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Vehicle Notes For all of their value in the role of subsea defense or offshore energy installation and construction, for ex- ample, it could be argued that the discovery of new or previously unseen subsea creatures and habitats are the biggest stage globally for subsea vehicles, as recent events such as Þ rst-ever video footage of the Giant Squid in its natural habitat are most widely disseminated via main-stream consumer media channels. Recently Discovery Chan- nel, NHK and NEP sent a crew of scientists and Þ lmmakers on an extensive search to capture video footage of the elusive giant squid, and found success. Late last month Discovery Channel presented their special, ÒMonster Squid: The Giant is Real.Ó In the summer of 2012 after years of planning, a group of marine scientists, submersible pilots and Þ lmmakers joined Discovery Channel, NHK and NEP in the expedition, which used a Triton 3300/3 submersible equipped with an array of electronic lures, pheromone dispensers and specialized low- light high-deÞ nition cameras. The team made 55 dives at depths up to a thousand meters hoping to catch a glimpse of a Giant Squid. After many dives in the darkness at over 60m, with veteran Triton Pilot Jim Harris at the helm, two team members struck documentary Þ lm gold capturing the Þ rst ever footage of a giant squid in its natural habitat.Subsea Vehicles Manned or Unmanned; Tethered or Autonomous; Powered by machine, wave or wind: Re- gardless of the choice, submersible vehicles have been and remain the platform to work underwater, from observation and discovery to heavy duty construction and maintenance. The follow is a synopsis of some key developments across the various platforms.While unmanned submersibles receive the lion?s share of attention, a recent Þ lming of the Giant Squid (inset left) from the manned Triton Sub proved the continued value of man and machine. (Photos: Discovery Channel/NHK/NEP) January/February 2013 24 MTRMTR #1 (18-33).indd 24MTR #1 (18-33).indd 241/30/2013 10:19:13 AM1/30/2013 10:19:13 AM
