Advanced search  
Pages: 1 ... 10 11 [12] 13 14 ... 24   Go Down

Author Topic: NIKU VII  (Read 274444 times)

Greg Daspit

  • TIGHAR member
  • *
  • Posts: 788
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #165 on: July 18, 2012, 07:07:33 PM »

They are scheduled to depart tomorrow, on the 19th per the original schedule. They mentioned the team had flights to catch so I think they may follow the schedule.
I keep checking to see if the daily update for the 18th is uploaded. I hope the ROV got in some good time at it's primary job.

 This is better than the superbowl. I'm pulling for the Tighars.

3971R
 
Logged

Walter Runck

  • TIGHAR member
  • *
  • Posts: 119
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #166 on: July 18, 2012, 07:10:11 PM »

'Never like taking the negative track, but...........unless a mini-miracle takes place in the
next 4 - 5 days, this ex. is likely to be somewhat of a failure. Too many glitches with the rovers,
too much time wasted.

Hmmm.  At this point and from where I'm sitting, I can't tell the difference between a strikeout and a home run.  If they found something, I wouldn't expect to know about it yet.  Even if they thought they hadn't found anything yet, they certainly will be coming home with data that may yield results during future examination.  It's premature to make any sort of conclusion now, so go ahead and let your imagination run wild. 

The fun speculation is what they would be doing if they had found something and had to vamp for time until public release of the discovery.  How would you fill that void?  A red herring here, some equipment trouble there, a little expedition to the island in between.  Maybe a day or two without any news? 

The point is that we don't know what is happening out there.  A known unknown.  But maybe something special behind the curtain.
Logged

Tom Swearengen

  • T5
  • *****
  • Posts: 818
  • earhart monument, Hawaii
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #167 on: July 18, 2012, 07:31:08 PM »

All of the above is true. Many problems. I had actually hoped that there was going to be deep dive submirsibles on this trip, but after talking to Ric in DC, found out otherwise. I understand the reasoning, but coming up with the Large $$$$$ its going to take to go back is going to be tough. UNLESS, there is an understanding with Discovery in place. Kinda doubt it.
Hope I'm not being negative here guys, but we really need something to perk us up.
Tom
Tom Swearengen TIGHAR # 3297
 
Logged

Zach Reed

  • T1
  • *
  • Posts: 47
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #168 on: July 18, 2012, 09:34:23 PM »

Regarding the pic...just think how long it must have taken to "build".

Regarding Earhart...I'm sure there's an Electra engine somewhere off that island. Maybe nothing else at this point, but at least the engines.

I'll also toss this out there as idle musing: I've always subscribed to the General Theory posed by TIGHAR, but my own "runner-up" idea was that they simply crash landed on the NE side, near the Seven Site itself. There is no clear motivator for the two or three mile walk from W to NE...and besides, all the items found at the Seven Site could have easily washed up there. I bring that up not to rehash old discussions, but because an idea just occurred to me that sort of blends the two theories.

Let's say they crash landed on the west side, Noonan dies soon after, Earhart sends radio signals for three days, before a storm knocks off small pieces of the plane (pieces that would later be scavenged and found in the village), snaps the landing gear, and pulls the now water-logged plane into deep, welling water just outside the reef. The storm's powerful current, coming from the southwest, batters the Electra alongside the reef and towards the north side of the island, where it finally settles in deep water just off the reef. The next day Earhart, anxiously looking for signs of her plane and any surviving equipment, combs the north beach. Slowly, one by one she finds the grenadine jug, the navigator's box, and the broken lense in the surf...she keeps going, and by the time she nears the eastern tip of the island, she realizes she's not going to find anything more. Exhausted, very dehydrated, weak with hunger, and arms half-full, she simply stops in her tracks, spending her final handful of days at what is now known as the Seven Site.

That's a slight variation on the General Theory, but uses all the pieces we already know: snagged landing gear, radio signals, storm, pieces in the village, and the materials at the Seven Site. I guess the question is whether it's plausible that storm waves would push an object to the north.

In any case, there's an engine out there somewhere...hopefully they'll find it!
Logged

Andrew M McKenna

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 692
  • Here I am during the Maid of Harlech Survey.
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #169 on: July 19, 2012, 12:29:10 AM »

Don Hirth says:

"Never like taking the negative track, but...........unless a mini-miracle takes place in the
next 4 - 5 days, this ex. is likely to be somewhat of a failure. Too many glitches with the rovers,
too much time wasted. "

It is tempting to feel that unless we come up with the smoking gun, the expedition is a "failure", but that is faulty thinking.  In a scientific exploration, all we can do is work up a hypothesis, test it, learn from what doesn't work, and figure out how to re-test it.  We're learning that the environment there is more challenging than we expected, and we may not have the right tools. The right tools may not exist for that matter.  You can hope for the "home run" but more likely than not, as in this project, progress is incremental. 

Believe me, we've left Nikumaroro many times feeling skunked, only to figure out after the fact through analysis of our work there that we  collected some very interesting artifacts.  We don't know what data the AUV and ROV are collecting, and while they are trying to look at it now on board, something interesting may not come out until further analysis months from now.

It is all part of the process of discovery and we have to accept when things go frustratingly slow.  No expedition is a failure as we always come back with more information than we went out there with. 

Eventually the puzzle will be filled in, but if you think about it, working a puzzle is always more fun than after it is completed.

Andrew
Logged

Andrew M McKenna

  • Administrator
  • *
  • Posts: 692
  • Here I am during the Maid of Harlech Survey.
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #170 on: July 19, 2012, 08:06:56 AM »

I totally understand what you are saying, it isn't like I won't be disappointed either. 

Every time I've left the island, the feeling is we ran out of time.  If only we had more time.  Its a heart breaking feeling.

I've often wondered if I or anybody will ever go back there with regard to this project.  Every time something turns up to sustain the momentum and get us back there.  I think it is because we've got the right place.

The aircraft is out there somewhere, we just have to look in the right place with the right tools.  May take a few tries to get the formula right but we have to start somewhere.

Hopefully, the search will still turn up something.  Many times on past expeditions something was found on the last day that turned out to be important.  I've got my fingers crossed.

Andrew
Logged

Paul R Titus

  • T1
  • *
  • Posts: 7
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #171 on: July 19, 2012, 09:30:28 AM »

Well said, Jeff; sometimes the scientific method takes time.....look how long it took them to find the Higgs bosun!!  :D

And, as I just posted in "Stills from ROV" thread, even Titanic wasn't found with sonar; they discovered it "mowing the lawn" visually. So hang in there everyone!
Logged

John Balderston

  • TIGHAR member
  • *
  • Posts: 139
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #172 on: July 19, 2012, 10:21:26 AM »

So hang in there everyone!

Well said Paul!  Look at the enhanced Bevington photo and tantilizing hints in the 2010 ROV clips, and think of the planning and preparation that certainly went into Niku VII.  Would the expedition team conceivably come back empty-handed?  And think of scientific "burdon of proof" as well as media team-member's requirements.  Will big news be disclosed in expedition team daily reports?   Come on - big news is certainly coming.  We've waited 75 years for this - let's have a little faith!
John Balderston TIGHAR #3451R
 
Logged

Tom Swearengen

  • T5
  • *****
  • Posts: 818
  • earhart monument, Hawaii
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #173 on: July 19, 2012, 11:37:28 AM »

Jeff and others---well said. Perked me up quite a bit!
Tom Swearengen TIGHAR # 3297
 
Logged

Jeff Victor Hayden

  • T5
  • *****
  • Posts: 1387
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #174 on: July 19, 2012, 11:49:50 AM »

The ROV on this mission may yet turn out to be the ace in the pack.
The spec' is a step up from the previous expeditions ROV which, although fairly basic in comparison, did quite a remarkable job.
Here's the spec for the TRV-005 which it all hangs on now?
http://www.ssirovs.com/images/stories/documents/TRV_005_Specs.pdf



This must be the place
 
Logged

Rafael Krasnodebski

  • TIGHAR member
  • *
  • Posts: 31
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #175 on: July 19, 2012, 12:15:30 PM »

Some pretty depressing stuff on here ... what is it you American types say? "It's not over 'til the fat lady sings". Perk up folks. We're all gunning for you!
Raf
 
Logged

Tom Swearengen

  • T5
  • *****
  • Posts: 818
  • earhart monument, Hawaii
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #176 on: July 19, 2012, 12:56:04 PM »

yep----no delayed gratification here----want it yesterday!
Tom Swearengen TIGHAR # 3297
 
Logged

Jeff Victor Hayden

  • T5
  • *****
  • Posts: 1387
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #177 on: July 19, 2012, 01:01:46 PM »

Notice how the Gardner seamount wants to grab hold of and keep anything that strays too close to it (the AUV). It doesn't want to give up its secrets easily either :(
This must be the place
 
Logged

Tom Swearengen

  • T5
  • *****
  • Posts: 818
  • earhart monument, Hawaii
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #178 on: July 19, 2012, 01:28:04 PM »

or is it Julia in another form? :o
Tom Swearengen TIGHAR # 3297
 
Logged

Gus Rubio

  • T2
  • **
  • Posts: 66
Re: NIKU VII
« Reply #179 on: July 19, 2012, 02:50:30 PM »

I too am fighting disappointment, but as the pros here have said, it's not necessarily what they find while they're out there, it's what they learn after reviewing all the video and data.  that said, hopefully they will extend the mission a day or two, that could be all it takes to catch something on video that cracks the coconut.  Despite the lack of a "Eureka!" find, I can almost feel it, there's something down there, waiting to be found.  Such victories are sweeter when they cost you.

Speaking of cost, I'll tell you something: if I were to win a stupid amount of money in the lottery, like that half-billion-dollar jackpot or whatever it was recently, you better believe I'd throw a couple mil at the Electra search.  I'll let all y'all know when that happens.   :P

One upshot on this outing for the crew- no crabs!  Am I right folks?   :D
Logged
Pages: 1 ... 10 11 [12] 13 14 ... 24   Go Up
 

Copyright 2024 by TIGHAR, a non-profit foundation. No portion of the TIGHAR Website may be reproduced by xerographic, photographic, digital or any other means for any purpose. No portion of the TIGHAR Website may be stored in a retrieval system, copied, transmitted or transferred in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, digital, photographic, magnetic or otherwise, for any purpose without the express, written permission of TIGHAR. All rights reserved.

Contact us at: info@tighar.org • Phone: 610-467-1937 • Membership formwebmaster@tighar.org

Powered by MySQL SMF 2.0.18 | SMF © 2021, Simple Machines Powered by PHP