October 11, 2016
First week successfully completed
We have just reached the end of the first week of the expedition and, watching the weekly video from our on-board artist Kike Talledo, it’s time to pause for a moment and take stock of the week. Of the nearly 200 hours we’ve spent plying the Lebanese Mediterranean, more than 24 have involved underwater recording in 18 dives by the ROV. We have managed to collect more than 40 samples in 5 dredges. We have ascertained the physical-chemical characteristics of the water in different places thanks to 8 CTD launches … But, above all, we have amassed a wealth of memories that will remain with us forever.
Sadly, the 3 “rubbish tips” discovered in the spectacular Lebanese canyons stand out, but we’re sure that’s not all we will remember. We will also remember the huge populations of different types of prawn living together as if this were an extension of the Lebanon itself, with large populations of “dancers” (Penilpidia ludwigi) moving in perfect time to the sounds of our ROV, forming an unforgettable ballet. And that redfish that seemed to want to be recorded by the ROV, continually moving in the direction of our camera, as if it knew that by appearing in our videos it would be helping all of its neighbours to safeguard their habitat and their future…
With three weeks of campaign ahead, we have plenty of time to continue studying these wonderful seabeds, and continue accumulating these unforgettable memories…