April 2, 2003
Contact: Brenda Konar, University
of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-474-5028.
More than 30 participate in scientific diving training
Kasitsna Bay, Alaska—This year's Scientific Diving class culminated March 15-23 with more than 30 scuba divers converging on the SFOS Kasitsna Bay Laboratory just ouside Seldovia. During the week-long excursion, 25 beginning and five advanced scientific divers practiced the basics of scientific diving, including compass navigation and biological transects. Students also conducted rigorous training drills in swimming, ocean rescue, CPR, and first aid. The class is taught by Dr. Brenda Konar, GURU/NURC. Mitch Osborne and Janine Jarvis from Test The Waters Dive Center in Fairbanks serve as co-instructors. SFOS graduate student Heloise Chenelot served as the class teaching assistant.
Students passing the class become science divers-in-training under guidelines set by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. During the week, divers logged more than 550 daytime and nighttime dives in the 37-degree water to complete their training. Divers reported seeing an abundance of marine life, including a variety of fish, invertebrates, octopus and even Steller sea lions.
Beginning students also participated in several "practice" research projects, such as the study of short term movement patterns of the sunflower sea star Pycnopodia, determining the effects of tidal height on the distribution Pycnopodia, and examining the effect of light on the distribution of macroalgae on pier pilings. A 24-hour movement study on the black chiton, Katharina was also completed. Since the class began in 2000, Konar has instructed and certified more than 67 scientific divers. Many of these divers have gone on to conduct underwater research of their own, or assisted others in their underwater studies.
Related websites
UA Scientific Diving Program
Test the Waters Adventure Sports
Global Undersea Research Center
(GURU)