On August 27th, the science team and crew boarded the research vessel R/V Hydra, operated by Inkfish, a philanthropic organization dedicated to expanding scientific knowledge of the sea through research. Joining them are Arubans Harold Kelly, archaeologist of the National Archaeology Museum Aruba and Oriana Wouters, ecologist of IDNOVA.
R/V Hydra is a floating scientific platform that carries a multidisciplinary team of approximately 48 crew members: scientists, technicians, and specialists. Expedition leader Matt Carter and the team bring expertise covering marine science, geospatial research, technical diving, and other scientific disciplines.
The Aruban team members and their institutions support Inkfish by sharing local knowledge, literature, and insights about the sites, helping the Inkfish team make informed decisions when planning surveys and dives. When the mapping revealed anomalies, the Inkfish team developed possible interpretations based on the data, while information provided by the Aruban team help verify several of these theories. Simultaneously, the Aruban team shadows the laboratory team, gaining hands-on insight into eDNA collection and sample preparation. This exchange between technical expertise and local knowledge is already proving valuable.
Hydra has been mapping nearshore and offshore areas along Aruba’s western coast. One of the most exciting results is that in only four days, R/V Hydra detected wrecks associated with both known and previously unidentified offshore sites. Meanwhile, the research boat Skye was deployed to map nearshore areas along Aruba’s southern coast.
After two test dives at Jane Sea and Arashi airplanes, the team surveyed the SS Antilla wreck. Here images were collected using underwater scooters fitted with camera mounts, along with water samples for environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis, to provide insights into fish and invertebrate biodiversity, as well as the presence of reef-associated pathogens.
Overnight, a 3D virtual model of the SS Antilla was built. Meanwhile, R/V Hydra continued mapping offshore, allowing the team to quickly evaluate the model, identify gaps in the imagery, and determine whether to carry out a second dive to fill them and conduct ecological assessments, including observations of the wreck’s state of deterioration.
Over the next two weeks, the Inkfish team and research vessels will continue working alongside the National Archaeological Museum of Aruba (MANA) to explore, identify and document Aruba’s underwater cultural heritage, expanding what we know about the landscape and stories that lie beneath our territorial waters.
