Written by Millie Mannering
Four weeks spent exploring California, led to meeting some fascinating people and a lot of learning! One of my biggest passions is exploration. Scuba diving is a fantastic tool to explore the oceans, but I have always been eager to investigate and explore earth’s different ecosystems, the skies and beyond! Thanks to Dr Andrew Klesh, an aeronautic engineer, I had the opportunity to visit NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Los Angeles.
NASA’s JPL Mission Control Center with Dr. Andrew Klesh
We require multidisciplinary approaches to further our understanding of earths systems and the subsequent anthropogenic impacts affecting them. Dr Andrew Klesh explained to me the application of many space technologies which enhance our ability to understand earth and the extensive changes occurring. These included buoyant rovers for under-ice exploration and spacecrafts to track the movement of water across the globe. Fascinating and important!
NASA’s JPL Spacecraft Assembly Facility where microscopic contaminants are removed from the air.
Flying the OWUSS flag outside the Catalina Island Hyperbaric Chamber with the executive director of the chamber, Karl Huggins.
Next, I was off to the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies on Catalina Island. I met with the legendary Karl Huggins to learn more about hyperbaric treatments and develop my understanding of diving medicine. Karl helped develop the Edge dive computer was was one of the first commercially viable micro processor based dive computers and is now the Executive Director of the Catalina Island Hyperbaric Chamber.
Left to Right: Signalling ‘I am OK’ as the pressure continues to increase during my first dive inside the chamber. Operating the chamber requires full concentration! Karl is a long time supporter of OWUSS and it was such a privilege to learn from him and spend time with him on Catalina. Thank you Karl for being so supportive and eager to share your knowledge!
Learning to operate the hyperbaric chamber was both interesting and rewarding. Whilst training as a tender during a patient treatment scenario, I enjoyed the challenge of having to co-ordinate managing the intravenous line and equalising my ears as the air pressure increased in the chamber. The traditional OWUSS Scholar Avalon Mini Golf Competition was also lots of fun and resulted in a solid victory for Karl!
A Giant Sea Bass (Stereolepis gigas) looming out of the darkness. Overfishing nearly drove these huge creatures to extinction so I felt incredibly lucky to have one say hello during our dive off Casino Point, Avalon. Photo Left: Millie Mannering Right: Yannick Peterhans
My admiration and love for seaweed meant I was absolutely ecstatic to dive in the spectacular giant kelp forests of Catalina Island. Under the surface canopy of Macrocystis pyrifera, I was lucky enough to join OWUSS President and Associate Professor, Dr Kerry Nickols and assist with her field work in the kelp forest ecosystems. I highly value interdisciplinary approaches to research and the Nickols lab integrates ecology and oceanography to study these coastal marine environments in the face of climate change. I also had the opportunity to learn about the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System which involves a network of automated shore stations to gather real-time oceanographic measurements. These are used to monitor the health of the regions coastline and provide accessible information to beach users, scientists and policy makers. As the Principal Investigator of the Santa Monica Pier site, Kerry took me for a dive to conduct her regular maintenance of the shore station under the very iconic tourist hotspot!
Top Row: Kerry Nickols and Millie Mannering cleaning an automated observatory station underneath the iconic Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles. Bottom Row: Scientific diving through the magnificent giant kelp forests of Catalina Island. Ecstatic to be exploring the underwater forests! Photo: Yannick Peterhans
Whilst in Los Angeles, I also had the opportunity to meet up with Pete Romano – a pioneer in the world of underwater cinematography. I was fortunate enough to have a tour of Hydroflex and see the many tips and tricks to controlling underwater camera systems. I enjoyed chatting with Pete about the world of Hollywood, how to make things look great underwater and create movie magic!
It was hugely inspiring to have the opportunity to meet photographer, filmmaker and Executive Director of the Ocean Preservation Society, Louie Psihoyos. OPS brings awareness to the most critical issues facing our planet through high-impact films and visual storytelling. I am grateful for the advice and motivation that Louie shared!
OPS creates films to inspire action and motivate change such as the Academy Award winning film, The Cove.
Rosie Poirier, Louie Psihoyos and Millie Mannering at Skywalker Ranch.
Millie Mannering, Vince Christian and Abbey Dias heading out for a scientific dive to collect invertebrate specimens for the Sunflower Star Lab. Vince with ~34 billion algal cells of Rhodomonas lens, a microalgae he has cultured as aquaria feed for Phase 1 (Protocol Refinement) of the SSL Development Plan.
Similar to many coastlines around the world, California has experienced ecological degradation with widespread loss of complex kelp forests to low-biodiversity urchin barrens. This is primarily due to sunflower star wasting syndrome which has catastrophically reduced populations of the sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides). Sunflower stars play a key role as sea urchin predators and their local extinction has led to an overpopulation of urchins. Subsequently, the population boom caused destructive grazing of kelp forests resulting in barrens and negative impacts on reef dependant species. The non-profit Sunflower Star Lab (SSL) aims to develop reliable and scalable aquaculture methods for the conservation and reintroduction of the keystone predator. 2019 OWUSS DAN Intern Abbey Dias and I met with the SSL Laboratory Manager, Vince Christian, in Monterey Bay to learn more about their efforts. It was motivating to see the dedication, passion and local action needed to create change. Ka pai Vince!
Underwater photography is a new discipline for me to explore and I loved capturing the underwater world in my own creative way. Thank you to the awesome local photographers, Joe Platko and Anne De Souza, for sharing tips and showing me some of the beautiful diving Monterey Bay has to offer. Photos: Millie Mannering
Thank you to the many people who have shared their knowledge with me and have supported me during my time in California!
Trip Tune: That’s How I Got To Memphis – Karl Blau
Top Tip: “You work with water, so go with the flow” – Karl Huggins
Join me, above and beneath the surface, on my adventures throughout the scholarship year. Subscribe to my blogs, follow along on Instagram, Facebook or flick me an email! Next, I’m off to explore the underwater world a little bit differently ..
