THE ASTONISHING DEEP SEA
W E CA N' T K EEP ON USING
T H E OCE A N A S A SE W ER A N D A SU PER M A R K ET AT T H E S A M E T I M E A s a daughter of a ma r i ne biolog ist a nd ma r i ne zoolog ist… a nd a stepfat her t hat was icht hyolog ist, a nd a second stepfat her t hat was a ma r i ne eng i neer… t here is no understatement i n say i ng: Liz Taylor g rew up w it h t he ocea n.
BY MARIE KJELLSDOTTER
PHOTO: LANCE YAMAMOTO / KIP EVANS
Diving deep into – and spreading knowledge about – the fairly unknown, mysterious and amazing deep sea is Liz Taylor’s every day life. Under the surface in their self-developed submersibles (DOER Marine Operations) she, together with her mother Dr Sylvia Earle, research, explore and observe the deepest and darkest parts of our oceans.
What is a submersible, and what do we need them for? “A submersible is a small underwater vessel, carrying 2-5 people. It’s run entirely on batteries, which makes it rely on a surface support ship for long distance transport and charging, unlike a submarine that is self-sufficient. A submersible is a complete game-changing asset when exploring the deep sea. Not only for scientist but also for ordinary people, to help us all understand what’s happening under the surface. The ocean always looks so beautiful at the surface but once we get below the surface we can see the impact of the damage that has been done. The difference in experience that a submersible gives us is like if you imagine for instance going to Africa to see the wild animals and doing so by flying over and lowering down a camera from a
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helicopter… that’s a completely different experience than a Land Rover safari in the bush. Exploring the ocean in a submersible will in the same way allow you to have all of your senses and peripheral vision. You can follow a hunch, your curiosity is free to explore without being attached to the ship as when using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). You have the ability to stop, wait and observe, and have a more complete understanding of the ecosystem you are exploring. Both are valuable tools but very different experiences.”
It’s said that only 5 percent of the ocean floor has been explored. Why do we need to explore the ocean floor? “Every drop of the ocean between the surface and the floor is full of life. In our submersible we have the capacity to gently descend at any speed to observe and make connections between the very small planktonic animals, the drifting animals, and all the animals and plants in the ocean that together are making up the fabric of the life support system we all depend on. We have taken that for granted for a really long time, so bringing that direct awareness to people can really help them understand why the ocean does matter. You can see some fantastic forms that have evolved over eons of time in very delicate elaborated creatures, in very slow moving creatures, incredible creatures that have light
