Save the HBOI ship and submersibles
The Johnson-Sea-Link I & II submersibles are owned and operated by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Fort Pierce, Florida. They are launched from the HBOI research vessel R/V Seward Johnson, a 204-ft ,purpose built ,state of the art platform redesigned in 1994 which displaces 1282 tons and has a 6,000 nautical mile range. An experienced captain and crew constantly maintain the R/V Seward Johnson as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Fleet of research vessels. A team of highly skilled sub pilots operate, maintain and upgrade the submersibles according to strict safety protocols. The Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles were built in 1971. Almost four decades, 9,000 dives and continuous upgrades and improvements later, the Johnson-Sea-Link I submersibles and II, along with their support ship the R/V Seward Johnson, remain invaluable platforms for exploring the oceans.
The ship and subs are frequently spotted on Discovery, PBS and BBC documentaries. The skill of the crew on R/V Seward Johnson is vital to the successful launch and recovery of the JSLs, getting the submersible in the water from deck in under 4 minutes in seas up to 8 ft. The submersibles are favored by cinematographers for their maneuverability, panoramic view and ability to accept specialized cameras and tools. Similarly, they are favored by scientists due to their versatility, interchangeable tool packages, room for four persons, video and still cameras, as well as the most robust payload capabilities of any research submersible. The pride and professionalism of the R/V Seward Johnson crew and submariners is irreplaceable, as are the resource they provide.
Notable achievements of these submersibles and research vessel:
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Obtaining the first video survey of the Civil War ironclad the USS MONITOR
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Locating the wreckage of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986 for NASA
-
Discovery of unknown coral reefs off the coast of Florida
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Over the past twenty-five years, HBOI has conducted collection expeditions around the world. Benthic habitats have been sampled from the Caribbean, eastern Atlantic, tropical western Atlantic, Eastern Pacific and Southern Pacific.
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About 100 natural products extracted from those marine invertebrates have cancer fighting properties and some of them are currently in evaluation by pharmaceutical companies.
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Discovery of the Oculina (ivory tree coral) reefs off the coast of Florida in 1975. Oculina reefs only occur in Florida; nowhere else in the world.
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Health assessments of the Oculina reefs off the coast of Florida and Lophelia reefs off the east coast of the U.S. were conducted in the JSL for many years. These health assessments led to the implementation of Oculina Habitat of Particular Concern in 1984, and the extension of protection to deep water reefs off the eastern U. S. in 2008.
-
Fish spawning aggregations at the Oculina reefs and other deep water habitats have been monitored with the JSL. This is of importance to assess the health of deep reef habitats and the human impact on them.
-
Collection of bioluminescent marine organisms,and other deep-sea animals with the JSL has increased our understanding of the optics and morphology of different marine species.
-
Deployment of the exploratory deep-ocean video monitoring system, Eye-in-the-Sea
-
According to Google scholar, about 1000 published scientific studies relied on the use of the JSL. These range from habitat exploration, mapping, description of marine vertebrates, invertebrates and bacteria, and new technologies to increase the submersible capabilities.
Unfortunately, the current administration of HBOI has announced its decision to sell the R/V Seward Johnson and retire the JSL submersibles in spite of a lack of technologies with similar or better capabilities at HBOI, FAU or any other institution on the East coast of the U.S. While some argue that this expensive technology is outdated and tied to its mother ship, this view is not shared by the scientific community. The Alvin submersible operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts is 10 years older, and still performs between 150 and 200 dives a year. No one considers the Alvin 40-year old technology, or criticizes its dependence on the research vessel Atlantis for its deployment. It is still considered a valuable workhorse. While NOAA has just awarded HBOI a 22.5 million dollars grant to be a Cooperative Institute, in part due to their ability to perform oceanographic study with such tools as the R/V Seward Johnson and JSL submersibles, it is unclear whether these assets will be supported by that grant money. Unless a new source of funding is found to support these technologies, the current administration will continue their plans to abandon these technologies. Maintaining and operating these technologies is expensive, and the HBOI administration lacks the funds to continue to support these assets. Thus, it is critical for the State of Florida to invest in these amazing technologies to further our ocean exploration and our scientific progress.
Since FAU is a state university, the submersibles and research vessel are property of the State of Florida and the taxpayers should have a say in choosing whether these amazing technologies which are helping us discover and protect our underwater assets should be maintained. These are expensive technologies to maintain, but their benefits far outweigh their costs. If you believe that the state of Florida should invest in science, education and technology, please sign this petition to indicate to our legislators that you believe the HBOI ship and submersibles should be saved from sale or retirement and supported by the state of Florida.
The Johnson-Sea-Link I & II submersibles are owned and operated by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Fort Pierce, Florida. They are launched from the HBOI research vessel R/V Seward Johnson, a 204-ft ,purpose built ,state of the art platform redesigned in 1994 which displaces 1282 tons and has a 6,000 nautical mile range. An experienced captain and crew constantly maintain the R/V Seward Johnson as part of the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Fleet of research vessels. A team of highly skilled sub pilots operate, maintain and upgrade the submersibles according to strict safety protocols. The Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles were built in 1971. Almost four decades, 9,000 dives and continuous upgrades and improvements later, the Johnson-Sea-Link I submersibles and II, along with their support ship the R/V Seward Johnson, remain invaluable platforms for exploring the oceans.
The ship and subs are frequently spotted on Discovery, PBS and BBC documentaries. The skill of the crew on R/V Seward Johnson is vital to the successful launch and recovery of the JSLs, getting the submersible in the water from deck in under 4 minutes in seas up to 8 ft. The submersibles are favored by cinematographers for their maneuverability, panoramic view and ability to accept specialized cameras and tools. Similarly, they are favored by scientists due to their versatility, interchangeable tool packages, room for four persons, video and still cameras, as well as the most robust payload capabilities of any research submersible. The pride and professionalism of the R/V Seward Johnson crew and submariners is irreplaceable, as are the resource they provide.
Notable achievements of these submersibles and research vessel:
-
Obtaining the first video survey of the Civil War ironclad the USS MONITOR
-
Locating the wreckage of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986 for NASA
-
Discovery of unknown coral reefs off the coast of Florida
-
Over the past twenty-five years, HBOI has conducted collection expeditions around the world. Benthic habitats have been sampled from the Caribbean, eastern Atlantic, tropical western Atlantic, Eastern Pacific and Southern Pacific.
-
About 100 natural products extracted from those marine invertebrates have cancer fighting properties and some of them are currently in evaluation by pharmaceutical companies.
-
Discovery of the Oculina (ivory tree coral) reefs off the coast of Florida in 1975. Oculina reefs only occur in Florida; nowhere else in the world.
-
Health assessments of the Oculina reefs off the coast of Florida and Lophelia reefs off the east coast of the U.S. were conducted in the JSL for many years. These health assessments led to the implementation of Oculina Habitat of Particular Concern in 1984, and the extension of protection to deep water reefs off the eastern U. S. in 2008.
-
Fish spawning aggregations at the Oculina reefs and other deep water habitats have been monitored with the JSL. This is of importance to assess the health of deep reef habitats and the human impact on them.
-
Collection of bioluminescent marine organisms,and other deep-sea animals with the JSL has increased our understanding of the optics and morphology of different marine species.
-
Deployment of the exploratory deep-ocean video monitoring system, Eye-in-the-Sea
-
According to Google scholar, about 1000 published scientific studies relied on the use of the JSL. These range from habitat exploration, mapping, description of marine vertebrates, invertebrates and bacteria, and new technologies to increase the submersible capabilities.
Unfortunately, the current administration of HBOI has announced its decision to sell the R/V Seward Johnson and retire the JSL submersibles in spite of a lack of technologies with similar or better capabilities at HBOI, FAU or any other institution on the East coast of the U.S. While some argue that this expensive technology is outdated and tied to its mother ship, this view is not shared by the scientific community. The Alvin submersible operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts is 10 years older, and still performs between 150 and 200 dives a year. No one considers the Alvin 40-year old technology, or criticizes its dependence on the research vessel Atlantis for its deployment. It is still considered a valuable workhorse. While NOAA has just awarded HBOI a 22.5 million dollars grant to be a Cooperative Institute, in part due to their ability to perform oceanographic study with such tools as the R/V Seward Johnson and JSL submersibles, it is unclear whether these assets will be supported by that grant money. Unless a new source of funding is found to support these technologies, the current administration will continue their plans to abandon these technologies. Maintaining and operating these technologies is expensive, and the HBOI administration lacks the funds to continue to support these assets. Thus, it is critical for the State of Florida to invest in these amazing technologies to further our ocean exploration and our scientific progress.
Since FAU is a state university, the submersibles and research vessel are property of the State of Florida and the taxpayers should have a say in choosing whether these amazing technologies which are helping us discover and protect our underwater assets should be maintained. These are expensive technologies to maintain, but their benefits far outweigh their costs. If you believe that the state of Florida should invest in science, education and technology, please sign this petition to indicate to our legislators that you believe the HBOI ship and submersibles should be saved from sale or retirement and supported by the state of Florida.
Unfortunately, the current administration of HBOI has announced its decision to sell the R/V Seward Johnson and retire the JSL submersibles in spite of a lack of technologies with similar or better capabilities at HBOI, FAU or any other institution on the East coast of the U.S.
Unless a new source of funding is found to support these technologies, the current administration will continue their plans to abandon these technologies. Maintaining and operating these technologies is expensive, and the HBOI administration lacks the funds to continue to support these assets. Thus, it is critical for the State of Florida to invest in these amazing technologies to further our ocean exploration and our scientific progress.
These amazing technologies have contributed to the discovery and protection of Florida's underwater assets and should be maintained. These are expensive technologies to maintain, but their benefits far outweigh their costs. We believe that the state of Florida should invest in science, education and technology and urge you to save the HBOI ship and submersibles from retirement and support them.
Thank you for your help and attention.
please save the submersibles. The work they have done and will done is needed. Ask the president for money, he's giving it to everyone else
I worked at Harbor Branch for a year and understand how important these subs are to that institution and to the pilots and other people who work on and operate them. These subs and the missions they serve are irreplaceable and should not be shut down.
It is important that we preserve these historical craft for future generations. The work they performed on the Challenger space shuttle debris collection is reason enough for Americans to preserve and exhibit them.
Sience resurch of our oceans so much of which is unexplored is too importent to our future and well being and the HBOI ship and the submersibles play an important role in acomplishing this and should not be discontinuied. Paul Masterson
There are so many more, secrets that the ocean has in store for us. We need to watch .
Please my son plans on becoming a Marine Biologist and this would be wonderful for him to be able to be able to have the experience on the JSL.. He is doing this for a class project right now and he is really interested in this submersible. Please keep it for future scientists of Florida. Thanks, Debbie Hearon
History has shown that a nations rise and fall can hinge on their command of science and technology. The next great resource rush could very well come from the benthic environment. The sealink submersibles are a valuable research tool which should be kept in Florida. The alternative, transfering some of the technology to a foreign country is unconscionable.
Ladies and Gentlemen: As leaders in the state, it is our job to make the right decisions to "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity." This charge clearly includes making decisions to preserve resources, in this case, research vessels and submersibles, which allow the scientific research that form the basis for technological advances which themselves form the basis of our economy. While less educated people may care more for programs that have more immediate impact on their lives and jobs, the educated among us must, simply must, take a longer view.
For 5 years as a teacher at St. Marks in Palm Beach Garden, I took 7th grade students to HBOI for 3 days of activities. One of the activities was visiting which ever submersible was in-house for maintenance. During those visits the students would get to talk to pilots and or engineers. When the students would return home, they would eventually recognize one of the vessels, and a submersible on some TV program. Parent's would email me how excited their child was and how much their child had learned. The ship and submersibles are important as research tools that can bring prestige to Florida's oceanographic programs and as technology that captures the imagination of Florida students of all ages and their families.
Every effort should be made to keep this program in the US. A dynamic ocean exploration program should continue in an effort to prevent futher damage to our reefs as well as for research that may be of a health benefit. Innovative sources of funding are essential for continuation of this effort. I would suggest one alternative: For a substantial fee, interested individuals may accompany a research dive to observe the fantastic panarama of sea life and if possible, to assist in specific studies. As a retired, Professor of Genetic Toxicology and currently an artist, I for one would be interested in such an endeavor. Both the science and the absolute beauty of the oceanic environment appeal to me.
The JSL and RV Seward Johnson are the heart and sould of HBOI. They can continue to contribute to our knowledge of our oceans and its inhabitants.
Please continue to fund this program
The key to nearing utopia is valuing children above all else and therefore progress, preservation, and education.
These vessels have played an important role in oceanographic research and they are vital components that need to be available to future researchers.
These vessels have played an important role in oceanographic research for many years now and will continue to serve for many more if we support them. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work at HBOI one summer while I was a student at FIT in the early 80's. The sub bay was always the most interesting place to be!
I'm a Florida resident, I believe the state should support the continuation of these unique and scientifically valuable technologies.
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Save the HBOI ships and submersibles!
