting the two sister ships.

While visibility can vary greatly from 6 to 66 feet (2 and 20 meters), it is usually best during the spring and fall seasons. Occasionally there is an algae bloom, but it rarely lasts very long. The water temperature varies from 43 degrees (6° centigrade) at the beginning of the season to 54 degrees (12° centigrade) in September.

Exhibits in the Scapa Flow visitor center, located at Lyness on the island of Hoy, include large three dimensional representations of the island and the ships prior to scuttling, allowing divers to get a good overview.

The “Scapa Flow Dive Guide” by Lawson Wood describes many wrecks and dive profiles in detail.

A good video covering some wrecks of the former German fleet (and others) can be found on YouTube.

Orkney Islands, UK