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August 5,
2004
by Garry Myers
Garry Myers is a molecular biologist,
trained at the University of Queensland and University of Sydney,
Australia. In his current position at The
Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), he has specialized in
determining and analyzing the whole genome sequences of disease-causing
bacteria, and in the application of genomic techniques to complex
microbial communities and biofilms.
On the Deep Wrecks Project, Dr. Myers will
be applying modern genomic techniques to study firstly the diversity of
microorganisms that are involved in the biologically-mediated
deterioration of deep ocean wrecks, and how this diversity changes with
different depths. Secondly, to discover and explore the genes and
metabolic pathways used by these microorganisms in this deterioration. |
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Mike Stephens checks the monitors in the ROV control
cab.
Having completed the surveys and sampling of the
Virginia and Halo
tanker wrecks, we moved to the third wreck on the list, and are now
positioned over the site. This wreck was considered by the archeologists
to be the Gulfpenn, another tanker,
sunk by U-506 on May 13 1942, lying in about
1,800 feet of water. However, they also thought it possible that this
could be the Gulfoil, sunk on May 17
1942, also by U-506. Both were operated by the Gulf Oil Corporation and
were built to the same design. However, there are a couple of obvious
distinctions between the two. The most obvious distinguishing feature
was the installation of a stern 4-inch cannon and two .50 calibre
machine guns on the Gulfoil just prior to her final voyage. The
wreck was originally identified by deep-tow sonar which, as a geological
survey tool, gave insufficient data for identification. The
ROV would take the first pictures of this
ship since 1942.
Gulfpenn in her wartime colors. Image
courtesy the Mariner's Museum, Newport News, Virginia.
The first impression on
reaching the sea-floor was the much improved visibility at this depth,
compared to the Virginia (pea soup) and the Halo (diluted
pea soup). The wreck itself is lying almost upright and we could
instantly see a dramatic reduction in the type and degree of biological
encrustation on the hull and superstructure, as well as changes in the
fish and invertebrate populations. Immediately grabbing our eye were
numerous and spectacularly large white coral growths that loomed out of
the darkness. There was an expectation that the depth would reduce the
amount of biological encrustation and increase the number of rusticles -
after the first survey runs up and down both sides of the wreck, this
appears to be the case. Unlike the first two wrecks, we should be able
to get a lot better rusticle specimens - I hope to extract DNA from
these rusticles to identify the bacterial species that are eating the
steel structures of these wrecks, and to identify the metabolic pathways
that enable this. As we go deeper, fish and invertebrates adopt
different strategies to survive at these immense pressures. The same
occurs for bacteria - there are bacteria that can cope with a variety of
pressures (barotolerant) and bacteria which require high pressure (barophilic).
All the wrecks are at a variety of depths and it will be interesting to
see how the rusticle bacterial populations change as we go deeper.
Technicians from Sonsub adjust the video
feed on the Triton ROV.
An elaborate collection of invertebrates
recovered from the Gulfpenn site.
Massive torpedo damage is
obvious on the aft starboard side, with the hull plates and decking
deformed, buckled and uplifted The survey of the wreck showed no
armaments on the stern of the ship. This fact, in combination with other
distinguishing features, have allowed the archeologists to be sure that
this is the wreck of the Gulfpenn, hidden underwater for 62
years.
Baiting fish traps with squid.
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