Still looking for the right site

Rodney and I snorkeled the rest of the way from the "standing pipe" to the cliff line looking the the perfect spot to place an ICON station in Laolao Bay. Just past where we stopped with the NOAA crew during their site visit, the bottom flattened out, the corals got smaller (mostly) and options for solid placements seemed to abound. Along the way we came across a massive Diploastrea heliopora (with Rodney for scale).

Coral Scene

A scene of coral diversity at Laolao Bay, Saipan. Note dead as well as live corals.

Photo by Derek Manzello

Laolao Bay from Golf Course

Here is a view a little east of the main site, just below the Laolao Bay Golf Course and new Lodge. It's further down to the water than it looks!

Photo by Jim Hendee

Shallow Conference

Jim Hendee (left) and John Starmer confer on the source of warm water runoff (i.e., not outfall) flowing into Laolao Bay (where they're standing). Photo by Derek Manzello.

"Pink Ribbon" Site

This what the bottom looks like at the "pink ribbon" site where we could install the station in Laolao Bay. The bottom is flatter and just as hard east of this spot.

15° 09'39.6" N
145° 45'51.4" E

Photo by Derek Manzello

Site Survey, Laolao Bay, Saipan

John Halas, Derek Manzello, Jim Hendee, John Starmer and crew conducted a site survey on October 19, 2009. The initial dive was for about 49 min, no deeper than 30', and mostly all along the shore at a contour of about 20'. The ICON Web site, showing satellite and other data, can be found here.

This area is immediately adjacent to the Forbidden Island Sanctuary.

Photo by Derek Manzello