The sea is full of saints
November 19, 2017 11:29 PM Subscribe
This past April a massive 80-foot steel kraken was purposefully sunk into the Caribbean Sea on top of a decorated WW2 ship. The former Navy fuel barge and its monstrous passenger were placed underwater in order to jumpstart a new coral ecosystem, while also serving as a cutting-edge education center for marine researchers and local students from the surrounding British Virgin Islands. The project is titled the BVI Art Reef, and aims to use sculptures like the porous kraken as a base to grow transplanted coral.
There's a teaser trailer for an upcoming documentary, and lots more photos on Facebook.
I think they did
posted by mbo at 1:18 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by mbo at 1:18 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
Reef the Kraken!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:00 AM on November 20, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:00 AM on November 20, 2017 [4 favorites]
I am in favour of littering the sea floor with 80 foot steel krakens.
posted by Mocata at 2:02 AM on November 20, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Mocata at 2:02 AM on November 20, 2017 [3 favorites]
Wow the Goliath grouper from the BVI Art Reef link!
posted by Literaryhero at 2:49 AM on November 20, 2017
posted by Literaryhero at 2:49 AM on November 20, 2017
A++ post title.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:20 AM on November 20, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:20 AM on November 20, 2017 [3 favorites]
I thought it would have sunk on its side (like the Spiegel Grove) from the trailer, but it seems they managed to get it to sink it upright!
Curious to see how it's going to fare long term (the sea can be pretty angry sometimes), but it made it through this year's hurricanes so looking good for a bit.
I'd really like to dive it in a few years (it takes a while for coral to take over a wreck), this is so much better than the standard 'let sink a boring boat' here that is usually done. And it probably looks super creepy coming at it when you start seeing the outline of a gigantic squid taking form! I just hope we won't wreck the planet before that (and hopefully not after that).
If it was local that would be an awesome shore dive, 500m of nav to get to the wreck and 500m back in warm waters with sea life.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 5:58 AM on November 20, 2017
Curious to see how it's going to fare long term (the sea can be pretty angry sometimes), but it made it through this year's hurricanes so looking good for a bit.
I'd really like to dive it in a few years (it takes a while for coral to take over a wreck), this is so much better than the standard 'let sink a boring boat' here that is usually done. And it probably looks super creepy coming at it when you start seeing the outline of a gigantic squid taking form! I just hope we won't wreck the planet before that (and hopefully not after that).
If it was local that would be an awesome shore dive, 500m of nav to get to the wreck and 500m back in warm waters with sea life.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 5:58 AM on November 20, 2017
Something similar plays a role in the plot of Carl Hiaasen's Strip Tease, a wonderful yarn.
posted by texorama at 6:27 AM on November 20, 2017
posted by texorama at 6:27 AM on November 20, 2017
What a nice kraken friend!! 😇
posted by grobstein at 9:59 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by grobstein at 9:59 AM on November 20, 2017 [1 favorite]
this is so beautiful; thank you for posting.
posted by GospelofWesleyWillis at 12:00 PM on November 20, 2017
posted by GospelofWesleyWillis at 12:00 PM on November 20, 2017
This is very beautiful and good! Thank you for posting it!
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 1:05 PM on November 20, 2017
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 1:05 PM on November 20, 2017
I looked at those photos and it was like I was dreaming while awake
posted by Sebmojo at 1:08 PM on November 20, 2017
posted by Sebmojo at 1:08 PM on November 20, 2017
This makes me happy.
posted by Oceanic Trench at 2:04 PM on November 20, 2017
posted by Oceanic Trench at 2:04 PM on November 20, 2017
« Older Charles Manson is dead at 83 | Tsunami Bomb Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
RELEASE the Kraken, fools!
posted by Samizdata at 11:55 PM on November 19, 2017 [1 favorite]