https://blog.northwestatlas.org/2016/03/12/the-tell-tale-signs-of-a-herd-of-heart-urchins/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/herdlocations.pngHerdLocationshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/sledonbackdeck.pngSledOnBackDeckhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/burrows.pngBurrowshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/seafloorpattern.pngSeaFloorPattern2016-03-12T00:22:14+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/21/saved-the-best-for-last/2016-01-13T05:44:03+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/16/buzzed-by-sharks/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/sharkcloseup2.jpgSharkCloseup2Check out the black tips on the finshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/sharkcloseup1.jpgSharkCloseup1Close-up view of two of the sharks through the water during ‘glass-out’ conditions.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/buzzedbysharks.jpgBuzzedBySharksThree sharks swimming around the RV Solander while we stopped to take water measurements.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/sedimentgrabglassout.jpgSedimentGrabGlassoutThe reflection of the sediment grab instrument is clearly visible in the very calm seas.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ctd.jpgCTDThe CTD instrument being lowered into the water using one of the Solander’s strong winches. https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/soalnderctd_niskin_bottle_rosette.jpgSoalnderCTD_Niskin_Bottle_Rosette(a) Deployment of the Seabird Electronics 911plus Livewire CTD from the starboard side of the RV Solander; (b) twelve-bottle rosette with niskin bottles open ready for water collection (image courtesy of Geosciences Australia).https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/locationmap111215.jpgLocationMap111215Focus area for the RV Solander today. Yellow and orange lines show where we used the towed-video system and collected critters from the sea floor. The red X shows where we were buzzed by sharks.2015-12-15T13:09:02+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/17/riders-on-the-storm/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/radar.jpgRadarhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/solanderaframe.jpgSolanderAframeDave, Niell and Marcus start to pull in the towed video and secure it on deck. Notice how the orange towed video cable is off at an angle to the far right as the wind was blowing the ship off course.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/sunsetclouds.jpgSunsetCloudshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/clouds.jpgCloudshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/storm.jpgStormhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/solanderback.jpgSolanderBack2015-12-15T13:07:56+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/14/the-hidden-life-of-mud/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/seaurchinsinthemud.pngSeaUrchinsInTheMudhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/softcoralinthemud.pngSoftCoralInTheMudhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/seacucumbers.pngSeaCucumbershttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/eelinthemud.pngEelInTheMudhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fishinthemud.pngFishInTheMudhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/seapen.pngSeaPenhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/brittlestar.pngBrittleStarhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/gastropods.pngGastropodshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/starfish1.pngStarFishhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/crustaceans.pngCrustaceans2015-12-14T08:10:27+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/15/i-smell-delicious-but-i-might-kill-you/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nudibranchsblog.jpgNudibranchsBloghttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nudibranchsblog2.pngNudibranchsBloghttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nudibranchsblog1.pngNudibranchsBloghttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nudibranchsblog.pngNudibranchsBloghttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nudibranch_parts.pngnudibranch_partsBasic parts of a nudibranch. https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/locationmap131205.pngLocationMap1312052015-12-14T03:20:47+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/10/a-sea-star-with-body-armour/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/cotsoutbreak.jpgCotsOutbreakMultiple adult COTS feasting on corals during an outbreak.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/cotoncoral-p1050803.jpgcotoncoral-p1050803Adult COTS feeding on coral. It pushes its stomach part way out of its mouth and digests the coral while sitting on it. https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/crownofthorns.pngCrownOfThornsCrown-of-thorns starfish feeding on a reef. Photo courtesy of Rore bzh (link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acanthaster_planci,_%C3%A9toiles_mangeuses_de_corail.jpeg#/media/File:Acanthaster_planci,_%C3%A9toiles_mangeuses_de_corail.jpeg ).https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/starfish.pngstarfishFour examples of sea stars collected by WA Museum staff and photographed by John Keesing of CSIRO during this expedition.2015-12-12T00:26:29+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/12/close-encounter-with-a-fish-swarm/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/depthsounder.pngDepthSounderParts of the fish swarm can clearly be seen on the depth sounder (red blobs). https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/anotherfishswarm.pngAnotherFishSwarmhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fishswam.pngFishSwamhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ponyfish.pngPonyFishTwo examples of ponyfish swimming in the swarm the AIMS towed video passed throughhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/locationmap101215.pngLocationMap101215Area surveyed by RV Solander on 9-10 December 2015. The towed video transect near Biddles Rock is marked with a red X.2015-12-12T00:26:09+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/10/who-lives-in-a-pineapple-under-the-sea/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/spongewithanimals.pngSpongeWithAnimalsA barrel sponge collected by AIMS from the sea floor. How many critters can you spot on this sponge? On this sponge, it is very easy to see the central cavity but hard to see the pores.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/spongewithcrab.pngSpongeWithCrabA sponge collected by AIMS from the sea floor. Can you see the crab living on this sponge? Look closely to see the poreshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/tubesponge.pngTubeSpongeAn example of a small tube shaped sponge collected by AIMS near the Maret Islands in the Bonaparte Archipelago of Western Australiahttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/fansponge.pngFanSpongeAn example of a small fan sponge collected by AIMS near the Maret Islands in the Bonaparte Archipelago of Western Australia.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/barrelsponge.pngBarrelSpongeExamples of medium sized barrel sponges collected by AIMS near the Maret Islands in the Bonaparte Archipelago of Western Australia. They are upside down in the photo. See the ridges on the outside of the sponges? https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/spongemorphology.pngSpongeMorphologyAn diagram showing the main parts of a sponge’s body (left) compared to an example of a real sponge filmed by AIMS towed video system (right). It is easy to see the central cavity (2) but you have to look closely to see the pores (6). "Archaeocyatha". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Archaeocyatha.png#/media/File:Archaeocyatha.png https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/maretislandsponges.pngMaretIslandSpongesSponges collected from the sea floor by AIMS at north-west Maret Island in the Bonaparte Archipelago, Western Australia.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/solanderlocation101215.pngSolanderLocation101215Solander location 10/12/20152015-12-11T00:01:55+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/04/mapping-the-sea-floor/2015-12-09T22:06:01+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/08/sea-turtle-far-from-home/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/b2499-red-red-tailed-hawk-raptor1.jpgb2499-red-red-tailed-hawk-raptor1https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/pic4.gifpic4Locations where Hawksbill turtles have been seen (source: http://www.mesa.edu.au/turtles/turtles01.asp)https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/pic3.jpgpic3AIMS scientists observed the turtle (today’s location) more than 1,100 km from where it likely hatched (nesting beaches).https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/pic2.jpgpic2Hawksbill sea turtle observed by AIMS in the Bonaparte Archipelago, Western Australia. Can you see the barnacles growing on its shell?https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/pic1.jpgpic1Caption: RV Solander is surveying near the Maret Islands and vicinity today and tonight using multibeam sonar, towed video and sleds. The white X shows where we saw a turtle. The black dot on the map of Australia shows where the Maret Islands are along the West Australian coast.2015-12-08T01:15:29+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/07/a-hands-on-look-at-what-lives-on-the-kimberly-sea-floor/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/marjiwhips.jpgMarjiWhipsSea whips look just like their name. https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/assortedcreatures.jpgAssortedCreaturesExamples of creatures collected. Clockwise from top left: sea whips, sponge, sea urchin, soft corals, sponge, sponge.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/seacumbers.jpgSeaCumbersSea cucumbers are so named because some people consider them a delicacy. Don’t eat the ones shown here though because they are poisonous!https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/featherstarts.jpgFeatherStartsExamples of feather stars. The one on the left is broken and you are seeing the top of it. The one on the right is intact and you are seeing the bottom of it. It has nearly 100 arms! https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nudibranchs.jpgNudibranchsNudibranchs (sea slugs) eat sponges and leave a ‘slime trail’ where-ever they go to avoid getting losthttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/coralcrab.jpgCoralCrabExample of a coral crab.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/starfish.jpgStarFishExamples of starfish. Most have 5 arms, but some have 8 or more. An arm can regrow if lost to a predator. https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/catalogsamples.jpgCatalogSamplesWA Museum scientists carefully weigh, catalog and photograph each specimen.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/sortingsamples.jpgSortingSamplesWA Museum and CSIRO scientists sort samples into groups on the back deck of the RV Solander2015-12-08T00:59:26+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/06/exploring-the-sea-floor-with-video/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/tripprogress051205.jpgTripProgress051205https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/towvidwormplot.jpgTowvidWormPlotAn example of 'Worms' maphttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/collectingtowedvideo.jpgCollectingTowedVideoLive video footage from the towed video as viewed on deck, and Marcus recording what he sees as Neill drives the tow-vid.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/towvidtec.jpgTowVidTecTow vid technician Neill steering the tow-vid using the joystick in his hand.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/towvidstills.jpgTowvidStillsExamples of still photos from tow-vid on this trip: top = sea cucumber, middle = sponge, bottom = feather star.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/towvidwinch.jpgTowvidWinchRV Solander crew lower the AIMS tow-vid into the water. https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/towedvideo.jpgTowedVideoRV Solander crew prepare tow-vidhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/crocandshark.jpgCrocAndSharkSalt water crocodiles and sharks make it dangerous to SCUBA dive offshore from northern Western Australia.https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/slide1.jpgSlide12015-12-17T20:34:07+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/03/and-were-on-our-way/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/liferaft.jpgliferafthttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/rob.jpgrobhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/karen.jpgkarenhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/map.jpgmap2015-12-04T07:34:06+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/12/01/preparing-for-the-expedition/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/sampling_plan_google_earth.jpgsampling_plan_google_earth2015-12-04T07:32:31+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/expedition-to-the-kimberly-coast/2015-12-01T09:45:25+00:00weekly0.6https://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/04/12/seeking-coral-spawn-at-scott-reef-in-the-timor-sea/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/a-tenuis-crop.jpgA tenuis crophttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/a-tenuis-spawning-3-image-by-a-heyward-and-a-negri-aims-crop1.jpgA tenuis spawning 3 image by A. Heyward and A. Negri - AIMS crophttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/a-tenuis-spawning-3-image-by-a-heyward-and-a-negri-aims-crop.jpgA tenuis spawning 3 image by A. Heyward and A. Negri - AIMS crophttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/a-tenuis-spawning-3-image-by-a-heyward-and-a-negri-aims.jpgA tenuis spawning 3 image by A. Heyward and A. Negri - AIMShttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/deepwatercoralsatscott.pngDeepWaterCoralsAtScotthttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/mesophoticcoralsat52meters.pngMesophoticCoralsat52Metershttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/coraleggs.pngCoralEggshttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/coralslick.pngCoralSlickhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/p4100034.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/p4100018.jpgOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA2015-10-15T05:53:19+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/10/09/hawaii-experiences-is-most-severe-recorded-coral-bleaching-event/https://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bleaching1.jpgbleachinghttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/bleaching.jpgBleachingCoral bleaching, in Kaneohe Bay near Kaneohe, Hawaii. Photograph: Dan Dennison/AP (source http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/13/hawaii-coral-bleaching-scientists-predict-worst-ever).2015-10-14T03:43:09+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/03/26/test-video/2015-03-26T04:30:13+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.org/about/2015-03-26T04:29:47+00:00weekly0.6https://blog.northwestatlas.org/2015/03/26/about-the-north-west-atlas-blog-site/2015-03-26T04:25:48+00:00monthlyhttps://blog.northwestatlas.orgdaily1.02016-03-12T00:22:14+00:00