Oceana | Protecting the World's Oceans

Author: Silvia García
Date: July 13, 2010

We left Chipiona early to return to the Mediterranean as soon as we finished our work in the Gulf of Cadiz. It’s a long trip so everyone’s relaxed, working on the computers or resting or on deck, as always, looking for cetaceans. When we crossed the Straits on our way to Cadiz a few days ago, the seas were so rough it was impossible to do any sightings. This time was different.

Author: Silvia García
Date: July 11, 2010

We sailed over 20 nm NW of Chipiona, to the waters off Doñana that we are proposing to be protected. We know that we will find slabs of rock covered -what else would you expect- with tree coral “coral bouquets” as they are called in these parts, and many other species that live on these rocks. We’re certain that the divers will go out happy today. It has taken us a little over two hours to position the ship at the spot chosen for the submersion with the ROV.

Author: Jorge Ubero
Date: July 9, 2010

In the morning we set sail from the port of Rota with light fog, and headed toward an area where an underwater meadow appears on the chart we carry aboard. Already during the submersion, the mist got thicker and thicker until it became a dense, looming fog. A ship’s powerful siren that we could not make out sounded not very far from our position. We suspended the submersion and Jordi, the captain, managed to go around it thanks to the immeasurable help that radar yields in these cases.

Author: Eduardo de Ana
Date: July 7, 2010

We set sail from the Rota marina this morning, as planned. The sun gave us a break, hiding behind some clouds and there was more of a breeze today, thankfully.

We had a full day’s work ahead of us: ROV, dredge, divers, photography and video, both underwater and on land and, to top it off, the World Cup semi-final between Spain and Germany.