As we plunge into a pivotal new decade for the health of our planet, philosopher Soren Kierkegaard reminds us that the key to moving forward is to understand our past. Ocean Networks Canada’s tenth anniversary in the deep sea is a poignant opportunity to look at the past, present and future of ocean observing, as seen through the eyes of an emerging ocean science leader whose promising career began with the launch of ONC’s NEPTUNE network in the northeast Pacific Ocean, Dr. Katleen Robert. 

Deploying and maintaining the Internet-connected ocean is a complex and ambitious undertaking. For starters, water and electronics do not play well together and the crushing deep sea pressure makes it impossible for humans to survive at depths below ~100 metres without a submersible. Then factor in wind, weather, currents, tides, the technical challenges of innovative ocean observing infrastructure, and seasonal access. Despite all this, ONC has been successfully bringing continuous real-time ocean data to the surface since 2006. Scroll through this interactive ESRI story map to see highlights of successes achieved in 2019.

During this 2-week expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel John P. Tully, a team of 17 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists will conduct operations to maintain, install and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on ONC's cabled observing networks, with the support of Pelagic Research Services ROV Odysseus.

Ocean Networks Canada hosted a group of scientists and students from around the world at the third Marine Imaging Workshop from 24-28 June at the University of Victoria. The purpose of the workshop was to continue encouraging multidisciplinary communication between researchers, industry and engineers who perform biological, geological and computer science using underwater images (photos and/or videos) to discuss the challenges and future directions in marine imaging.

During this 2-week expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel John P. Tully using Pelagic Research Services ROV Odysseus, a team of 17 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists will conduct operations to maintain, install and improve infrastructure and instrumentation on Ocean Networks Canada’s cabled observing networks in the Salish Sea, and deep sea offshore sites at Barkley Canyon, Endeavour, Cascadia Basin, and Clayoquot Slope.

Tanner crabs observed feasting at a bubbling methane seep on the deep seafloor in the northeast Pacific Ocean may be developing a way to adapt to climate change, says a marine ecologist from the University of Victoria whose work with Oregon-based researchers establishes for the first time that a commercially-harvested species is feeding on the energy source.

Ocean Networks Canada concluded its 2018 series of international science theme workshops this past fall with two events, one on observing and monitoring fisheries management/ecosystem functioning and biodiversity and another on sediment transport/carbon burial. The workshops were co-hosted by ONC senior staff scientists and ONC science theme leaders, who are uniquely positioned to connect ONC infrastructure and data with the international research community.

​Following the installation of the final set of underwater earthquake early warning sensors off the west coast of Canada, ONC marks a significant operational milestone in partnership with the operator of Vancouver’s Canada Line rapid transit system. A simulated exercise—as if responding to a megathrust earthquake affecting the Canada Line—demonstrates how the network will help data end-users such as transit authorities respond to emergencies.​

Imagine exploring Banff National Park and discovering mountains that no one knew were there. That’s what happened during our recent Northeast Pacific Seamounts Expedition, in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Oceana Canada, the Haida Nation and Ocean Networks Canada. While mapping and exploring these underwater volcanoes, the science team aboard exploration vessel Nautilus discovered six previously unknown seamounts ⎯along with an extraordinary diversity and abundance of marine life. These discoveries successfully fulfilled the mission’s goal of learning more about these biodiversity hotspots to inform future protection measures.

Ocean Networks Canada is installing specialized equipment at its deepest site in the northeast Pacific Ocean to assess the location’s suitability for observing one of the universe’s most essential and difficult-to-study ingredients—neutrinos. An initiative of the University of Victoria, ONC is deploying the equipment as part of Expedition 2018: Wiring the Abyss, its annual offshore expedition to install and improve cabled observatory infrastructure. Neutrinos are one of the universe’s most essential ingredients and most abundant subatomic particles, produced by nuclear reactions from solar fusion, radioactive decay and exploding stars.

Following the successful completion of Wiring the Abyss Leg 1 aboard Canadian Coast Guard ship (CCGS) John P. Tully, the Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) team are busy preparing for Leg 2 of our annual offshore expedition to install and improve cabled observatory infrastructure, 21 July - 4 August. The upcoming 2-week expedition aboard exploration vessel (E/V) Nautilus will complete many of the installations deployed aboard CCGS Tully.

During this 2-week expedition aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel John P. Tully using Canadian Scientific Submersible Facility's ROV ROPOS, a team of 35 scientists, engineers, technicians and data specialists will conduct around-the-clock operations to maintain, install and improve instrumentation on the offshore cabled observing networks at Barkley Canyon, Cascadia Basin, Endeavour and Clayoquot Slope.

Click here to WATCH LIVE

Underwater landslides, also known as submarine landslides, are mass movements of sediment that pose a threat to coastal regions and can have extreme consequences. In May, 100 scientists from over 20 different countries gathered in Victoria, BC, to discuss the latest developments in the science behind these potentially devastating events. A major submarine event occurred in Kitimat Inlet, located on the coast of British Columbia on 27 April, 1975. The slide started at the fjord sidewall continuing down the slope to the centre of the deep inlet. Debris travelled 5 kilometres down the inlet, displacing enough water to cause a local tsunami with waves 8 – 10 metres high, damaging the harbour area. Martin Scherwath, is a geophysical staff scientist at Ocean Networks Canada, who answered a few questions about underwater landslides and the potential impact on residents of coastal communities.

Visiting scientist Christian Stranne received his PhD in physical oceanography from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, where he studied large-scale Arctic sea ice dynamics and coupled ocean-sea ice-atmosphere interactions.

At ONC from 17 April until 25 May, Christian will be investigating mechanisms controlling the observed episodic nature of seafloor gas venting near the Clayoquot Slope node of ONC’s NEPTUNE observatory, and specifically how the dynamics of overpressure development and hydraulic fracturing may play an important role.