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BAUE Project Overview

BAUE Project Overviews

BAUE Projects

Partnered Projects

Thumbs Up Project

Update: Dec 30, 2008

This year's project consisted of mapping and collecting data very similiar to the 2007 project executed at the Great Pinnacle. The main goal of this project was to provide training for developing skills and mentoring new project participants.

Visit the Thumbs Up project page for a complete view of the project and data collected.

Great Pinnacle Project

Update: December 21st, 2007

BAUE's 2007 Great Pinnacle Project took place at Point Lobos, where we conducted a series of dives for the purpose of collecting data and photographic documentation of the Great Pinnacle. Results of the project were compiled to produce a web page for the state park and BAUE.

For more information, please visit the Great Pinnacle Project Page.

Nudibranch Project

Update: September 21st 2007

The BAUE Point Lobos Nudibranch Survey is an ongoing effort to quantify opisthobranch mollusc populations inside the diving areas at Point Lobos State Reserve.

For more information, please visit the Point Lobos Nudibranch Survey Project Page.

Point Lobos Mapping Project

Update:

Dec 18, 2006

Here are some of the activities we have done as part of the mapping of middle reef:

1) A survey session was conducted in Redwood City. This session was presented by GUE instructors Chris and Danny from Mexico (www.zerogravity.com). They are some of the most experienced cave instructors within GUE and have surveyed many cave systems in Mexico. They gave us an overview of team communication, guide line work, and survey techniques using the compass and line. One day was spent at the Redwood City pool and the following day at Point Lobos were the divers surveyed part of the reef.

2) We conducted a practice session in Portola Valley overlaying the practice survey on top of GoogleEarth using the GPS coordinates captured during the survey.

3) We're in process of making station identification tags for our upcoming surveys at Lobos. The idea is to use these to temporary mark the main survey station at Middle Reef until we have full and accurate pictures.

Shale Island Project

The objective of the Shale Island Project was to expand our group capacity to explore and document off-shore sites from a boat, while using more complex and sophisticated strategies for collecting data and documentation information. Results of the project can be found on the Shale Island Project pages.

Monterey Barge Project

The main objective of this project was to survey and map the position of the barge located off the breakwater in the Monterey Harbour. This small project is being executed to build the required knowledge that will be needed for larger future projects. 

Surveys of the barge have been completed and a graphic which shows the results is available on the Barge Project Page. Also available on the Barge Project Page is historical information, theories regarding the wreck, and various pictures of  both the wreck and the team members who were involved.

Underwater Mapping of Point Lobos

The objective of this project is to develop an understanding of the structure and location of the different reef systems at Point Lobos. This information could be used to build maps, help protect the reefs, and increase public awareness of the incredible ecosystem that Point Lobos State Park has to offer.

The approach will be to collect a group of GPS coordinates which represent the location of notorious features of the reefs, and use those points as anchors for underwater surveys.

The activities of this project include:
  • Selecting a group of anchors points on known reefs and pinnacles
  • Gathering their GPS coordinates
  • Surveying the different known reef system
  • Collecting survey information
  • Developing maps
  • Creating a list of good anchoring locations
  • Exploring new pinnacles and reefs
  • Connecting different pinnacles

Please visit the Pt Lobos project page for more details and to follow our progress.

Big Sur Bank Exploration

Big Sur Bank is a unique offshore reef system located 3 miles out from Big Sur Point, California. Originally explored by a group of scientists from 1988-1991. Details about their initial expeditions can be found at Cordell Expeditions. Based on the descriptions of what they saw and data available from MBARI, BAUE decided to embark on an exploration and research project to learn more about this site.

The goals of the project include:

  • Exploration of the bank to better understand the topology and geography of the area. The results will be documented, along with noteable features of the bank.
  • Photographic and videographic documentation of the bank and the life encountered there.
  • Determine if there are any undescribed species, as well as range extensions on known species.
  • Basic documentation of abundance of certain species of vertebrate and invertebrate life.

Please visit the Big Sur Bank Project page for more details and to follow our progress.

Deep Water Marine Life Research

We have begun discussions with local researchers to determine how we might use the skills and resources of the BAUE group to assist researchers in their pursuit of deep water marine life analysis.

The shallower depths are easily accessed by marine researchers through standard diving practices. Very deep water research is generally conducted with the use of ROVs and submarines. The depths in-between, often referred to as the "fly over zone" are rarely researched, due to the complexity and difficulty of running dive operations in that range. It is this area where we believe BAUE can provide a significant contribution to the body of scientific work.

Cordell Bank Research Expedition

From Ecology of an Underwater Island by Robert W. Schmieder:
The existence of this underwater island was known since shortly after the California gold rush. But Pendleton, like hundreds of real 19th century mariners, could not know how exotic it really is. They could not know that it presents one of the visually most spectacular underwater sights in the world. Or that it harbors an extraordinarily lush community of algae and invertebrates that in turn supports a huge number of larger animals, including fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.

Cordell Bank lies within sight of San Francisco Bay, yet it has been mantled in mystery, and remains so today. Indeed, until a few years ago, this exquisite site had never been seen by humans, even though it lies only a few hours by boat from a major metropolitan area. Only recently have we begun to explore its erosion-remnant topography, to catalogue the little creatures that inhabit its craggy peaks, to observe the great birds and mammals that frequent the surface waters, and to apreciate its pristine isolation. And although we are at the very beginning of our understanding of the complex processes at work on the Bank, we have learned enough to give a rough picture of its ecology and biogeography.

We are currently in discussions with Rob Schmieder about performing an expedition to Cordell Bank and to continue the research that he began years ago.