Swapping out the Current Meters
We changed the current meters relatively quickly with zero complications on the same mornings that we set up during HF28. The current meters are held vertically in the water column by buoys that remain 5 meters below the surface. In order to swap out the current meter we had to device a pulley system with a sliding knot to take the tension out of the line before we could do the swap.
Taking Advantage of the Current
Finally we made it to the beautiful Canal Copihue. The currents this time around felt less severe, probably because we didn’t have to use the pneumatic drill. We were able to time our dives with the current and take advantage of the currents in order to carry us from one dive site to the other all while at 20m.
A Waiting Game
Marine life in this area is stunning and we patiently wait, preparing and planning for our dives in Canal Copihue. The mission of this expedition is to change the current meters that are currently in place so the new ones can continue recording data and the data from the old ones can be offloaded. While we are there we have to take the monitoring photos of all the fixed frame sites, and of the recruitment plates.
Exploring the Realms of Madre de Dios Archipelago
The oceanographic sampling leads us to reaches of the Madre de Dios Archipelago that we have never seen before. Winding channels and fjords reveal a beautiful scenery and allow us to make a few exploratory dives of the area along with two other divers on board who are focusing on underwater videography.
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