Jill Heinerth - Heinerth Productions Inc. 2011 Testimonial

Bermuda Deep

Bermuda, Britain’s oldest colony, is a cluster of over 150 small islands and reefs that form the only atoll in the North Atlantic. Perched on top of an extinct mid-ocean volcano, it emerged from the depths more than 30 million years ago. During the last Ice Age, the land mass of Bermuda would have been about 20 times larger than the peak of the atoll we see today. And on those ancient shorelines, now situated 300-400 feet below the ocean’s surface, a team sponsored by the American National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sought out relic caves and evidence of shorelines that may yield ties to the plethora of caves found in the limestone caprock of the landmass today.

The multi-tiered project examined the character of the shelf edge in Bermuda from 60 – 200 m (197 – 656 ft.) depths to find records of sea level low stands. Phase One launched with multibeam sonar mapping of the vertical cliffs on the platform edge, and ROV dives to examine points on interest. In June 2011 mixed gas, closed circuit rebreather divers made first hand geological and biological collections and observations on target locations. In particular, the team examined deep cave structures and wave cut notches that were formed when sea level was at its lowest point. The team consisted of a small group of the world’s foremost technical and scientific divers, using state of the art diving equipment, striving to solve puzzles that have until now evaded direct observation.

Project photographer/videographer, Jill Heinerth, used her Sentinel Expedition rebreather to document the deepest dives of the project. Along with Dr. Tom Iliffe and Brian Kakuk, she brought home the first HD video and stills from the deep walls of both Bermuda and Challenger Bank. While Iliffe and Kakuk collected specimens, Heinerth was tasked with documentation of every aspect of the expedition. Scientists at the Bermuda Natural History Museum and Aquarium have been pouring over the results ever since. “Nobody has ever dived this deep in Bermuda and bringing back actual specimens coupled with high resolution imagery will give these researchers years of work ahead,” she said. “They are doing cartwheels over the ability to match real samples with contextual shots that show them the abundance of particular species in the twilight zone of Bermuda’s ancient reefs.”

Our planet is currently experiencing a period of high sea level, with the potential for sea level to rise even higher in response to the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming. However, we know relatively little about the opposite extremes of climate and sea level at the height of the last Ice Age. This project has allowed divers and researchers to directly observe the landmarks of these fluctuations.

Bermuda is thought of as the planet’s biodiversity hotspot for underwater caves. Per unit area, it boasts more cave adapted animals (84 species) than anywhere else on earth. Yet those unusual creatures are poised in a delicate balance. Threats to Bermuda’s caves and groundwater include limestone quarries, construction projects, deep well injection of waste water, and leakage of cesspits. Currently, 25 of Bermuda’s cave species are internationally recognized as critically endangered. Assuming conditions remain the same as they are now, this level of threat equates to a 50% chance of extinction with the next ten years.

It has been proposed that some of Bermuda’s cave creatures may have reached the island via the Gulf Stream, while others may still be hiding secretly on submerged sea mounts in the Atlantic or within the matrix of deep sea rocks along the Mid Atlantic Ridge. But scientists wonder about the connective path they have traveled through history. How and when did groundwater begin to dissolve away caves on the larger submerged platform? Did volcanic, lava tube caves exist on early Bermuda? Will such caves still be visible or will they be covered by coral and other encrustations? Did cave animals migrate from somewhere in the depths or do they still live on in the twilight zone of the Bermuda and Challenger Bank. Is their rarity an indication of changing water conditions or a testament to perfection in evolutionary form?

Cave adapted animals have a unique survival strategy. Living in subaquatic darkness, these creatures developed improved senses of smell, taste and vibration detection. Eyes and pigment, and other unused anatomical features gradually disappeared. These animals are often endemic to a single, remote site, adapting to its particular environment and very scarce food sources. Many of these animals are basically missing links in helping us to understand the origins of life in the oceans and generally the origins of life on Earth. They are totally new forms of life that provide us with a glimpse of what the Earth was like many millions of years ago.

Heinerth explains, “a tremendous amount of work goes into projects like Bermuda Deep. It takes an incredible support team, excellent divers and technology that works. All the cogs in the wheel have to fit and all the gear simply has to perform. When I am hanging it out there trying to get excellent imagery, I need to know that my rebreather and my team are acting as a safety net. This project came off flawlessly and there is a little part of me that is glad it is all over… glad that everyone is home safe.”

As research moves forward, the Bermuda Deep website will continue to post photos, expedition blogs and links to scientific resources. Check it out at: www.OceanExplorer.NOAA.gov

Expedition Team: Exploration divers: Dr. Tom Iliffe, Jill Heinerth, Paul Heinerth and Brian Kakuk. Support team: Triangle Diving, Graham Maddocks, Alex Chequer, Gil Nolan, Brett Gonzalez, Dr. Nic Alvarado, Ondrej Hindl, Marcus Cooper, David Wakely MD, Sam Bennett, Pete Malan MD, Ken Vickers, Jeff Gardiner, Bobcat Mike, Mac and researchers Dr. Robbie Smith, Dr. Thad Murdoch and Dr. Steve Blasco.

 

Mika

unit 152 has now been dived in Finnish waters its first 40 dives, it works beautifully, is easy to drive, feels good and trustworthy and is a nice family member, talking to you with its LEDs even when dismantled :-). Excellent product!!

have a nice summer!
mika