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)
>