Still from ROV video

richie conroy · January 19, 2012, 09:11:50 AM

jeff have u noticed aswell that in places on the video, goin down the hill there seems to be gaps in the coral an its hollow behind them as its totally black ?

richie conroy · January 19, 2012, 09:36:06 AM

watch this video and at 13:37:01;04 pause it

is it a open hatch or sum kind of flap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yjeyOTFWX0&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

John Joseph Barrett · January 19, 2012, 10:52:17 AM

Glad I'm not the ROV operator because I just don't see what you guys are seeing. Not saying that it's not there or not what you think it is. I just can't see it. Any chance of an enhanced view or outlines? Ric is right in that it is easy to see what we want to see. Jeff, did your sister have any pre-knowledge of where the video was from or what might be on it? It'd be great if pieces/parts can be identified from the video. Problem is, those parts still need to be relocated and recovered and then linked to the Electra. Keep up the efforts though, it's definately keeping me and others tuned in. LTM- John

Tom Swearengen · January 19, 2012, 11:22:03 AM

John does have a valid point. Like Ric pointed out, its a different world overthere, and underwater.
And, i've been guilty of pulling the trigger on the "OMG look at that" stuff. But, I still believe the Electra is there, and when we find it, all of Tighar can feel the accomplishment.
Back to the pics----Jeff any better clarity of the stills to show the objects you and your sister were viewing? Certainly hope so--
Tom

Jeff Victor Hayden · January 19, 2012, 11:27:09 AM

Quote from: Tom Swearengen on January 19, 2012, 11:22:03 AM
John does have a valid point. Like Ric pointed out, its a different world overthere, and underwater.
And, i've been guilty of pulling the trigger on the "OMG look at that" stuff. But, I still believe the Electra is there, and when we find it, all of Tighar can feel the accomplishment.
Back to the pics----Jeff any better clarity of the stills to show the objects you and your sister were viewing? Certainly hope so--
Tom

Will do, at weekend. I know it looks strange but, if anyone can recognise the ss Norwich City as a ship now, I'll give them 10bucks. Don't expect a flimsy aircraft to like anything recognisable by now.
Jeff

Jeff Victor Hayden · January 19, 2012, 11:34:43 AM

Quote from: John Joseph Barrett on January 19, 2012, 10:52:17 AM
Glad I'm not the ROV operator because I just don't see what you guys are seeing. Not saying that it's not there or not what you think it is. I just can't see it. Any chance of an enhanced view or outlines? Ric is right in that it is easy to see what we want to see. Jeff, did your sister have any pre-knowledge of where the video was from or what might be on it? It'd be great if pieces/parts can be identified from the video. Problem is, those parts still need to be relocated and recovered and then linked to the Electra. Keep up the efforts though, it's definately keeping me and others tuned in. LTM- John

Anyone expecting to see large chunks of clean airframe will be sadly dissappointed I'm afraid. Tiny bits of torn up metal, yes. Also covered in coral, silt, sand coral Residue etc... Heavy bits of engineering would be in one piece, engines maybe. Sister has no idea what we are searching for. Just asked her to find man made object/objects in each still.

Tom Swearengen · January 19, 2012, 12:01:08 PM

good approach---keeps us all on our toes---and pins and needles----
Tom

richie conroy · January 19, 2012, 12:03:19 PM

just some av quickly done

richie conroy · January 19, 2012, 12:05:51 PM

some pics

Harry Howe, Jr. · January 19, 2012, 12:14:54 PM

Are there any pics of the ROV itself? Did it have the capanility to pick up anything that looked to be manmade? And take it to the surface?

richie conroy · January 19, 2012, 12:31:21 PM

decided to get a video down loader so jeff weren't stuck doing all the work :)

Harry Howe, Jr. · January 19, 2012, 02:42:56 PM

Jeff N.
Take a look at Seabotix, Inc. on your browser.
They show a unit vLBV 300 that has what looks like a remotely operated shearing device on the end of a short arm. Intended to support an ROV. With a little imagination and modification, two of them (maybe even one) could hold a "basket" and pick up an object and put it in the basket and take it up to the surface for analysis, like maybe the thingie (that looks like the fork of a kanding gear) near the black squiggly thing . Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Looks as if there is plenty of manmade "stuff" down there, time to think outside the box and get some of it up to the surface for inspection.

John Joseph Barrett · January 19, 2012, 03:15:16 PM

Ok, if i rotated this image that Richie posted http://tighar.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=571.0;attach=893 90 degrees counter-clockwise, blew it up, and then sat back and looked at it I could see a wheel assembly with the outer circle running parallel to a smaller inner circle that looks like it may have a bump on it that could be the end of an axle. I also could make out what could be the strut running back to the fender. I even compared what I thought I saw to pictures of the wheels on AE's known plane. It even looks rounded in profile and appears to extend slightly out over the edge of whatever it might be on. What I saw could be one of the main gear assemblies. But then, that's what I'd like to be seeing. Could it be? Sure. It could also just be wishful thinking on my part. With my diving adventures I have seen a lot of barrel sponges that are nice and round like a wheel. Pile enough sediment around them and take a picture from overhead and it could look like a wheel. Again, I've seen alot of stuff on the bottom that looks like its something else until you get right to it and then you realize its just a rock or coral. There is also stuff that just looks like natural environment until you get right on it. This picture is curious. It does have similarity to the gear assembly, even the angle of what I perceived to be the fender strut seems to have the proper angle off of the fork so, I don't know. I'd really like to see some enhanced images. LTM- John

richie conroy · January 19, 2012, 03:21:21 PM

i have attached a better image of wheel object cud deffo be a wheel :)

Tom Swearengen · January 19, 2012, 04:28:04 PM

Guys, not to burst anyones bubble, but whether the ROV has the capabilities to grasp objects or not isnt due to the ROV. Its due to the money involved to get the kind of ROV that has those capabilities. I dont know those numbers, but I bet Ric does. AND, it isnt just the ROV, but the support vessel that goes along with it.
I'm certain that Ric got the best package for the available money that TIGHAR had to do this search. And, after looking at the video and pics from it, I personally think it did an outstanding job, considering to overall limitations. We have all learned ALOT, not just about the pics and identifying stuff underwater (sometimes), but TIGHAR now has the pics that show the makeup of the reef, and most of that area down to 800+ feet. For the oceanographers wanting to know how life exsists there, in a fairly pristine environment, its great for science. So, we may or may not have found what we are looking for, but we have gaines alot of knowledge about the undersea world around Nikumaroro.
Perhaps----the funding will be available to persue the serach we all would like to see------and be sure to bring the crane and lots of cable!
Tom