Craig,
The next time someone goes on one of these expeditions see if they can film more
mollusks as most  films show sharks, fish, octopus, crabs. We have taped many
and they do not show  many mollusks. We will look for IMAX film.
Must be interesting work.
Marion Deuel
 
Craig Caddigan wrote:
 
>       Hi Bob:
>
>       Here is some info on my trip to the Galapagos Islands.
>
>       The purpose of the trip was to make a IMAX 3D film for the
> Smithsonian.
>       I work for Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution as a Sr.
> Submersible
>       Pilot/Dive Safety Officer. We took one of our ships and submersibles
>       ( The R/V Seward Johnson & The Johnson-Sea-Link II ) down there for
>       the project. The film is going to be about the animal life found in
> the
>       islands, on land and in the ocean. We had 2 3D cameras on the ship.
>       One was used for all the topside and land shots and the other was
>       installed in a water proof housing for the underwater filming.
>
>       When we weren't filming, the science team from Smithsonian used the
>       sub to make science collection dives. JSL II is rated to 3000 ft. and
> we
>       worked around all the islands in the group except for one, and worked
> as
>       shallow as 60 ft. down to 3000ft. . All the scientists on the trip
> where
>       Ichthyologists so we collected mainly deep water fishes, but we did
> bring
>       up other samples including the following deep water mollusks
>                               A Calliostoma species- unable to I.D.
> 1800-1900ft.
>                               Gaza rathbuni - 1920ft.
>                               A Acesta species- unable to I.D. 2650ft.
>                               A Volute species - unable to I.D.  3000ft.
> looked alot
>                                                           like
> Odontocymbiola pescalia
>
>        We also brought up rock and sediment samples, Echinoderms and
>        Crustaceans. Didn't get a chance to do much shallow water scuba and
>        snorkeling. But when we did we saw some species from the following
>        families.
>                                       Tonnidae
>                                       Cassidae
>                                       Cypraea
>                                       Pectens
>                                       Muricidae
>                                       Conidae
>        Most were pretty chewed up, from the combination of very rocky
> bottoms
>        and wave action along the coast lines. There isn't alot of sand
> beaches
>        on most of the islands, just lava flows right down to the waters
> edge.
>        When there was a sandy area on the shore it was covered with 1,000;s
>        and 1,000's of pencil urchin spines.
>
>        It was a very interesting trip, got to see alot of usually animals
> and sites.
>        Hopefully the film will be ready for release in the spring of 99. Its
>        planned to be premiered in Washington D.C. at the Smithsonians
>        new IMAX theatre. More info on Harbor Branch and its ships and subs
>        can be found at our website----www.hboi.edu
>
> Craig C.
>
> > ----------
> > From:         makuabob[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> > Reply To:     Conchologists of America List
> > Sent:         Wednesday, August 05, 1998 7:21 PM
> > To:   [log in to unmask]
> > Subject:      Will you share the experience?...
> >
> > Wow, Craig.
> >
> > Hope your trip to the Galapagos went well.
> >
> > Sounds like a great chance to have done some shelling. Did you
> > get the opportunity? ...if so, would you share some of it with us
> > when time permits?
> >
> > Aloha,
> >
> > makuabob (a.k.a. Bob Dayle)
> >