Bay Club Members Enjoy Events with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
Bay Club members recently enjoyed two events with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
In October, members were invited to climb aboard the Institute’s newest research vessel, Neil Armstrong for an exclusive guided tour. WHOI acquired the ship in April of 2017 and it has been hard at work since then, conducting Oceanographic research, primarily in the Atlantic. Named for the American hero whose “small step” provided humanity with a new perspective on our planet, this vessel carries on its namesake’s legacy of exploration. In addition to the tour, a scientist spoke to the group about their latest venture, Exploring the Ocean Twilight Zone. About 30 members made the trip to Falmouth and raved about the tour and experience at the Institute.
Then in early November, an Associate Scientist for WHOI’s Biology department, Dr. Timothy Shank came to the Bay Club to present Who Lives in the Deepest Parts of the Ocean? During the lecture, he spoke about the hadal zone, which is composed primarily of ocean trenches, represents the deepest marine habitat on Earth (6,000-11,000 meters). All the trenches together occupy an area about the size of Australia. Far from being devoid of life as originally perceived, additional observations have shown that the hadal zone hosts a substantial diversity and abundance of fauna, often endemic to specific locales. Dr. Shank has conducted significant research on the deepest parts of the oceans and on the unusual and unexpected life that they support.
Thank you to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute for providing these two fantastic experiences for our membership to enjoy.
