Sylvia
Earle is a marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence.
She, along with Francesca Cava, are the project directors for
the Sustainable Seas Expeditions. After Ed Cassano's remarks,
Dr. Earle speaks for a few moments. "The ocean," she
tells the students, "are not places designed by nature for
humans to go into readily. We have just nibbled at the edges
and the thin upper layer. Until Cousteau invented the aqua lung
in the 1950s we had almost no ability to penetrate its depths;
even now we venture only a small distance into its unknown depths."
There is a sparkle in Dr. Earle's eyes as she speaks, a conviction and a love that has come from spending many hours immersing herself as deeply as technology has made it possible, exploring whatever parts of the ocean her equipment allows. The students are mesmerized by her words.
"We are still dealing with the edges,"
she continues, but breakthroughs in tech
nology
have allowed us to observe what goes on underwater at more depth.
We are now at the point where deep sea technologies are making
it possible for us to get into the heart of the sea--for longer
periods, at greated depths, with less disruption while we are
there.
"It is a difficult challenge, to know the sea," she adds. "The average depth of the earth's oceans is 2.5 miles, the depth at which the Titanic rests, a depth we have only recently been able to reach. The deepest places are more than seven miles in depth. These deeper places are the areas in which most ocean life exists, and which we must begin to explore if we are going to understand how things work down there."
As a reminder to the students of the
challenge w
hich
awaits them as adults, Dr. Earle talks about the role we have
played as a human species. "Partly by what we have put in
the ocean, partly by what we have taken out, we have put ourselves
on the edge of fundamental alterations before we have even been
able to explore in enough depth to know how the ocean's natural
processes work.
"We are relative newcomers to earth, yet by the turn of the century we are beginning to make an impact such that we are able to alter the natural systems that deliver the air, the water, the seasons, our long term climate. We now have the ability, the potential, to undermine the systems upon which our life depends."
In closing, Dr. Earle brings the students
back to the mission which both she and Ed Cassano have been discussing.
"In the Sustainable Seas Expedition," she says, "
we are embarking on an amazing adventure, a jumping off point
comparable to what Cousteau gave us with the aqua lun
g.
With the Deepworker and the other submersibles which are being
developed today we are moving down into new depths. Our next
giant step will be an understanding of the oceans. With Sustainable
Seas and the National Marine Sanctuaries we are going to for
the ocean what the Natioanl Park system did for our land. Maybe
some of you will have a part in this next period of discovery."
With that she asked, "How many of you would like to go down in the Deepworker?" Every student raised his or her hand enthusiastically (I raised both of mine). "Wow!" she beamed. Then let's get on with it.
"Remember our motto," Dr. Earle exclaimed, "Onward, Downward!"