Oceans of Opportunity

Category: the Life Aquatic | an Evolution

Alveoli and Ravioli

As we have trod onward through this life aquatic, among the most evident principles in managing a human presence underwater is a fundamental appreciation for basic human needs – food, water, shelter, and of course air to breathe. Remove any of these and the human struggles to climb Mr. Maslow’s hierarchical pyramid of human performance…

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’tis the season, for Black Beans

Friends and readers around this watery planet, it is that time of year yet again. My annual shameless plug for a proud piece of paperback literature that has soared into double-digit sales last year: Black Beans, Mean Business, by yours truly. The book is the perfect stocking stuffer for the budding entrepreneur in your life…

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tech tips: hot water valves for divers

Most divers are at least familiar with the concept of a drysuit. Idea being to keep water off of the diver‘s body, which has a cooling effect. Within the suit, an insulating undergarment is worn to retain the diver’s body heat and provide some lasting comfort while diving in coldwater. It’s tried and true, though…

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all clammed up

While most of the world was busy getting ‘Trumped’ Tuesday night (election night), there I was, all clammed up on the galley bench of a clam dredge fishing vessel trying to get a few hours sleep while en route to Nantucket Shoals off of Massachusetts. The mission – recover a clam dredge that had been…

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and…One More New Paper: standards of practice for Atmospheric Diving for science

Recently published: Lombardi, MR. (2016) Proposed Standards of Practice and Recommendations for Inclusion of Atmospheric Diving System (ADS) End-User Training and Operations within the Scientific Community. In Lobel, LK., & Lombardi, MR. (editors) (2016) Diving for Science 2016: Proceedings of the AAUS 35th Scientific Symposium, September 20-14, 2016, Narragansett, RI. Dauphin Island, AL: American Academy of…

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New Paper: hookah diving system for aquaculture science & husbandry

Recently published in cooperation with our colleagues in Hong Kong: Wartenberg, R. Lombardi, MR, and Chan, LL. (2016) Triple-Redundant Hookah Diving System for Remote Inshore Aquaculture Husbandry and Science is Cost Effective, Efficient, and Safe. In Lobel, LK., & Lombardi, MR. (editors) (2016) Diving for Science 2016: Proceedings of the AAUS 35th Scientific Symposium, September 20-14,…

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barnacles for breakfast

This morning I chugged down half a coffee and then slipped beneath the layer of floating cigarette butts, seaweed, and miscellaneous plastic garbage to settle in to my home for the next 90 minutes – scrubbing the hull of a sailboat that had sat stationary in a dirty marina for more than a year. Nothing…

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Salvage of the Irish Piper

The last few weeks have marked the return to getting out there on the water and diving in to the life aquatic in full force. I must say, after a couple of years sitting behind a desk in a management capacity, the return to the field has come with some bumps and bruises – part…

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Confined Spaces and Atmospheric Management 101

Confined space entry is among the most hazardous occupational activities in the industrial sector. The issues that must be addressed are clear ingress/egress of the space, collapse, and of course atmospheric management. The latter is what makes the activity very similar to diving, and in fact, advanced techniques for extended range confined space penetrations are…

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OceanOne Robot | an Avatar for the Life Aquatic

The recent news of Stanford University’s OceanOne Robot’s successful salvage/recovery of artifacts from Louis XiV’s flagship came as quite the news to me. Admittedly, I know very little about the robot, however it does warrant some thought and discussion as we consider the value of humans versus robotics within the field of ocean exploration. On…

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