Puget Sound Underwater Live - First Test of 2023

This past weekend the Live Stream Crew of ‘Made In Puget Sound’ reassembled for our first or two practice and test events of 2023. Samantha, Anson, Avery and I dusted off and unpacked our highly specialized electronic equipment and electronics designed to operate in our cold, green, murky Northwest waters. These brilliant, highly motivated young marine biology students worked with me during 2022 to create the first ever live streaming, interactive, in real-time method for conducting totally unique underwater research in Puget Sound. Once the batteries were charged, and gear assembled / tested on dry land, it was time to head to the water. 

It was a spectacular day. The weather was nearly perfect, visibility below the surface was about 20 feet. Although there was not an abundance of wildlife to video during this first experiment in nearly six months, we were able to successfully complete the battery of tests. 
 
As expected, we had issues with cables getting tangled, communications equipment momentarily failing, cameras intermittently blinking out, and minor issues piloting our amazing 4K underwater drone. All will easily be worked out. In our video you can hear sporadic street noise near the dock and a few curious bystanders trying to get a glimpse at what we are doing. On the bottom, note the discarded bikes, dive gear and other trash. We often see and report on the many abandoned fishing lures, lines and nets, along with the increasing accumulation of pollutants, toxins, plastics that our wildlife must survive. 
 
In a few weeks we will be conducting our second and final test before the launch of the 2023 season of Puget Sound Underwater Live. If you're a teacher, school administrator, or student, and would like your class to get involved and interact with our diver(s) and scientists as we conduct live underwater research of our ecosystems and its wildlife, please contact me. Our live events are free, no charge, no cost to schools!

Everyone is invited to participate and view our live or recorded events on YouTube Live. Ask questions from the comfort of your classroom, laboratory or home. For dates and times of upcoming events, please send me an email. Notices will be sent out a few days in advance of an event. Please note that our live events are wind, weather, tides and currents dependent. Our first and primary goal is the safety of our crew, followed with the safety of the plants and animals we engage with. We never touch, move, stage, or harm any animals ever. We have a strong appreciation for our delicate wildlife and the ecosystems they inhabit.