Technical divers from various agencies participated in a NOAA-funded research mission in marine protected areas off Key Largo, Florida, to enhance their diving skills and utilize advanced equipment. The mission focused on examining coral habitats and artificial reefs, particularly the Oculina varicosa coral, while exploring diverse marine life, including economically important fish species. Key support was provided by the United Space Alliance and NASA’s dive operations team, facilitating safe deep diving efforts in challenging underwater environments.

1. Prior to beginning a NOAA Funded Technical Diving
Research Mission on these Marine Protected Areas:
Oculina Bank
Steamboat Lumps and
Madison /Swanson Preserve
Technical divers from many agencies and companies
gathered to practice their techniques and learn proper
usage of new high definition cameras, scooters, dive
computers, sonar units and other equipment in the
clear ocean waters off Key Largo, Florida

4. Key Scientists

5. Research Technical Divers

9. Ship Captain, Crew and Support Divers from
United Space Alliance, LLC. under contract with
NASA Space Shuttle Booster Recovery Team
“ Freedom Star ”

17. Technical diver during drifting decompression stops

18. Oculina varicosa
A slow–growing, delicate, and branchlike coral that is often associated
with high biodiversity and whose thickets provide ideal spawning sites
for numerous species of reef–dwelling fish, including economically
important species such as groupers and snappers

23. Reefball with attached Oculina.
The orange float is for relocation
with the ship’s ecosounder.

24. Experimental reefblocks
with Oculina Recruits

25. Oceanic Sunfish (Mola Mola)
Sea Floor Depth = 290 ft / top of pinnacle 210 ft
Jeff’s Reef, south end of Oculina Bank Preserve

26. USS RANKIN
AKA 103
Martin County’s Largest Artificial Reef
Deployed 1988 sea floor depth 130 ft

33. USS MULIPHEN
AKA 61
St. Lucie County’s Largest Artificial Reef
Deployed 1989 sea floor depth 170 ft, scour depth 204 ft

34. USS MULIPHEN REEF
Photo depth ≈ 170 ft in cargo hold
Photo credit: Michael Barnette
Association of Underwater Explorers

36. Large Warsaw Grouper
Sea Floor Depth = 215 ft
St. Lucie County’s Deep Tugboat Reef

37. Sea Floor Depth = 190 ft
Bow view in 100 ft + visibility
Wickstrom Reef, a 168 ft. coastal freighter deployed 2003

38. Large Warsaw Grouper
Sea Floor Depth = 190 ft
Wickstrom Reef, a 168 ft. coastal freighter deployed 2003

40. Florida Special Reefmaker Unit with Oculina Coral
Sea Floor Depth = 190 ft
100 ft west of the Wickstrom Reef

41. Oculina Coral growing on upstream end of Tension Barge
Sea Floor Depth = 190 ft

43. Sea Floor Depth = 189 ft
Oculina Varicosa Coral on Tension Barge

44. Large Scamp
Sea Floor Depth = 152 ft
Frances Langford Memorial Reef

45. Banks Butterflyfish
Sea Floor Depth = 152 ft
Oculina Coral on rebar / Frances Langford Memorial Reef

46. Golden Coney
Rarely seen by divers
Sea Floor Depth = 152 ft
Frances Langford Memorial Reef

47. Sea Floor Depth = 152 ft
Juvenile Oculina Coral on concrete / Frances Langford Memorial Reef

48. Sea Floor Depth = 152 ft
Juvenile Oculina Coral on concrete / Frances Langford Memorial Reef

49. Adult Red Grouper
Sea Floor Depth = 225 ft
Madison Swanson Preserve, Gulf of Mexico
186.7 miles from where you’re sitting 

50. Adult Red Grouper
Sea Floor Depth = 225 ft
Madison Swanson Preserve, Gulf of Mexico

51. Adult Yellowmouth Grouper
Sea Floor Depth = 225 ft
Madison Swanson Preserve,
Gulf of Mexico

53. HAILEY GLASRUD REEF
Formerly DM ONE, a general cargo freighter

54. Deployed: April 24, 2014
Depth: 188 ft

56. A Closing Note
At an early age, Recreational Diving allowed me the
youthful chance to discover the ocean’s many wonders
beneath the waves. Commercial Diving has given me
the opportunity to make an exciting, rewarding career of
diving adventures from what once was a hobby.
Technical Diving has taught me the required techniques
and opened new aquatic avenues to further explore the
underwater world safely. Regardless of which type of
diving we choose, it’s all about being underwater and
exploring. So far there is nothing in cyberspace that can
compare. Thanks for your time today and . . .
“ Lets Go Diving ”

59. Larry Collins, Dive Operations Director
United Space Alliance (NASA space shuttle dive team)
Larry and his great dive team created the safest environment for the technical divers in challenging
conditions during the Oculina and Madison Swanson Preserves deep diving projects down to 300’ deep.
Without their topside support these projects could not have occurred.
Caption James Kirk, and crews of both the “Freedom Star” & “Liberty Star”
NASA owned ships utilized as our support vessels used for the
technical deep diving research missions discussed in this presentation.
Their professional topside support was invaluable for these missions.
Grant Gilmore PhD, Senior Scientist & Acclaimed Ichthyologist
Estuarine, Coastal & Ocean Science, Inc. & Harbor Branch Foundation
John Reed, M.Sc. Principle Investigator & Research Professor
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Chris Koenig, PhD, Felicia Coleman, PhD, & Sandra Brooke, PhD
Florida State University Coleman/Koenig Coastal & Marine Laboratory
Michael Barnett, Technical Diver / Scientist/Underwater Photographer
National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration
Jon Dodril, Keith Mille and Bill Horn, “THE MIGHTY THREE”
State of Florida, FFWCC Artificial Reef Program