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[Monty Fowler]

I was gratified to read in today's TIGHAR Tracks that response to funding for Niku IX has started out generously. That's a good sign, seeing as how we don't have much time.

Do we have at least a preliminary budget for using the HURL subs, and how far along that are we? I know in the past TIGHAR has used a fuel gauge as a graphical device to track progress towards funding each expedition. I think that would be valuable this time due to the telescoped nature of the funding effort.

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Ric Gillespie]

As I explained in TIGHAR Tracks, the budget for Niku IX is roughly a million dollars if we can stage out of Samoa.  If we stage out of Honolulu it's more like 1.5 million.  We're not going to piece together that kind of money selling shirts. To make Niku IX happen we need to find a major sponsor.   The funding we need from the membership right now is the funding needed to develop and follow up on leads for major sponsorship.  The shirt orders and other donations fuel that search.  We have some good leads to follow up on but it would be foolish of me talk about them here.

[Monty Fowler]

Since it's going to take 3-4 days to get to Niku, if the trip can be staged out of Fiji, I would think it would be highly beneficial if TIGHAR brought along all of the sonar/underwater video/etc., data it has amassed so that it could be at least looked at by the HURL folks on the way there. New sets of eyes might notice something that has been overlooked, and they've got some good experience in doing so.

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Monty Fowler]

And, is there any kind of tentative date from HURL as to when an effort might take place this summer?

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Ric Gillespie]

And, is there any kind of tentative date from HURL as to when an effort might take place this summer?

HURL is available.  The setting of a date can't happen until we have the funding assured.

[Monty Fowler]

Since Niku IX likely isn't happening this summer, and we have a whole year, has there been any more thought given to and outside or additional review of all of TIGHAR's sonar and underwater video data by outside parties/groups/qualified individuals?

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Ric Gillespie]

Since Niku IX likely isn't happening this summer, and we have a whole year, has there been any more thought given to and outside or additional review of all of TIGHAR's sonar and underwater video data by outside parties/groups/qualified individuals?

That would be great.  All it takes is money.  Got any?

[Stacy Galloway]

Since Niku IX likely isn't happening this summer, and we have a whole year, has there been any more thought given to and outside or additional review of all of TIGHAR's sonar and underwater video data by outside parties/groups/qualified individuals?

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

Mr. Glickman has been so generous to work pro-bono, but the projects are stacking up. Between height measurements, the patch study, the underwater footage, and is he involved in land footage study also? Either way, he's got a full time job on top of the time he so generously donates to TIGHAR.

Perhaps a small investment of ONE/SOME of those projects onto a qualified expert would be prudent and help move that particular project along.

During my years with TIGHAR, I've been very impressed with the caliber of people involved on this forum. Perhaps one of them is an expert in the field. Even someone with professional experience could help by doing a thorough study to point out areas of interest to Mr. Glickman and thus winnowing down the amount of time Mr. Glickman would have to expend to do the study from scratch.

I agree that other 'eyes on' would be beneficial. Perhaps some members have some other ideas- especially for how to make it cost effective/free.

[Ric Gillespie]

Let me clarify a couple things:

Jeff Glickman has, indeed, been very generous with his time and expertise. There are currently two projects he is doing for TIGHAR.  He expects to have the height study finished within the next few days.  The patch study is on hold pending our acquisition of new imagery.

Jeff has no particular expertise in interpreting sonar imagery.  To my knowledge, no one on this Forum is an expert in that highly specialized field. We would need to hire someone to review all the sonar data collected in 2012. We would love to do that but right now we're focused on raising the money it takes to find a sponsor or sponsors who will make Niku IX possible. 

[Monty Fowler]

Has TIGHAR talked with anyone about reviewing the previous sonar and/or underwater video gathered, to help better focus Niku IX?

And, what kind of ground search will be undertaken while the minisubs are doing their thing?

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Ric Gillespie]

Has TIGHAR talked with anyone about reviewing the previous sonar and/or underwater video gathered, to help better focus Niku IX?

Yes.  Such a review is currently underway.  The organization doing the review would prefer that we not talk about it at this time.

And, what kind of ground search will be undertaken while the minisubs are doing their thing?

Dunno yet.
LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Monty Fowler]

Glad to hear that some of the sonar and/or underwater video is getting another look. There are a number of universities that have undergrad or grad programs where something like this would make an excellent project. I think the University of Delaware, for one in your area, has some good programs.

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Monty Fowler]

Is this organization going to be particularly looking at the coral "scoring" that was discussed in a recent Tracks? That was new information to me, and it seems like it might help narrow down the search areas somewhat.

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC

[Ric Gillespie]

Is this organization going to be particularly looking at the coral "scoring" that was discussed in a recent Tracks? That was new information to me, and it seems like it might help narrow down the search areas somewhat.

The "scarring" or "scoring" is only apparent in the side-scan sonar data. Nothing is visible in the ROV video imagery. Our planning right now is focused on getting thorough coverage of the entire search area, not chasing scars.

[Monty Fowler]

So only video is going to be considered when planning the underwater search for Niku 2017?

LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189 EC