Ocean ambassador and adventure swimmer, Bruckner Chase of Ocean City, New Jersey, completed a nine-mile, open-water advocacy swim Friday in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The swim is a cornerstone event, kicking off the National Marine Sanctuary research and education project, "If Reefs Could Talk."
The FKNMS expedition is a 10-day mission in the underwater Aquarius laboratory, nestled 60-feet below the surface among spectacular coral reefs and undersea wildlife. The laboratory is deployed three and half miles offshore. Scientists will live in Aquarius during the 10–day mission to study and explore the coastal ocean. Aquarius is owned by NOAA .
The expedition will be webcast to schools across the country with daily science briefings and five different webcams broadcasting during missions. Follow the aquanauts adventures on Facebook and Twitter during the expedition. Webcam broadcasts begin on October 12 and can be found on oceanslive.org .
Chase's providence in the warm waters of the Florida Keys took him through five separate ecosystems, starting at the Aquarius lab and ending on Harry Harris Park, in Key Largo. Before the swim, Chase mused, "While these aquanauts are immersed underwater experiencing a unique connection to the ocean, I'll be on the surface swimming through some amazing ecosystems. Our message is about sharing what's out there and through our intimate connection to these incredible waters, we want to inspire others to connect as well."
Bruckner is an experienced ultra marathon swimmer and runner, and has partnered with NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries before. In August, he completed a 26-mile swim through jellyfish infested waters in Monterey, California, to bring awareness to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. He is only the second person known to have completed the challenging swim from Santa Cruz to Monterey.
As a former Santa Cruz, Ca. resident, Chase developed his passion for the ocean off the beaches of Santa Cruz County in Monterey Bay. It was years earlier, as a young Tennessee Cub Scout, he learned to respect the environment and leave-no-trace outdoors. He recalled, "Even now, I remember those lessons about being good to the environment, and how we were taught to be 'physically strong' and 'mentally awake'."
MORE INFORMATION
Aquarius 2010: If Reefs Could Talk
Bruckner Chase Website
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
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Comments
I can't imagine doing that.
Ron. In August he completed a 26-mile swim through jellyfish infested, 56-degree water in Monterey. Dude's got gills.
This guy is a real-life aquaman.
Just long enough to get the heart pumping :-)
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