a new life in the sea

2012 Northeast Rebreather & Advanced Diving Technology Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

We're just one week away! Space is still available - register today!

All are invited to attend the 2012 Northeast Rebreather & Advanced Diving Technology Workshop on Saturday February 4th, 2012.

The event is being organized by Ocean Opportunity Inc, and graciously hosted at the University of Rhode Island.

Our first workshop in 2010 proved hugely successful with more than 80 attendees - from students, to explorers, to innovators, to policymakers. This year's event will prove no less rewarding - with presentations by leading industry experts, a break out room with several technologies on display, and opportunities for networking.

Confirmed speakers include Eliot Danner, Mark Munro, Jeff Godfrey, Rick Simon, and more to come!

Please register early, as space is limtied for this event. Registration information can be found here: registration flyer

Sponsorship opportunities exist for businesses in related industries.

We hope to see you there!

another dive industry acronym: PCB

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Diving is full of acronyms and abbreviations - agencies such as NAUI, PADI, TDI, IANTD; those used in dive planning such as RNT, TNT, RDT, those used for equipment modes such as SSA, OC, CCR, SCR, and it goes on and on and on.

Some recent work leads me to discuss yet another abbreviation that those making their home beneath the waves should be concerned with - PCBs.

PCBs, or 'polychlorinated biphenyl', are a group of contaminants that are unavoidable in industrial inshore waterways. PCBs were used as coolants and insulating fluids for transformers and capacitors, such as those used in old fluorescent lights. PCBs were also a common component of plasticizers in paints and cements, stabilizing additives in flexible PVC coatings of electrical wiring and electronic components, pesticide extenders, cutting oils, hydraulic fluids, and sealants, paints, water-proofing compounds, casting agents, vacuum pump fluids, and numerous other industrial process components.

With industrial America lining these inshore waterways, it is no surprise that PCBs are a serious environmental contaminant. Numerous projects have been and are underway to clean up the mess so to speak, but of course the irreparable damage cannot be quantified to its fullest extent.

I've spent some time on a local project recently where we have been advised 'not to stir up the bottom'. How exactly you do this when doing underwater construction I just don't know. However, it goes without saying that we make a conscious effort to reduce direct skin exposure. Using compressed gas and a helmet, ingestion and inhalation are not concerns. The issue is skin contact. High concentrations of PCBs can cause rashes and other skin irritations, and of greater concern is the chemicals entering the bloodstream through any cuts or open sores. PCBs can have effects from reproductive problems to causing cancers.

While we take the exposure seriously, it is somewhat ignorant to think that one spot is any more or less contaminated than the next. yes, there are hot spots. But the extent of contamination, sediments being moved over the numerous decades of the industrial revolution, and the constant stirring up from vessel traffic, weather (tides/waves), etc leads me to believe that - most unfortunately - we're always mucking around in a contaminated mess.

Our inshore waterways are more polluted than the masses can see visibly, and the nasties that we can't see are worse than imaginable. What can you do? Think twice before you throw anything down the drain, put batteries in the trash, and improperly dispose of any household or shop chemicals...that's a start anyway - seek a higher environmental consciousness.

For the rest of us whose doorstep is saturated with pollutants - tread lightly amidst the mess, and find that special appreciation when the turbidity clears. Maybe one day we can delete PCB from our long list of lingo.

'P.I.G.' welding the wet way

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:43:00 +0000

Winter diving here in New England brings three things - 1) mid 30 degree water, 2) good visibility, and 3) more work than I know what to do with. All good problems in one way or another.

We combat the cold with hotwater suits, circulating a steady flow of water over the diver's body just above body temps. This allows for full workday immersion - typically 6 or more hours of diving in a day. The clear water is a blessing and makes life easy (relatively speaking), and the inundation with projects comes from inshore marine facilities being shutdown for the season...repair time.

This week brought on a sheet pile bulkhead repair project, where numerous holes needed to be patched to prevent washout of the adjacent shore (parking lot in this case). So, bring out the welder. Among the things I love the most about diving professionally is the absolute requirement to be a jack of all trades. While diving is the vehicle to get there - and that alone requires expert level knowledge and in-water intuition - every tasks to be conducted is unique. At times we're engineers, plumbers, electricians, excavators, demolisher, fabricators, just pure labor, a set of eyes or ears, and on occasion - welders.

Often considered the apex of commercial diving, a good wet welder is worth his weight in gold. My experience in this realm is limited, though I do enjoy the craft. It is actually quite peaceful to play with electricity underwater, focusing on the ever so steady hand, and being patient. Not so easy while fighting the elements. While the clear water helps for certain, welding, even underwater, is done behind a shield for eye protection from arc flash. This is dark, and while settling into a muddy work area, it is easy to silt out - back to working in the blind where touch is now more important than ever...the job at hand takes place at the tip of a 1/8 inch welding rod. In the dark, cold, ebbing and flowing tide, six hours a day for a week of running bead after bead after bead - and still far from a pro.

The most important lesson in wet welding actually comes from the setup. 180 amps of DC current follow the welding circuit, and it doesn't take much to learn where you can and can't be and what you can and can't touch. Getting electrocuted underwater sounds about as bad as it is. The trick is P.I.G. - Positive Is Ground. Get this backwards and your welding rods just wont burn correctly - and you are apt to getting electrocuted.

A week well spent - good practice in the art of wet welding. Another 30+ hour week in my undersea world and living the life aquatic. Time to move on to the next....

update on the Ocean State's 'Oceans Aquarium'

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Today I am very proud to share a recent television broadcast update on the Oceans Aquarium Research & Science Center (OARS). The project has been catalyzed by Victor Moffitt of Coventry, RI.

This is a needed, necessary, and frankly common-sensical project for our Ocean State. Stay tuned as major strides are taken to develop Phase 1 of the project.

For more, or to get involved, visit: http://www.oceansaquarium.org/

The recent broadcast on 'State of the State' can be found here: http://www.ocgri.org/moffitt0112.html .

the decision NOT to dive

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:20:00 +0000

Of all the decisions we must make as divers, the most difficult is often the decision NOT to dive. Those of us diving in the commercial sector know that this decision can often cost a business a considerable amount of money, and even earn a sour reputation should a diver show up on sight and elect not to get in the water. In the recreational world, the dives are optional - unfortunately this is not always the case in the working world.

The important thing to keep in perspective is personal limitations. When these are compromised, incidents and accidents are invited into the mix. Today was a good example - my first contract dive for 2012 was a call for a blissful plunge into a raw sewage containment well to dislodge a clogged pump intake. All locked in to a vulcanized rubber suit and quad exhaust on the hat, this exposure is reasonably accounted for. Yet, my limits were uncomfortably pushed - not physically, rather responsibly. With a newborn baby at home - not yet exposed to the common cold, let alone every pathogen contained in human waste and other fluids, I kept rethinking the slim but real chance of not doing a thorough decon, and marching this $#!T into my home and exposing my child to what could prove life threatening at this early stage of life - just not worth it.

So, while a lucrative proposition, I opted out. I decided that I was past the pride (having dived in sewage before so I already have that story to tell) and the fine line of being smart enough to say 'no', and stupid enough to say 'yes' was thickened up a bit with the nature of this dirty job.

The diver doing the dive in my place did a great job - tasks executed in a timely and professional manor, and without incident, with virtually no environmental exposure. So, mission still accomplished.

From the words of the great Kenny Rogers, 'know when to walk away, and when to run'. Diving is a gamble, as is life. The decision NOT to dive is a responsible one. Be prepared to accept any associated consequences, but remember that diving under pressures that are cause for compromised physical, emotional, psychological, or physiological safety don't do much to preserve a long and healthy undersea career.

a new perspective on 'our' undersea world for 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:16:00 +0000

With the turn of this new year, this is an opportune time to reflect on this year's past and more importantly - start focusing energies for what lies ahead.

The last two years have marked a timely and ambitious push to take my deep exploration work to new depths, and shed light on a new public appeal for a human presence in the ocean. Those involved in expeditions of any type know just how much of a commitment it takes to make these things happen - from planning to logistics, to fundraising, to more planning, to nurturing collaborations, to overcoming failures and shortfalls, to more planning, to actually getting the job done. Then of course, like any good evolutionary body of work, we learn from it and devise a course of action to continue the pursuit.

In 2010 and 2011, my small team took some big steps in conducting 'working' scientific dives in excess of 400 feet of depth - using totally autonomous diving techniques and with a small, cost-effective footprint. The outcome?...staring at the edge of yet another new frontier right in the face - the lower limits of mesophotic coral ecosystems - and the start of considerations for what practical limits are for human intervention of the oceans. Each dive we made revealed discoveries that are changing science, and the technology we're using to get there is going through an innovative evolution all its own...

CGI concept sketch of habitat. Courtesy Anthony Appleyard.

A recent collaboration with Subsalve Inc., has resulted in the design and fabrication of a portable decompression habitat which we will incorporate into our explorations in 2012. This does add a degree of complexity with dive planning, however it will also permit a more functional range extension, as the lengthy and uncomfortable decompression phase of the dive can be conducted in a more controlled environment. The project will demonstrate several key points. First is use of a totally autonomous habitat, free of surface support or connectivity - a step towards living underwater with absolutely no direct surface support. Second is establishing the use of 'base camp' analogs during exploration caliber dives in openwater. Lastly of course, is that our team, 'people', will be taking an incremental step towards frontier settlement in 'our' undersea world...as we've discussed previously here on 'a new life', this ocean frontier is there for the taking, and it is our fateful destiny to evolve to maximize its intervention, lending a critical component to our species' sustainability. That time is now.

Thanks to a second award from the National Geographic Society's Waitt Grants Program, and contributions from numerous corporate and individual sponsors, 2012 will mark a pivotal moment in human exploration of this Blue Planet. Stay tuned as we take you there...

the whoas and woes of winter diving

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:06:00 +0000

Our mild fall has passed, and we're officially into winter diving. The sign for me is waking up to find my hotwater suit (which was hanging out to dry) frozen solid - a less than inviting garment to don at 7AM. So be it...

Winter diving here in New England brings us both 'whoas' and 'woes'. The 'woes' are obvious - frozen suits, cold water, mild hypothermia, and so on. However we should certainly not overlook the 'whoas'.

What excites me about winter diving is the water clarity. Here in New England it is possible to have in excess of 50 feet of linear visibility, and the water has a blue hue, rather than its summer green. Good visibility sheds light on a whole new perspective of the New England underwater experience. Winter wildlife is also exciting. Harbor seals make their way into many bays and can be quite friendly.

Shorty story - don't hang up your fins just yet. With mild days still ahead for a month or so, a short winter dive can be quite enjoyable, and help shake some of that holiday stress.

an illustration of why we do what we do

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:07:00 +0000

For the past several months, numerous friends and colleagues have forwarded me a short film about 'Ray'. It is a beautiful piece that illustrates the lifelong passion we develop as a diver. Beyond 'just a job', for those of us that commit to living this life aquatic understand that there is no end point - with every breath we are taking just baby steps to a new beginning.

Much like Ray, even those hard, working days spent mucking about are precious time spent. There is nothing better, and it truly is an honor to experience this part of our planet each and every day.

I wanted to share 'Ray' with you here on 'a new life in the sea'. Enjoy!

liquid breathing and the miracle of life

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:46:00 +0000

A wonderful Thanksgiving suprise was the arrival of my little Olive. It goes without saying that she was carefully inspected by her family for gills and webbed feet to see how much of her Dad was inherited right off. All kidding aside, among the most striking elements of Olive's grand entrance was the realization that she had been living in an aquatic world for the last nine months...and using a higher technology than the rest of us have had the means to put together for our worldly exploits here on terra firma.

Amniotic fluid fills the lungs of the fetus and is exchanged in and out of the lungs to encourage lung development, however fetal oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal comes from blood exchange with the mother via the placenta. Once born, and the lungs are drained of amniotic fluid, the newborn's own respiratory system kicks into gear, with oxygenation of the blood coming from atmospheric exchange in the lungs. This transformation is truly amazing, as our (human) physiology all changes at an instant.

Now of course the idea of breathing oxygenated fluid rather than gas would have tremendous advantages for extreme environment exploration - be it for very deep diving, thus elimnating the many challenges stemming from gas pressure, or for space exploration, where the effects of g-forces could be reduced with fluid immersion. However, the science behind this is much less related to fetal 'breathing' than we might consider at face value.

Nevertheless, considering we are born from a liquid medium, there is much to learn as we consider an evolution back to a liquid medium. In the meantime, little Olive will have to wait patiently for 10 years or so til she can start sharing in my underwater explorations the more conventional way.

mental health & 'fitness to dive'

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:14:00 +0000

Fall 2011's Alert Diver Magazine features a piece entitled 'Psychiatric Fitness to Dive', authored by Adam Roth MD. I was pleasantly surprised to find the article, as the issue of mental health is a critical one with regard to not only overall 'fitness to dive', but also day to day decision making by the individual taking on a diving activity.

The article goes on to list several psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia - all as biological psychiatric disorders needing consideration when diving. The article goes on to suggest that as high as 50% of Americans have had episodes of these illnesses in varying degrees of severity.

Now, of course, complicating the activity of diving is that our fundamental needs for survival are challenged - breathing. We have to maintain the wherewithal to manage an artificially supplied breathing medium, and this is regardless of any factors contributing to elevated levels of stress. Many of these stressors are inherent to the activity - gas supply, narcosis, depth and time limits, location of the boat and one's dive partner, and so one. It goes without saying that having a clear head before diving is a necessary thing.

So, assessing fitness to dive when considering psychiatric illness remains a complicated task. Do any of the above factors trigger anxiety or depression? to what extent? are medications needed? could these medications trigger physiological problems or other responses due to effects of pressure? The answers are that we just don't know everything we need to know about mental health and diving.

My opinion is that the examining physician needs to determine if the individual can exercise sound judgment in exposing him/herself to this uniquely stressful environment and make the decision to terminate the dive before the viscious cycle of stress-anxiety-panic sets in. Conditions requiring some medications may be contraindications to this, as are severe panic disorders.

Complicating this mental fitness to dive is for us diving professionals. In recreational and scientific diving, making the dive is the choice of the diver, and this decision cannot be refuted. Commercial divers are often in difficult situations where not making the dive costs the employer or project significant setbacks - both productively and financially. Of course, this attitude subjects all to greater risk, as dives are often made where the diver questions his/her willingness, interest, or abilities to make this dive, but 'its part of the job'.

I've had my share of mornings where I just don't want to go to work. Unlike many however, where the option may be to zone out behind a desk in the relative comfort of terrestrial space, my only option is to still perform in an extreme environment where I am both physically and psychologically challenged. I've been in the situation where the dives have to be made regardless of which side of the bed one wakes up on, and its never a good one. Not wanting to make a dive (for any reason) causes psychological stress. Entering the water with this underlying stress complicates the entire process, and if not properly managed, can have considerable impacts on the ability to achieve the task at hand. To address this, I've developed (or rather extracted from deep within) coping mechanisms that are triggered when I first hit the water. These are changes in breathing patterns, creating visual focal points (particularly in blackwater), identifying physical references from the work area to the surface (generally false securities), and so on. These are all subconscious things I do that I've identified doing time and time again to get through the day. Adaptation is a wonderful thing.

I truly believe that it comes down to understanding personal limitations. To do this, you need a significantly heightened sense of self awareness and understanding how you cope when challenged with stress. Seeing this in advance is no easy task, and quite likely not possible for those who may have more severe psychiatric disorders. For that reason alone, psychiatric fitness to dive is in need of becoming an assessment point during medical evaluations.

subaquatic job security - husbandry 101

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Yesterday was a good reminder of where to find job security in the subaquatic realm - husbandry. Every device and structure - from instruments to bridges and piers - is severely abused by the natural forces of the ocean environment, and that means they need constant maintenance and upkeep...great news for us commercial divers.

My day spent underwater yesterday was to maintain a seawater intake system at a local university by removing and cleaning an array of filters. It goes without saying that filters lining an intake are to keep critters out. The problem is those sessile critters that have a way of attaching to screens and filters and clog everything up. So, this system in particular needs service about twice annually.

This particular project illustrates a point well - and that is the need for design engineers, end-users, AND those doing maintenance (us divers) to work together from the onset of such projects to make every one's life easier - and keep costs down. In this case, the labor required by the divers to do this routine husbandry work is extensive. Far too extensive in fact, and this is the result of an over engineered system. Great for me, but not so great for those footing the bill.

As we consider this greater pursuit of living the life aquatic - and the future of increased coastal and submerged infrastructure, we cannot dismiss the need for associated husbandry work. The shear force of the ocean alone wear on materials, and every barren substrate provides a new opportune home for marine life, which in turn places added weight and strain on these manmade structures. The science behind all this - materials science, structural engineering, innovation in husbandry tools/techniques, is all at its infant stages, with the marine marketplace still being rather small given our limited presence on and under the sea.

I can't honestly say it for everyone, but those considering some degree of job security should look to our submerged horizons - I guarantee there are surfaces to be cleaned, hardware to be replaced, and critical infrastructure present and future in need of repair.

lessons from day one | refraction in diving

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:05:00 +0000

Strike one, strike two, strike three - this was how I started my morning as I was swinging a hammer topside to tack up a pile wrap system while working under a pier. I just plain missed the nail three times. I then switched to my left hand and struck out again. Hmmm...something's up.

Then it dawned on me - I've spent the last two weeks doing the same tasks underwater, while just today switching out to topside duty. My vision had adapted to the refraction, or light bending, through the water/air interface of my mask. I likely compensated for the magnification of viewing things through a mask as well.

While I was alone, I was still embarrassed, but then somewhat relieved that physics was to blame. I always find these more complex yet routine situations amusing in that they illustrate the fundamentals.

So lesson learned - never underestimate the value in good basic scuba training. There are lessons for life right there for the taking. For the instructors out there - this is the one opportunity we have to hammer home these seemingly simple concepts in physics...don't skimp on the content, as you just never know when and where their value will be appreciated.

back to black(water)

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:02:00 +0000

Back at it - last winter/spring I partook in what was the single longest stretch of commercial diving that I had experienced. The project ran nearly daily for almost 6 months, requiring upwards of 30 hours of underwater time per week. Aside from the sheer exhaustion, I faced a number of other quasi-health problems which took me several months to fully recover. To some extent, I feel as though I had adapted to this aquatic way of life, with the physical and physiological consequences faced only after returning to terra firma.

Well, tis the season again - with several big projects on the schedule for this coming winter and spring, and while I've been diving consistently right along, this week marked the start of another week of cold, isolated darkness.

Sound like fun?

Most folks that I share my subaquatic sojourns with envision a life like Lloyd Bridges or Jacques Cousteau. I hate to rain on this picturesque vision of the life aquatic, but inshore construction is the dark side. I've spent literally hours upon hours working by feel alone - no pretty fishes and palm trees here.

The upside, for me anyway, is the improved sensory acuity. Just one really full field day earlier this week brought back this appreciation, as it is something that cannot be experienced in any other way. Diving itself challenges the fundamental mechanics of our ability to survive - we rely on an artificial means to breathe. Every action and reaction by the diver is made with an underlying self-defense, or subconscious mechanism to protect our state of being in that foreign situation. Once we manage the psychology of breathing underwater, these mechanisms and acute sensory perceptions become more immediately recognized. For example, I've found that by not having vision, smell, or hearing (at least not having to listen to anything distracting), my spatial awareness and touch is heightened considerable. Some might consider working in the blind a setback. I would argue that when this is the norm, the mind and body can adapt in ways never imaginable and perform exceedingly well...even accomplishing tasks that would not otherwise be possible.

As physically demanding as mucking about in the black is, there truly is nothing better. The rewards that come with being among the very few not just visitors, but true citizens of the sea, lend themselves to a lifetime of fulfillment.

Back to black...

occupational diving | standards and new frontiers?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:05:00 +0000

At the recent 2011 American Academy of Underwater Sciences annual symposium in Portland, Maine, I offered a presentation highlighting my team's deep scientific exploration work in the Bahamas. At the tail end of the presentation, I shared a rough pre-production sketch of a portable inflatable habitat that we are constructing to augment the decompression phase of our dives. On our sub-400fsw dives, spending any considerable amount of time at depth while working results in substantial decompression obligations. I proposed that to exert more control over this dive phase, a habitat is a reasonable technology choice. This limits wet exposure by the divers, and allows for more direct surface intervention via improved communications and increased options for rendering emergency assistance. (my presentation below).

While similar habitats have been used in lengthy cave exploration dives, our work is what I believe to be a first in an openwater environment. This presents numerous obvious challenges related to buoyancy, deployment, and so on, but perhaps the most significant challenge is the one I was questioned on following my talk.

That being, "what standards are you following - scientific or commercial?"

Occupational diving in the United States is defined by OSHA in our Code of Federal Regulations, which includes commercial diving. Scientific Diving has an exemption to the CFR, however is still subject to standards of practice and is self regulated via a community consensus in force via the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS). The AAUS has provisions for decompression, mixed-gas, and rebreather diving, though naturally not for portable inflatable habitation. Now, our work is clearly scientific in nature, and one may argue that we are conducting these exploration dives as part of our respective employments. For intents and purposes, these are working scientific dives.

Not to circumvent the system per se, but I am a firm believer that to make advances in any industry or community, you must undertake a degree of risk - calculated risk. Stunts and records have no place in this community, though well planned and executed exploration that redefines limitations does have a place. In time, this is the only means to advance community objectives, capabilities, and the operational and safety standards themselves.

Now of course, our team has no interest in subjecting any of our respective institutions or affiliations to undue risk. Quite the contrary in fact, and this results in a systematic and incremental approach to incorporating experimental work into the project. In the end, it is our individual and personal beliefs in the work that motivate us to continue, and therein is where the liabilities lie.

Yes, we are treading in some thin water, but believe in this work. In close, I leave you with a quote from Albert Einstein:

“The world, which we have created, is the result of an outdated way of thinking. The problems developing from it cannot be solved by the same way of thinking that created them."

Today and now more than ever - across all industries - we need to embrace innovation and change, rather than condemn it. Interesting times lie ahead...

'occupy' movement and global civility

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:59:00 +0000

What began as a seemingly insignificant Wall Street protest has generated global support - and rightfully so. We have some very real problems to address here in this country, all of which have global implications, and frankly the world economies are proud that the US is standing up to its nonsensical musings in recent history.

The trouble with the movement remains a cohesive objective of the protests. Long lists of complaints and issues have been brought forward, which makes it clear that there is a general discontent with our current state of affairs. What lacks is a clearly defined 'list of grievances'.

As they say, 'history repeats itself'. Arriving at a list of grievances would not be a first for this country. More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson compiled such a list reflecting American colonists' complaints against King George III and the rule of England. This of course resulted in the Declaration of Independence - marking the start of our independent country. Of course complicating the issues today are the massive population within the country, coupled with the fact that the grievances are from within, rather than to an entity abroad. Critical to ensuring peace through these early demonstrations will be some degree of responsiveness by the US government to the protests - and bold responses at that. Frankly, I believe that our rights and the 'power of the vote' have proven less effective than the overriding the influence of media driven campaigns. I'm not one to fully develop this argument, though I think one can be made that our political system does not reflect the needs and wants of the people. Everyone I've talked to seems to have a complaint about something these days.

So, how do we fix any of this moving forward? Well, short of a civil war and major overthrow of government, we need people to infiltrate our current political system that will stand up to 'the system' and fight for radical change in the interests of the people...and this means NOW.

Interestingly, while a small voice in the grander picture, there are folks planning their great escape in an alternative way - trekking out to settle an entirely new frontier - claiming their independence from our corrupt terrestrial counterparts, and venturing to oceana incognita - for the duration.

One movement is Dennis Chamberland's Aquatica Project . Dennis proposes to significantly advance undersea habitation to the point where we humans can arrive at a sustainable and permanent presence underwater. A second movement is the Seasteading Institute. The institute proposes to establish permanent and independent ocean based communities specifically for the purpose of evolving new social and political structures. Both efforts are fascinating - however quite likely considered all too forward thinking for the masses - though absolutely critical from my perspective in considering our long term sustainability here on Earth. Frankly, we're failing our test. To pass means finding balance, a sustained system, a harmony with nature to promote our survivorship and continued evolution, a gaia, and a degree of global civility.

Needless to say, we're in for some interesting times. I'm not discounting the power of the people and the potential for change, though I see far greater potential for us out on and beneath the waves. That's where I'll be...

city under the sea | not so far fetched

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:52:00 +0000

Every now and again, I like to share a post that brings us right to the core of our journey - doing our part to enable 'a new life in the sea'. Each and every time I put my head underwater, two things happen; 1) my curiosities are sparked, and 2) I learn something new - be it about the environment itself, improving the vehicle to get there, and about the psychology of the pursuit. This process of inquisition has left me deep in thought about why exactly it is that the ocean is such a gripping and engaging subject and medium for people in all walks of life - and in all geographic locations. Whether from the coast, or high in the mountains, the ocean has a tendency to engage. It's foreign, yet within reach, and begs us to embark on some degree of self directed study.

I'd like to argue that the ocean is so engaging because it covers the vast majority of our planet. Water itself is the single commonality between all life on Earth, and the fact that Earth itself is covered by water should tell us something - 'our' survival, or our successors survival is dependent on our ocean resources. A degree of common sense would tell most that a higher degree of ocean interaction is indeed our destiny - the true future of our sustainability and survival.

The trick is that we require an artificial means to get there - and that means technology. For now, this leaves us with a limited interaction - up to several hours or days at a time. But as we progress, imagine spending weeks, months, years, or even lifetimes beneath the sea...this could very well be our only option should life here on terra firma go belly up.

A recent piece entitled 'City Under the Sea' touches on this concept, and discusses in depth the pursuit to take life in the sea to a whole new depth. Enjoy...

National Geographic City Under the Sea: by Tenoch2012

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the bluewater dimension | a next frontier for human exploration

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:10:00 +0000

It’d been several years since I ventured this far offshore, so this journey was a welcomed one. Teamed up with Dr. Brad Seibal and his science party aboard the R/V Endeavor, we set out about 200 nautical miles south from Rhode Island, which put us off the Maryland/Delaware coast, out into the Gulf Stream. The 20 hour steam offshore was uneventful - just full of focus by the science party as they prepped for the intensive weeks of work ahead. We fought some large swells which made for our first 48 hours adjusting to life at sea all the more difficult. The first night, I did all I could to not get tossed from my bunk.
The dive operations required bluewater diving – our research site was over some 10,000 feet of water, so needless to say there was no bottom or hard structure to use in guiding our dives. However, that does not mean that there was nothing to see. Out in the open ocean, we experience the true three dimensional space that covers the vast majority of our planet. Within it, huge communities of pelagic critters – ranging from huge to microscopic – thrive. Many never see land, nor the seafloor, and many more never see the light of day. Within this blue vastness there is a ‘structure’ however. Temperature, light, salinity, nutrient levels, and other measurable parameters define the open ocean leaving layers upon layers, upon layers to be explored – along with each’s inhabitants. In this blue vastness, the aliens of the sea - squids and jellies - are abundant. They are remarkable in their ability to live in a three dimensional world.

At night, the creatures from the deep will ascend to areas that are now at lower light levels to feed. Needless to say, night diving ops were undertaken to observe these less commonly seen creatures. Night diving in the middle of the ocean is ominous and intimidating. The only frame of reference is the downline and the small microcosm created by your dive light which basically illuminates your immediate viewing area. Colored cyalume sticks are used to mark each diver, and the downline on the bluewater rig. Communicating at night is difficult. Staying at a reasonable distance while bluewater diving is important so as to not entangle one another’s tethers. Light signals are used to the extent possible to indicate an ‘OK’, with the safety diver managing depth and time limits. Occasionally shutting off your dive lights leaves you in anything but a pitch black void – as bioluminescent critters glow when agitated by our swimming through the water.

The cruise worked nearly around the clock, taking advantage of weather and variable conditions at the study sites. We worked from the Delaware coast over and up to Hydrographer Canyon, and then Oceanographer Canyon, where we concluded the fieldwork.

Diving in the middle of the ocean, off the margin of the continental shelf at night brings you a step closer to home – you realize just how infinitely small you are in this Blue Planet, and there is an ocean of opportunity out there right at your fingertips. After this two week journey, I am convinced that bluewater offers much in evolving diving and exploration practices to advance science, and also examine how we humans may better intervene and exploit this vast unutilized space here on Earth.

Communion | a review

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:51:00 +0000

I finally picked up Author Whitley Strieber’s ‘Communion’, and could not put it down. I've walked by the book dozens of times in bookstores, at airports, and have seen the dark glossy eyes on the cover peering deep within me, almost hauntingly, to the point where I was somewhat afraid of the read. I must say that I am glad I got past this, and it may very well be some twist of fate that brought about the read at this particular time.

Strieber discusses, in bitter detail, his lifelong encounters with being taken – and further having interactions with what he perceives to be extra terrestrials. While he relays two specific gripping and harrowing accounts, the remainder of the work reflects his inner peace found with the experience and his new perception of life in the aftermath of these events. Strieber’s description and self-investigation of his experiences are so deep that it would be difficult to question his sanity – he is clearly a brilliant person who has simply found peace with what he arrives at being a fortunate set of unique experiences.

Two items in particular jumped out at me that warrant some discussion. First is Strieber’s mention that his visitor may have been in the form of Ishtar – the Babylonion goddess of fertility most popularly associated with the Epic of Gilgamesh.

This particularly struck me as my recent investigations of the ancients and roots of advanced human civilization make continued reference to intervention of ‘the gods’, with Ishtar being among them. Why would this individual reoccur, and with a similar ‘divine’ intervening approach? As I’ve considered mythology in context with the development of civilization, it seems far fetched to believe that all people on Earth found themselves in some hallucinogenic state to create stories and go through the effort of recording them (often laboriously in stone) to be passed on as just that – stories. Clearly, the events occurring at the start of civilization had profound impacts on the people of the time. A ‘visit’ from Ishtar would certainly be influential enough to share with future generations.

Second, towards the end of the text, Strieber relays a statement that “the stakes are high: Mankind is in the position of maturing as a species at the same time that our planet could be dying.” No truer words can be said of our current times. While we strive for advancement in every conceivable way, much of this is in the framework of increased knowledge of the material plane. We have not bettered ourselves, rather just continue to strive to make life more and more efficient. With that comes orders of magnitude of increasing social and political complexities, and our fundamental relationship with planet Earth is lost. This shows in so many ways, as evidenced by rapid climate change, extensive habitat and species loss, and natural resource depletion. The ancients on the other hand, had a deep synergy with the environment, as their priority was spiritual or conscious advancement. They found a connectivity with ‘something else’ that offered a sense of fulfillment. Of course, as we understand history, this was not sustainable as all of these cultures have long since vanished. Perhaps this course of evolution, influenced by ‘the gods’, was threatening, so was forced to destruction.

In any event, ‘Communion’ is a must read. For believers and non-believers alike, the book encourages us to keep an open mind to personal perception of the world around us (and beyond) and promotes a manner of thinking that makes the world a much bigger (and more exciting) place than we know it to be.
Related articles

The Genesis Race | a review

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Will Hart’s ‘The Genesis Race’ is a well developed compendium of thoughts and theories as to the origin of the human race and its propensity for evolving towards civilization. Hart emphasizes throughout the text that the sudden impulse towards civilization across the globe some 6000 years ago needed some organized and intelligent precursor to introduce the various technological, communication, and survival mechanisms that we have since discovered about the ancients. Without directly declaring that human civilization has benefited from extra-terrestrial (as in ‘alien’) intervention until the book’s last chapter, the thread throughout is one where humans have a uniqueness in our free will, rather than rely solely on animal instincts, and the rather short time frame by which we have evolved to think our way through problems is in fact too short to be the result of a natural evolutionary process.

Hart describes consistencies among the ancient civilizations – from Sumer to Central America – where ‘the gods’ all played an intricate role in delivering gifts of technology and knowledge as the catalysts for cultural evolution. Each historical account appears to parallel Judeo-Christian Biblical accounts, indicating that at least with the limited physical archaeological evidence in hand, many of the stories hold a degree of truth.

Throughout this course of self-study into Atlantean theory, the start of civilization, and human evolution gets more and more interesting, particularly as patterns are exposed in ancient human history, as well as patterns in climate change. The challenge becomes not getting overwhelmed by theory, and probing deep enough to find facts; as facts are hard to find when we are dealing with events taking place more than 6000 years ago.

In many ways, exposing and learning from our past is taking us on a journey to realize and find clarity in our future here on Earth.

Panspermia and the Genesis Race

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 14:28:00 +0000

After motoring through the early chapters of Will Hart's 'The Genesis Race', I'm somewhat compelled to briefly discuss the concpet of 'panspermia'. The book begins with tackling the ever so controversial topics of evolution and organized religion - and digging deep to identify where the two subjects intertwine. Along this discussion, we are introduced to to the theory that humans may not have evolved entirely from the raw materials found here on Earth; suggesting that from the days of the primordial ooze that allegedly gave rise to all life on Earth through to today is not enough time to evolve (by definition) via random chance and genetic mutation.

In the scope of evolution here on Earth, one would expect that all life would evolve to best fit its environmental niche and become stronger to survive. Again, looking at Earth from above - I see blue - so one might expect that the best adapted and evolved organisms in fact live on or within this blueness - and so they do. Sharks for instance are the key apex predator in the oceans, with little change in their evolution for more than 200 million years. We humans, the apex predator on land, have only been around for 200,000 years, with our 'strenghts' coming with elaborate thought processes to survive, rather than instincts. Rewinding through human civilization, the emergence of several great technologically savvy and well organized cultures within a very short and recent timeframe lead us to question - and rightfully so - the idea that perhaps we are the product of some greater intervention. The Biblical (and other religious historical texts) variant on the story is consistent with a divine intervention, and the scientific variant is up for great discussion.

Hart's Chapter 3 discusses all this and references a 1983 book (Life Itself: its Origin and Nature) by Francis Crick (of Watson and Crick - DNA double helix notoriety) which describes why life could not have evolved here on Earth. So where did it come from? According to Crick, and others, the building blocks for life were introduced via a random ride from an asteroid or other debris entering Earth. This effectively seeded early evolution - be it for all life, or the human leg of the record. This may sound far fetched except that there has actually been recent work done on the subject with organic compounds and amino aicds found in crashed meteroites, lending some creedance to the theory. This is the foundation for the panspermia theory - where life has been seeded from some unknown of extraterrestrial source.

The truly complicating piece is our uniqueness in having free will and having the aptitude to innovate at a high intellectual capacity. If we are able to sustain our species and continue to evolve, it is quite likely that we arrive at an intellectual state that parallels a far off highly advanced civilization that may have seeded Earth to begin with in an effort to save itself. Hard to swallow, but food for thought nonetheless.

Still, I question our presence here on the Blue Planet and wonder why we are effectively trapped on land. Why look to the heavens to save our species when our nearest opportunity is right in our backyards...

Useful References

Crick, F., & Orgel, L. (1973). Directed panspermia Icarus, 19 (3), 341-346 DOI: 10.1016/0019-1035(73)90110-3

Spaargaren, D. (1985). Origin of life: Oceanic genesis, panspermia or Darwin's ‘warm little pond’? Experientia, 41 (6), 719-727 DOI: 10.1007/BF02012566

Atlantis and 2012 | a review

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:19:00 +0000

Frank Joseph's 'Atlantis and 2012' takes us on a deepened journey into Atlantean theory as it applies to the 2012 controversy. Much of the discussion builds on the Cayce readings, though ties in historical and archaeological evidence from early civilization, namely the Maya though also Native North American and other relatively advanced early cultures. The book emphasizes that a common ideologies are present throughout all known early civilization - and this stems from the Lost City.

I've been particularly taken with Atlantean theory recently, and this read helped to take my investigation to a much deeper level. Joseph's research on the subject appears thorough and is well referenced, yet an easy and enjoyable read for the masses.

Joseph leaves the question of the Maya calender and the end of time looming in the background of the Atlantean controversy - as there is indeed aarchaeological, astronomical, astrological, and geological evidence indicating that we are approaching the end of a 'cycle' of many sorts and about to start a new age. The specifics of this new time is yet to be determined, and widely open to interpretation.

What is indisputable is that we have many things to think about in today's world and in digging ever deeper into how we got here, the root cause of our many downfalls, and the potential solutions, can all be found with Atlantis.

This one is a keeper in my library, and I'm eager to continue reading Frank Joseph's work on the subject.

Irene | the aftermath

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:14:00 +0000

As we enter day 4 in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, the unexpected (or rather unplanned for) struggles persist here in Southern New England. I lost power to my home on Sunday at about 2AM - and its still out. The first 24 hours felt like an extended camping trip, which came with some excitement despite the chaos following the storm. Now into Day 4, the realities of the situation echo throughout our neighborhood streets.

Within the four walls of our home, the challenges are no refrigeration, air conditioning, ability to do laundry, or run the dishwasher - call them all creature comforts of the 20th and 21st century. They are survivable with meager adaptation. On the streets - safety concerns are everywhere...power lines in the roads, no street lights at night, no traffic lights by day, and so on. Restaurants and stores are closed, unable to refrigerate perishables, and unable to process a transaction - billions of dollars in commerce alone will be lost due to this storm.

The common denominator is electrical power, and this is a topic I've written about before. Our dependence on the grid leaves us vulnerable - very vulnerable. This storm did some serious damage and separated many from the grid, but pales in comparison to what would be a major storm or other threat imposed on our infrastructure...it would be absolute chaos on the streets.

The dependence on the grid stems from our need for high voltage systems, and high amperage systems to supply those creature comforts. There is absolutely no efficient or cost effective means to provide >110vac to a home other than plugging into the grid. Sure, we can supplement with large solar arrays, but our consumption is still there. This is where we need a radical change - both to avoid future power failure crises, and to reduce our dependence on high priced and failing infrastructure.

So with that, I challenge you all to consider low power alternatives - run on 12vdc. Those of us in the marine and maritime community are intimately familiar with 12vdc systems on our vessels. Most creature comforts, or their variants can be powered with low power. This is better for everyone, and puts you - the consumer - at the control point of the production end for meeting you power needs. It just makes good sense.Lifestyle changes would come from this, as would reduction on fossil fuel consumption, and widespread changes in grid dependence.

This would be a paradigm shift in life here in the US and beyond, but first requires a culture change...perhaps just one home at a time.

12vdc coming my way, and hopefully your way. This is just one of those seemingly small changes that will work wonders for promoting the freedoms we seek with a new life in the sea.

yoga

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 23:23:00 +0000

A mix of long work days, inadequate time allocated to exercise, gaining a few extra pounds despite the summer heat, and the just plain chaos of life these days has left me rather 'misaligned'. It's a terrible feeling - lack of focus, general uneasiness in my own skin, and not knowing whether I'm coming or going. We've all had the bouts, and sometimes its as easy as a minor but strategic change in daily habits or short break to refocus and re-energize. This go around was something different - my misalignment seemingly ran deeper than my physical being, so I figured I try something new that I've been curious about for some time - yoga.

So, Saturday morning I strolled into my first yoga class, session, or whatever you may call it. Yoga has its roots in our very distant past - quite likely pre-dating written history with its origins thought to be from Hindu and Buddhist religions. The practice is a discipline of spiritual, mental, and physical alignment, often coupling meditation and relaxation with various physical poses or postures. My self-directed study of theorized Atlantean and Lemurian civilization has exposed some ideals that likely manifested themselves through yoga in later civilizations. The practice, in its purest form, is much deeper than we Westerners pursue.

I found the class enjoyable, and quite useful in my 'alignment' problem, though I found it difficult to really dig deep with the spiritual side of the program given that I was one of a dozen in a crowded, sweaty studio. However, this may be a useful conduit to aid in focus on my little journey...

Westernized yoga is structured around the idea of being an alternative to exercise, but is still inclusive of promoting and enabling relaxation throughout the process. Complicating our use here in the US are conflicting processes in a religious context. Built upon predominantly Christian value sets, our fundamental practices stem from belief systems, rather than a more Eastern approach of aligning a spiritual and physical self. However, the popularity of yoga here in the US has led to discussions of more New Age approaches to meditation within Christian paradigms. It is all quite very interesting, and exposes just some of the roots of human civilization.

I was particularly taken by the reference to 'chakras' during my yoga class. Chakras (from Buddhism), or 'force centers' are said to be planes of energy within the body that can be harnessed physical, and spiritually. its perhaps not so coincidental that the 7 chakras typically discussed are aligned along our spinal column - the center of our physical body. Proper 'alignment' of our chakras keeps all in check, and keeps the individual functioning at an optimal level. My first introduction to chakras was several years ago - in a diving course no less. I was taking part in technical dive training and read some literature produced by Tom Mount, a pioneering force behind the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Diving (IANTD), who is also a strong proponent of various martial arts and meditative practices. To be honest, at the time, we took the subject of chakral alignment lightly and joked about it. Today, I see this very, VERY differently...

In exploration, where we are placing our physical selves in an unknown environment - often a harsh one - self discipline and mental clarity are needed above all else to get the job done. We need to be 'aligned' and in tune with ourselves at a level that is too often overlooked. part of this is coming to terms with our own mortality. Operating in a high risk environment, one needs to respect and value the situation, but not fear it.

I've had days underwater where all falls into place and find complete and utter peace with myself. All the equipment, training, proficiency, and what have you is just the vehicle to get there...but while there it truly is a place where mental, physical, and spiritual alignment is discovered and the picture is clearer than day.

Perhaps this clarity is what keeps me going back, and where I need to venture yet again to get out of this terrestrial Westernized rut.

Let's go diving.

Born to Run | a review

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Christopher McDougall's 'Born to Run' takes us back to our roots, where we may have in fact been born to run - out of necessity.

McDougall takes us on a journey alongside the Tarahumara, a community living the Mexican mountainside that has very much remained off the grid and lives what we would consider a primitive lifestyle...where they are well adapted to survive in their chosen environment. Running is a key part to their survival - for hunting, entertainment, and even travel.

A significant amount of the book discusses humans evolution to become runners, with this function being evident in our foot form. Later in the book, McDougall presents the irony that 'our fantastic endurance gave our brain the food it needed to grow, and now our brain is undermining our endurance'. You might consider that in our quest for the ultimate in efficiency, our expanding intellectual capacity have made us 'born to live a sedentary lifestyle'. Today (generally), we 'need' to sit in front of our computers all day to earn a living and buy groceries - we don't need to outrun an antelopes to feed our families.

Have we evolved, or devolved? I've commented on the subject previously, and there are some sad but scary truths to the fact that today's human form isn't optimized to do much physically. Fortunate for us, we are among the most adaptable species on the planet, and thanks to our brains, we can think and invent our way through nearly any problem we're confronted with that challenges our survival. Today, not only the fittest survive; rather we all survive thanks to a manufactured system.

Consider eliminating grocery stores, fast food joints, and your favorite AM coffee stop and imagine how long you would survive... finding a healthy balance of survival and dependence is critical to keep us well centered, focused, and appreciative of our roots.

Regardless of where evolution takes us next..be it born to run, born to swim, or born to fly, keep in perspective that we've been born to do something - and that something should include some well spent time outside.

a day at the beach

noreply@blogger.com (Michael Lombardi) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 22:47:00 +0000

A much needed week away from the grind has led me to a number of days spent at the beach. As I sat in a chair soaking up some summer sun, as just one among the masses, I found myself forced to take a more commonplace perspective on human interaction with the ocean. Rather than be out on and underwater for the day, there I was, at the water's edge - the doorstep of our blue planet.

As I looked around and got through the more superficial people watching, I became rather taken by the fact that thousands of people surrounded me on the beach, with only dozens actually getting wet. The common motivation was to simply cool off, rather than satisfy any deeply ingrained curiosities about what lies beneath. It has been so long since I've been able to take that perspective that in many ways I've been disconnected from the common public perception about the ocean that I've been working so desperately to improve upon through my own work. In many ways, those of us acting as environmentalists and ocean advocates, researchers, and explorers get wrapped up in our niche worlds and lose sight of the bigger picture - and that is that we have an immense set of tasks ahead to change public opinion and value sets to gain mass societal support for change...its a daunting task.

If I were visiting our Blue Planet for the first time, my first perception would be that the dominant species lived underwater - where the majority of livable habitat existed. That region would be my focus for exploration, settlement, resource exploration and management. That would be a common sensical approach to understanding this new planet in its entirety. In reality, this perspective would likely expand our worldly body of knowledge a thousand fold. Upon seeing millions of humanoids flocking to 'the beach' in the summer months, I would assume that the species had some intimate association with the habitat, or perhaps worshipped this far reaching frontier. In doing so, there would be a value system in place built around this frontier and that such an intellectual species had developed the capacity to maximize intervention and subsequent resource exploitation and management of this frontier...the bird's eye approach seems to be common sensical, but is anything but the case.

Why is that?

Well, we can't see what lies beneath, so we don't appreciate it. That's for starters. With our minimal needs for survival met here on terra firma, why look elsewhere? Well, we - humans - are facing challenges and it's only a matter of time before we have to expand our horizons for a sustainable future here on and in the Blue Planet.

To the rest of you venturing to the beach this summer, I challenge you. Look out on the horizon and visualize this massive frontier that's there for the taking. It's more than a big bath tub to cool off in - its the critical piece for the future survival of us all.