It's hard to believe we've been down here for two days already! Yesterday was a whirlwind of unpacking and checking our equipment, and just generally getting settled in. Moose and I made an hour-long dive to check on our experimental corals, and to take some pictures while the water was clear. Starting this morning, things kicked into high gear. Dean and Moose made a long dive to put out our coral plaster models (a means of measuring the effects of coral shape on nutrient exchange), and started to put out cables for some of our instruments. Chris and I made another two dives this afternoon, beginning our measurements of water flow and setting up for our equipment for tomorrow. Moose and Dean joined us at the end of the dive to wrap things up, and to bring the plaster models back to the habitat.

I've really enjoyed all of the questions that have come to me via e-mail today, especially from Ms. Dryden's third grade class in Columbia, SC. You guys must really have a good sense of what it's like to live down here! In answer to your question, I LOVE being in the Aquarius. There really is nothing like sitting at the dinner table, and looking up to see a fish swimming by your window! Earlier this evening, a large barracuda named "Bob" was swimming by our window, chasing away all of the smaller fish. There is also a very large (4+ foot) grouper fish living directly under the sleeping chamber, although I don't think he has a name yet. Johnny Auwaerter (Bayport, NY), wanted to know if we ate SEAWEED for dinner. Nope! I had oatmeal for breakfast, and raviolis for dinner. We have a microwave down here, and they feed us pretty well, so the algae growing in the entry lock hasn't looked too appetizing yet. Great questions! Keep them coming!

Tomorrow we have another full day planned. For those of you who have just joined us, much of what we're looking at addresses some very basic questions about the biology of corals: specifically, how do corals obtain nutrition from the water, and how does water flow affect these processes? Because corals are stuck to the bottom, they rely on the movement of water past their surfaces for the delivery of food, the removal of wastes and sediments, and transport of gases required for them to respire. As many of you know, corals also have symbiotic dinoflagellates called zooxanthellae living within their tissues. These organisms also rely on uptake of gases and nutrients from water to live and grow. Lately, many reefs throughout the world have experienced massive mortality events, and so it is more important than ever that we understand what environmental factors (such as temperature, water flow, and nutrients) affect the survival and growth of corals. Our study asks, how does water flow, and the effects of coral shape on water flow, affect coral physiology?

We'll keep you updated on our progress. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at helmuth@biol.sc.edu. I've been getting quite a few e-mails, so it may take me a while to get back to you (remember, I'm spending a lot of time in the water!) but I'll do my best to answer you if I can. Back to watching Bob the barracuda!