highlights
Cave Diving as an Extreme Sport
Cave Diving is a branch of underwater scuba diving in which there is no direct access to water surface in cases of emergencies. It is an extreme sport that calls for highly-specialized and trained skills, knowledge, equipment, team work and diver mindset.
In loving memory of our buddy: Han Ting
American Club 2020
American Club 2021
ocean technology
Marine_litter_detective_04.pptx
We threw a piece of "trash" into the ocean (!!) and let it roam across the Victoria Harbour... the GPS-equipped trash sent its coordinates to the Cloud every hour and we arrived at the map above... that was how we studied marine litter movement... Click the Presentation on the left hand side to find out more about the story.
Ocean Drifter with Iridium Satellite Modem
Our second-generation Ocean Drifter (Trash Tracker) is equipped with the Iridium Satellite modem and solar power panels. GPS coordinates are fed back to cloud real-time even outside of mobile phone network coverage. (http://www.marinelitterdetective.net/ID800001.html)
<-- our satellite ocean drifter stranded at Shanwei (汕尾) of China after drifting for 2 weeks (about 150km) outside of Hong Kong (deployment at Lei Yue Mun)
Ghost Gear Detective Project
So-called “ghost gear”, fishing equipment which is lost in the sea, can continue killing marine life for decades or even centuries after it first enters the ocean, making it the most deadly form of marine plastic debris.
In 2019, we invented a low-cost GPS device that enables divers to mark the geographical locations of underwater ghost gears. The program rolled out to engage 60 active divers in town to discover and tag ghost gears over a period of two years. Click here for documentation of project.
Update (Nov, 2021): Our Tagger was featured in CNN WORLD... click
A GPS Tagger with Build-in Dive Computer Function
The DIY Dive Computer with GPS is able to show Bottom Time, Depth and NDL while submerged and it logs and records up to 255 GPS locations on surface
GPS Dive Computer
Dive sites of Hong Kong are concentrated on the East side of the territory. They are all marked by the DIY GPS Dive Computer. Coordinates are stored on mySQL, retrieved and presented on Google Map via php, Javascript and HTML - click here to navigate the real map
Coral Reef Mapping Drone
Not only do we build our own flying drone, we have also adopted the technology to water surface. The Coral Reef Mapping Drone is capable of cruising along pre-planned transects on water surface and take overlapping pictures of the coral reef such that they can later be stitched into huge coral reef maps for observation and monitoring purpose. The technology was build as part of the project: Benthic Habitat Mapping of Tung Ping Chau Marine Park
UAV and Photogrammetry
Since for several years, our team has been recruited by local universities and governmental departments to perform Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) surveys and subsequent post-processing of the imagery for photogrammetry. A typical, on-going mission was to conduct photogrammetry on a remote island which is one of the key Marine Parks of Hong Kong, i.e., the Tung Ping Chau Marine Park. The annual survey project of this Marine Protected Area targets (MPA) to identify density and distribution of seaweeds over the years for statistical purposes. Our team has qualified and licensed drones and pilots, as well as the IT infrastructure to process gigantic volume of photogrammetry data and 3D terrain rendering.
Underwater timelapse and video
Specially designed for prolonged underwater timelapse or video using the GoPro, the tube-sized housing is catered to the latest GoPro 9 with ample amount of space for the desired power bank rating. A 10,000mAh power bank, for example, offers 20+ hours of uninterrupted GoPro run time.
STEM workshop for divers!
The one-of-a-kind workshop that combines technology, conservation, making, coding, and diving into one DIY product - make your own GPS Dive computer. During the 5.5-hour workshop our participants learnt how to solder electronic components, constructing and waterproofing the housing, personalize the software, pressure-test their units, etc. and etc., plus of course all the underlined knowledge of how GPS and decompression algorithms work.
EOTR (Eyes On The Reef) Camera
August, 2023, our EOTR (Eyes on the Reef) Camera was successfully deployed at Isla De La Plata, Parque Nacional Machalilla, Ecuador. The equipment was left running for 4 days non-stop, at a depth of 18m. Time-lapse photos taken were used for identification of Oceanic Manta and their activities at the cleaning station.
This project was done in conjunction with Manta Trust, the Fundacion Megafauna Marina Del Ecuador (FMME) and our maker team in HK
footprint
Diving has brought me to a lot of unspeakably beautiful places, Gdansk of Poland being one of them. Wreck Diving at 3 degree Celsius at the Baltic sea is extraordinary in itself, so is the breath-takingly beautiful landscape, historical significance and vibrancy of the city.
Brest is a beautiful port city located at the western tip of France. In 2019, April, we joint-forced with local fab labs in Brest to host an ocean-themed hackathon. As makers / hackers / divers we feel obliged to make good use of technology on ocean- and environment-related issues.
Lisbon
Another beautiful country on the European continent. weather is beautiful all year round and because of the dry but windy climate one could walk under the sun the entire day without feeling sweaty or drained. People are nice and helpful. Transportation is systematic and places are easy to reach. houses are not expensive and diving (cave diving and ocean diving) is Handy.
Gramat
Another spot I wouldn't have gotten to know if it wasn't because of diving. Gramat is a town located in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France, in the department of Lot. It is known for its natural beauty, historic architecture, and outdoor activities such as hiking and cave diving. Yes, it is a popular point of summit for cave divers. The air temperature was as high as 40+ degree Celsius under the heat wave of summer 2022, but diving in the caves was as low as 13 degree Celsius... that was quite a remarkable experience.
Tulum, Playa del Carmen
Exploring the mesmerizing underwater world of Tulum, Mexico, through cave diving is an experience that seamlessly blends natural beauty and rich historical heritage. The allure of this unique adventure lies in the stunning underwater caves and cenotes, coupled with the intriguing connection to the ancient Maya civilization.
The Maya civilization regarded cenotes as sacred portals to the underworld, and many of these underwater caves hold traces of their ancient rituals and beliefs. Exploring these submerged caverns feels like a journey back in time, as divers are transported to a place where history and nature coalesce in a harmonious dance.
Subic Bay
If there is a place in the Philippines where I can comfortably retire, it will be the Subic Bay Freeport Zone given its international flair, Western living standards, modern amenities, and the opportunity to dive into the wrecks of WW2, just to name a few. There is even a flying school where one can pursue a PPL qualification.
For more than a decade, I've immersed myself in the depths of Subic Bay's waters, honing my skills in advanced wreck diving techniques. From mastering the intricacies of twin-set diving to exploring the underwater world with sidemount and CCR (Closed Circuit Rebreather) setups, Subic Bay has been my playground and my sanctuary of exploration.