ORCA
The Ocean-Research Command and Control Station (ORCA) serves as the central platform for the SPEC Lab’s water-based data collection operations. Build 1, completed in early 2025, is based on a customized Sundance B22 Skiff and incorporates a dedicated drone launch and recovery platform alongside robust communications infrastructure. Powered by a 115 HP Suzuki outboard, ORCA offers rapid access to remote coastal zones, while its shallow 6-inch draft enables navigation through extremely shallow waters that are typically inaccessible to deeper-draft vessels.
The vessel measures 21 feet 10 inches in length with a 94-inch beam, making it well-suited for operations in nearshore and estuarine environments. Designed for versatility, ORCA supports a broad range of research applications and is outfitted with an integrated suite of navigation, safety, and communication technologies, including a keel guard, networked GPS and VHF radio with DSC and MOB functionality (25-watt), Automatic Identification System (AIS), emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), multi-sensor bathymetric sonar, and satellite internet and satellite phone connectivity.
Build 2, currently ongoing, will introduce a suite of enhancements to support additional safety equipment and advanced drone-based and in-situ environmental monitoring capabilities. Specific planned upgrades include dual 10-foot Power Pole Blade shallow-water anchors with C-Monster bluetooth network integration, a 8-inch hydraulic jack with splash plate from Bob’s Machine Shop with NMEA-2000, Zipwake 450S Autotrim system, isolated redundant dual battery power, a backup handheld 6-watt GPS/VHF radio, a center console-mounted Fireball suppression system, PLBs, a wireless captain-tether system, and improved boat access systems. These additions are designed to increase station-keeping capability, ensure critical system redundancy, and enhance operability in dynamic, infrastructure-limited nearshore environments.
The ORCA platform plays a pivotal role in facilitating SPEC Lab and GatorEye field research across Florida’s most ecologically significant and least-disturbed coastal ecosystems. Specifically engineered by the GatorEye team for shallow- to mid-depth drone operations, the vessel enables detailed investigations of mangroves, salt marshes, and other blue carbon habitats. It is also being evaluated for deployment of laterally mounted bathymetric sonar and tethered underwater ROVs, further expanding its functionality for high-resolution underwater mapping to support ecosystem monitoring and conservation efforts.
The ORCA is central to long-term ecosystem monitoring initiatives, particularly through its integration into the BigPlotNetwork for multi-temporal assessment of hurricane impacts. Data collected from these efforts are used for calibration and validation of the lab’s StormCloud system, advancing predictive modeling and understanding of coastal disturbance and resilience.
The vessel measures 21 feet 10 inches in length with a 94-inch beam, making it well-suited for operations in nearshore and estuarine environments. Designed for versatility, ORCA supports a broad range of research applications and is outfitted with an integrated suite of navigation, safety, and communication technologies, including a keel guard, networked GPS and VHF radio with DSC and MOB functionality (25-watt), Automatic Identification System (AIS), emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), multi-sensor bathymetric sonar, and satellite internet and satellite phone connectivity.
Build 2, currently ongoing, will introduce a suite of enhancements to support additional safety equipment and advanced drone-based and in-situ environmental monitoring capabilities. Specific planned upgrades include dual 10-foot Power Pole Blade shallow-water anchors with C-Monster bluetooth network integration, a 8-inch hydraulic jack with splash plate from Bob’s Machine Shop with NMEA-2000, Zipwake 450S Autotrim system, isolated redundant dual battery power, a backup handheld 6-watt GPS/VHF radio, a center console-mounted Fireball suppression system, PLBs, a wireless captain-tether system, and improved boat access systems. These additions are designed to increase station-keeping capability, ensure critical system redundancy, and enhance operability in dynamic, infrastructure-limited nearshore environments.
The ORCA platform plays a pivotal role in facilitating SPEC Lab and GatorEye field research across Florida’s most ecologically significant and least-disturbed coastal ecosystems. Specifically engineered by the GatorEye team for shallow- to mid-depth drone operations, the vessel enables detailed investigations of mangroves, salt marshes, and other blue carbon habitats. It is also being evaluated for deployment of laterally mounted bathymetric sonar and tethered underwater ROVs, further expanding its functionality for high-resolution underwater mapping to support ecosystem monitoring and conservation efforts.
The ORCA is central to long-term ecosystem monitoring initiatives, particularly through its integration into the BigPlotNetwork for multi-temporal assessment of hurricane impacts. Data collected from these efforts are used for calibration and validation of the lab’s StormCloud system, advancing predictive modeling and understanding of coastal disturbance and resilience.
|
|
Big Bend Florida - focus region A
Stretching over 150 miles from Cedar Key to Apalachicola, Florida, the Big Bend coast stands as one of the most expansive and undeveloped coastal regions in the continental United States. This area features vast stretches of shoreline where some towns are separated by more than 50 miles of uninhabited land, fostering the northward expansion of black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) due to rising temperatures and fewer freeze events. This transformation is creating a critical ecological transition zone between temperate salt marshes and subtropical mangrove forests.
The biodiversity within this evolving landscape is remarkable. The intermingling of mangroves and salt marshes forms diverse habitats that support a wide array of species. Economically and ecologically important fish and crustaceans, such as red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), snook (Centropomus undecimalis), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), utilize these areas as vital nursery grounds. Additionally, the region provides nesting and foraging habitats for numerous bird species, including the roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) and reddish egret (Egretta rufescens). The complex root systems of mangroves also offer shelter to various reptiles and invertebrates, enhancing the overall ecological richness.
Beyond supporting biodiversity, mangroves play a significant role in carbon sequestration. Their dense root networks facilitate the accumulation of organic-rich soils, effectively trapping substantial amounts of carbon below ground. Studies have shown that mangrove expansion increases lignin-rich woody material in the soil, leading to enhanced organic carbon preservation.
The structural complexity of mangrove forests also provides a natural defense against coastal erosion and storm surges. During hurricanes, mangroves can reduce wave energy and trap sediments, thereby protecting inland areas from flooding and damage. For instance, mangroves in Florida have been shown to avert significant storm damages, offering substantial economic benefits by protecting properties and communities.
The Big Bend coast’s relative isolation and minimal human interference make it an invaluable natural laboratory for studying ecological processes, climate adaptation, and the dynamics of coastal resilience. As mangroves continue to migrate northward, understanding their interactions with existing ecosystems, their role in carbon dynamics, and their influence on coastal protection becomes increasingly crucial. This knowledge is essential for informing conservation strategies and ensuring the sustainability of these vital coastal habitats in the face of environmental change.
Accessing the remote Big Bend coast, stretching over 150 miles from Cedar Key to Apalachicola, Florida, presents unique challenges due to its remote settings, coastal (< 3 miles from shore) transit requirements, combined with shallow waters, tidal flats, oyster beds, changing river and mangrove bathymetry, and limited infrastructure. The Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab (SPEC Lab) employs ORCA to navigate these conditions safely and effectively.
The biodiversity within this evolving landscape is remarkable. The intermingling of mangroves and salt marshes forms diverse habitats that support a wide array of species. Economically and ecologically important fish and crustaceans, such as red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), snook (Centropomus undecimalis), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), utilize these areas as vital nursery grounds. Additionally, the region provides nesting and foraging habitats for numerous bird species, including the roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) and reddish egret (Egretta rufescens). The complex root systems of mangroves also offer shelter to various reptiles and invertebrates, enhancing the overall ecological richness.
Beyond supporting biodiversity, mangroves play a significant role in carbon sequestration. Their dense root networks facilitate the accumulation of organic-rich soils, effectively trapping substantial amounts of carbon below ground. Studies have shown that mangrove expansion increases lignin-rich woody material in the soil, leading to enhanced organic carbon preservation.
The structural complexity of mangrove forests also provides a natural defense against coastal erosion and storm surges. During hurricanes, mangroves can reduce wave energy and trap sediments, thereby protecting inland areas from flooding and damage. For instance, mangroves in Florida have been shown to avert significant storm damages, offering substantial economic benefits by protecting properties and communities.
The Big Bend coast’s relative isolation and minimal human interference make it an invaluable natural laboratory for studying ecological processes, climate adaptation, and the dynamics of coastal resilience. As mangroves continue to migrate northward, understanding their interactions with existing ecosystems, their role in carbon dynamics, and their influence on coastal protection becomes increasingly crucial. This knowledge is essential for informing conservation strategies and ensuring the sustainability of these vital coastal habitats in the face of environmental change.
Accessing the remote Big Bend coast, stretching over 150 miles from Cedar Key to Apalachicola, Florida, presents unique challenges due to its remote settings, coastal (< 3 miles from shore) transit requirements, combined with shallow waters, tidal flats, oyster beds, changing river and mangrove bathymetry, and limited infrastructure. The Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab (SPEC Lab) employs ORCA to navigate these conditions safely and effectively.
