During the 2015 Perth Canyon cruise, ROV Comanche was outfitted with cameras to survey for life in the Canyon and conduct studies of deep corals to help determine the future impacts of warming seas and ocean acidification. Utilizing the camera, online viewers were able to follow along in real-time as Chief Scientist Prof. Malcolm McCulloch, from the University of Western Australia, and Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Lead Marine Technician Leighton Rolley narrated the never seen before footage.

Test Dive: Glider Crash

Dive 2: Glider Crash

ROV Dive 02 – 4th March 2015

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 700 m

Expected min depth: ~ 200 m (to shelf edge – depends on topography)

Expected max depth: ~ 800 m

Launch position: Latitude -31⁰ 54.927′ Longitude 115⁰ 04.688′

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, claw(s), scoop(s), standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: Glider location

Objectives: Search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, Note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, search for sea-glider (do not release) near top of cliff, follow transect from first cliff to nearby cliffs then top of escarpment to search/collect corals, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest, release sea-glider at end of dive

Dive 3: Dog-Leg Canyon

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 1900 m

Expected min depth: ~ 1000 m (to cliff edge – depends on topography)

Expected max depth: ~ 1900 m

Launch position: Latitude -32⁰ 05.710′ Longitude 114⁰ 51.820′

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, scoop (new/modified), scoop with mesh, prong (rake), standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: right-angle valley site (~2000 m prescribed depth)

Objectives: Search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest

Dive 4: Derwent Wreck

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 900 m

Expected min depth: ~ 600 m (to cliff edge – depends on topography)

Expected max depth: ~ 1200 m

Launch position: Latitude -31⁰ 58.500′ Longitude 115⁰ 05.250′

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, scoop (new/modified), scoop with mesh, prong (rake), standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: Madrepora site (~900 m prescribed depth)

Objectives: Search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest

Dive 5: Amphitheatre Waterfall

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Reuben Mills, Leighton Rolley

Expected depth at launch: ~ 1900 m

Expected min depth: ~ 1200 m (on top of cliff edge)

Expected max depth: ~ 2000 m

Launch position: Latitude: -31⁰ 46.500′ Longitude: 114⁰ 42.200′

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, scoop with mesh, prong (rake), standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: ‘Coral Amphitheatre’ site at foot of Canyon

Objectives: Search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, Note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, Note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest

Dive 6: Dog Leg Canyon

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 1900 m

Expected min depth: ~ 1000 m (on top of cliff edge – depends on topography)

Expected max depth: ~ 1900 m

Launch position: Latitude -32⁰ 05.710′ Longitude 114⁰ 51.820′

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, new large scoop and backup scoop, prong (rake), standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: right-angle valley site -called ‘dog-leg canyon’ (~2000 m prescribed depth)

Objectives: Search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, Note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest, high resolution photography of coral/sponge ecosystems.

Dive 7: Glass Sponge Ridge

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 840 m

Expected min depth: ~ 800 m

Expected max depth: ~ 850 m

Launch position: Latitude -32⁰ 09.982 Longitude 114⁰ 52.140

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, new large scoop and backup scoop, prong (rake), standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: site at foot of southern-most entrance to the Canyon (~1200 m prescribed depth to top of shelf (~960 m).

Objectives: recover acoustic beacon.

Dive 8: Glass Sponge Ridge

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 1200 m

Expected min depth: ~ 900 m

Expected max depth: ~ 1300 m

Launch position: Latitude -32⁰ 09.980 Longitude 114⁰ 50.580

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, new large scoop, standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: site at foot of southern-most entrance to the Canyon (~1200 m prescribed depth to top of shelf (~960 m). This area is of interest as it is the southernmost arm of the Canyon and facing south – hence more current and hopefully less sediment and more substrate for coral growth.

Objectives: search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest, high resolution photography of coral/sponge ecosystems.

Dive 9: Glider Crash

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 700 m

Expected min depth: ~ 500 m (on top of slope)

Expected max depth: ~ 800 m

Launch position: Latitude -31⁰ 54.727 Longitude 115⁰ 04.805

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, new large scoop, standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: Glider site at the top of the Canyon near the edge of continental shelf with substrate for coral growth.

Objectives: search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, search/recover trapped AUV glider, note possible fossil corals (to collect) along slope, high resolution photography of coral/sponge ecosystems.

Dive 10: Two Rocks

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 700 m

Expected min depth: ~ 500 m (on top of slope)

Expected max depth: ~ 800 m

Launch position: Latitude -31⁰ 42.045 Longitude 114⁰ 51.241

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, new large scoop, standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: Two Rocks site at 680 m

Objectives: search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest, high resolution photography of coral/sponge ecosystems.

Dive 11: Two Rocks

Chief Scientist: Malcolm McCulloch

Lead Marine Technicians: Leighton Rolley, Reuben Mills

Expected depth at launch: ~ 700 m

Expected min depth: ~ 600 m (on top of slope)

Expected max depth: ~ 850 m

Launch position: Latitude -31⁰ 46.500 Longitude 114⁰ 42.200

Vehicle configuration tools: main manipulator/coral cutter arm, new large scoop, standard camera & lighting configuration

Location: Two Rocks hard-ground (~680 m prescribed depth to top of shelf (~600 m). This area is of interest as it is the shallowest reported occurrence of corals in the Perth Canyon region, on the edge of continental shelf with substrate for coral growth.

Objectives: search/collect corals from base of cliff to top, note possible fossil corals (to collect) within scree at base of cliff, note transect & hence collection sites from deepest to shallowest, high resolution photography of coral/sponge ecosystems.