From November 2021 - June 2022, I was immersed in a project called the Red Sea Decade Expedition 2022; a collaboration between OceanX, KAUST, NCW, NEOM, TRSDC, NHK, BBC Nat Geo, and other Saudi Arabian universities. As part of the expedition co-ordination team, I was involved in everything from designing the daily cruise scientific activities, to berth arrangements; from helping organise transport and quarantine hotels, to leading demobe / mobe operations for equipment and samples. From February - June, I was also rotated on and off OceanXplorer; an at-sea mission duration of 11 weeks.
Photo by Mario Tadinac
The goal of the expedition was to make an inventory of the biodiversity of the Red Sea, from all biological scales, depths, and locations. Whilst on board, I worked in a number of teams:
eDNA (sediment cores using the ROV in mission control, water samples from the CTD, lab extractions)
Deep sea corals (collecting specimens using submersibles and the ROV, respiration incubations using FireSting)
Water samples (Niskins on submersibles and ROVs, DO, pH samples, TA, Winkler titrations)
Megafauna surveys (bridge and helicopters)
Media (LiveX Classrooms, BBC, Nat Geo, NHK and OceanX)
Photo by Mario Tadinac
this is OceanX
Contact for image credits
OceanX x Blue Abyss collab
During the mission, I partnered with sea-to-space company Blue Abyss, to write a few blog posts about my journey on OceanX (including more RSDE mission details!), how I got to where I am now, aspirations for the future, and a few life lessons for any aspiring marine biologists!
From sea stars to seeing stars
Photo by Taj Howe
OceanX media (broadcasting)
OceanX x RSDE Youtube
“The Search for the Largest Creature in the Red Sea”: a long-form Youtube video showcasing the Megafauna team on Mission for the RSDE, from the Farasan Banks to the Gulf of Aqaba. Made with the OceanX Media team and National Centre for Wildlife. Filming team: Adam Wolffbrandt, Eben Hall, Mario Tadinac
OceanX x Crayola collab
The link between art and science, creativity and exploration, for World Ocean’s Day. Made with the OceanX Media team and Nat Geo. Filming team / colour credits: Mika Chance, Adam Wolffbrandt, Eben Hall, Mike Kasic / Mario Tadinac
OceanX LiveX Classroom
A live presentation and Q&A session with schoolchildren in Saudi Arabia, concerning megafauna and survey techniques onboard OceanX. Screenshots taken from the live presentation
OceanX - the Red Sea Shorts
OceanX: unlocking the secrets of Red Sea corals // A bird’s-eye view of the Red Sea: the first aerial survey of marine megafauna in four decades // Saving the Red Sea’s hammerhead sharks with eDNA: a breakthrough in conservation - films shown at the Dana Point Film festival 2023.
