Vantuna Research Group at Occidental College
@vrgoxy.bsky.social
Researching the marine environment of Southern & Baja California since 1966. Photos and content by J. Williams, except when otherwise noted.
https://www.oxy.edu/vrg
https://www.oxy.edu/vrg
Strapped some lasers and lights on our dropcam and drifted along the Santa Monica Bay ocean floor at about 40m depth. Absolutely hacky, but it worked.
Plenty of brittlestars, sanddabs, urchins, tubeworms, anemones, and more!
Turns out octopuses are a lot like cats when it comes to lasers.
🦑🐟🧪🌎
Plenty of brittlestars, sanddabs, urchins, tubeworms, anemones, and more!
Turns out octopuses are a lot like cats when it comes to lasers.
🦑🐟🧪🌎
May 5, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Strapped some lasers and lights on our dropcam and drifted along the Santa Monica Bay ocean floor at about 40m depth. Absolutely hacky, but it worked.
Plenty of brittlestars, sanddabs, urchins, tubeworms, anemones, and more!
Turns out octopuses are a lot like cats when it comes to lasers.
🦑🐟🧪🌎
Plenty of brittlestars, sanddabs, urchins, tubeworms, anemones, and more!
Turns out octopuses are a lot like cats when it comes to lasers.
🦑🐟🧪🌎
Two tries later: success!
Increased fill to 60% and used a rectilinear infill pattern. Printed with a Bambu Lab A1 printer. Took 10:47 to print.
This one liter sediment core weighs 179g, has a beveled top edge, a 1-mm screen on the bottom, and is just slightly *negatively* buoyant.
It’s perfect.
Increased fill to 60% and used a rectilinear infill pattern. Printed with a Bambu Lab A1 printer. Took 10:47 to print.
This one liter sediment core weighs 179g, has a beveled top edge, a 1-mm screen on the bottom, and is just slightly *negatively* buoyant.
It’s perfect.
March 4, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Two tries later: success!
Increased fill to 60% and used a rectilinear infill pattern. Printed with a Bambu Lab A1 printer. Took 10:47 to print.
This one liter sediment core weighs 179g, has a beveled top edge, a 1-mm screen on the bottom, and is just slightly *negatively* buoyant.
It’s perfect.
Increased fill to 60% and used a rectilinear infill pattern. Printed with a Bambu Lab A1 printer. Took 10:47 to print.
This one liter sediment core weighs 179g, has a beveled top edge, a 1-mm screen on the bottom, and is just slightly *negatively* buoyant.
It’s perfect.
oh thank goodness, I think the @cdipbuoys.bsky.social link I had bookmarked just isn't responding - but the mobile view is available...
also: WHOA at that swell that came through yesterday morning!
also: WHOA at that swell that came through yesterday morning!
March 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
oh thank goodness, I think the @cdipbuoys.bsky.social link I had bookmarked just isn't responding - but the mobile view is available...
also: WHOA at that swell that came through yesterday morning!
also: WHOA at that swell that came through yesterday morning!
Given what is happening at the federal level, I assume this is not a glitch and that buoy information is not going to come back online.
I really hope I'm wrong. Buoy data is absolutely invaluable.
I really hope I'm wrong. Buoy data is absolutely invaluable.
March 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Given what is happening at the federal level, I assume this is not a glitch and that buoy information is not going to come back online.
I really hope I'm wrong. Buoy data is absolutely invaluable.
I really hope I'm wrong. Buoy data is absolutely invaluable.
As we replace old and damaged gear, why not use newer/cheaper/better technology?
I designed and 3D printed a diver sediment core with 1-mm screen and a beveled edge.
Not bad for a first try, screen isn’t perfect but it’ll work.
Biggest issue? It floats 😳🫠🤷🏻♂️ Guess I need a higher infill %?
🧪🦑🌎
I designed and 3D printed a diver sediment core with 1-mm screen and a beveled edge.
Not bad for a first try, screen isn’t perfect but it’ll work.
Biggest issue? It floats 😳🫠🤷🏻♂️ Guess I need a higher infill %?
🧪🦑🌎
February 14, 2025 at 10:06 PM
As we replace old and damaged gear, why not use newer/cheaper/better technology?
I designed and 3D printed a diver sediment core with 1-mm screen and a beveled edge.
Not bad for a first try, screen isn’t perfect but it’ll work.
Biggest issue? It floats 😳🫠🤷🏻♂️ Guess I need a higher infill %?
🧪🦑🌎
I designed and 3D printed a diver sediment core with 1-mm screen and a beveled edge.
Not bad for a first try, screen isn’t perfect but it’ll work.
Biggest issue? It floats 😳🫠🤷🏻♂️ Guess I need a higher infill %?
🧪🦑🌎
Happy Valentines Day, from the VRG to you ...
but feel free to fill in your own names on our custom templates!
(artwork, text, and original absurdity by @chesseea.bsky.social)
but feel free to fill in your own names on our custom templates!
(artwork, text, and original absurdity by @chesseea.bsky.social)
February 14, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Happy Valentines Day, from the VRG to you ...
but feel free to fill in your own names on our custom templates!
(artwork, text, and original absurdity by @chesseea.bsky.social)
but feel free to fill in your own names on our custom templates!
(artwork, text, and original absurdity by @chesseea.bsky.social)
Many of our marine biology PIs and staff are getting trained on our new #microCT … hopefully not our last NSF-funded purchase
(This picture is lame, but I didn’t want to interrupt. I’m sure we will spam you with TONS of images soon #ScanAllFishes)
(This picture is lame, but I didn’t want to interrupt. I’m sure we will spam you with TONS of images soon #ScanAllFishes)
January 29, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Many of our marine biology PIs and staff are getting trained on our new #microCT … hopefully not our last NSF-funded purchase
(This picture is lame, but I didn’t want to interrupt. I’m sure we will spam you with TONS of images soon #ScanAllFishes)
(This picture is lame, but I didn’t want to interrupt. I’m sure we will spam you with TONS of images soon #ScanAllFishes)
I’m in the middle of family leave, but I took two days back because some students told me they wanted to test out a promising project.
Lo and behold, three automatic (via thruster and pre-programming) CTDs that we made race through a profile program.
The red one won! 😂
Lo and behold, three automatic (via thruster and pre-programming) CTDs that we made race through a profile program.
The red one won! 😂
January 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
I’m in the middle of family leave, but I took two days back because some students told me they wanted to test out a promising project.
Lo and behold, three automatic (via thruster and pre-programming) CTDs that we made race through a profile program.
The red one won! 😂
Lo and behold, three automatic (via thruster and pre-programming) CTDs that we made race through a profile program.
The red one won! 😂
🧪🌎🦑🐟
Me, instructor, making wild claims: "I bet we catch a big leopard shark on this replicate."
Class, having caught only bait thus far: 🙄
Me, beaming/gloating/measuring (149 cm TL) leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) that we seined onto the beach from < 1m of water in Marina del Rey, CA:
Me, instructor, making wild claims: "I bet we catch a big leopard shark on this replicate."
Class, having caught only bait thus far: 🙄
Me, beaming/gloating/measuring (149 cm TL) leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) that we seined onto the beach from < 1m of water in Marina del Rey, CA:
October 9, 2024 at 6:54 PM
🧪🌎🦑🐟
Me, instructor, making wild claims: "I bet we catch a big leopard shark on this replicate."
Class, having caught only bait thus far: 🙄
Me, beaming/gloating/measuring (149 cm TL) leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) that we seined onto the beach from < 1m of water in Marina del Rey, CA:
Me, instructor, making wild claims: "I bet we catch a big leopard shark on this replicate."
Class, having caught only bait thus far: 🙄
Me, beaming/gloating/measuring (149 cm TL) leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) that we seined onto the beach from < 1m of water in Marina del Rey, CA:
Huh.
*growth.gif*
*growth.gif*
September 16, 2024 at 11:22 PM
Huh.
*growth.gif*
*growth.gif*
Before diving at the King Harbor Breakwall this morning, I said to our team, "We're going to have a surprise on this dive."
Sure enough! 🐟🧪🦑🌎
Adult Cortez Angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus) in about 25 ft of water. Matches the northernmost record for this fish. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Sure enough! 🐟🧪🦑🌎
Adult Cortez Angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus) in about 25 ft of water. Matches the northernmost record for this fish. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
August 30, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Before diving at the King Harbor Breakwall this morning, I said to our team, "We're going to have a surprise on this dive."
Sure enough! 🐟🧪🦑🌎
Adult Cortez Angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus) in about 25 ft of water. Matches the northernmost record for this fish. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Sure enough! 🐟🧪🦑🌎
Adult Cortez Angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus) in about 25 ft of water. Matches the northernmost record for this fish. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Well. I'm in Seattle for @posit.co #posit::conf, but boy did I and some of my workshop-mates get a startle when the #earthquake alert went off on my watch and phone.
Epicenter? 777 ft from my house. In Los Angeles.
🧪
Epicenter? 777 ft from my house. In Los Angeles.
🧪
August 12, 2024 at 11:04 PM
Well. I'm in Seattle for @posit.co #posit::conf, but boy did I and some of my workshop-mates get a startle when the #earthquake alert went off on my watch and phone.
Epicenter? 777 ft from my house. In Los Angeles.
🧪
Epicenter? 777 ft from my house. In Los Angeles.
🧪
Just found this photo on my computer again after many years. From an armrest on a chair near the Gulf of California at Camp Archelon, Bahia de Los Angeles, BC, Mexico, circa 2004. 🧪🌎🦑
I've always found it comforting and always wanted it to be how everyone felt about young scientists and their work.
I've always found it comforting and always wanted it to be how everyone felt about young scientists and their work.
July 1, 2024 at 10:10 PM
Just found this photo on my computer again after many years. From an armrest on a chair near the Gulf of California at Camp Archelon, Bahia de Los Angeles, BC, Mexico, circa 2004. 🧪🌎🦑
I've always found it comforting and always wanted it to be how everyone felt about young scientists and their work.
I've always found it comforting and always wanted it to be how everyone felt about young scientists and their work.
Had the privilege of sharing this with my students:
I gave ChatGPT the same assignment I gave them.
In 2/4 cases, ChatGPT chose to make up references that seem plausible (authors that indeed study that organism; real journals; etc) but do not actually exist or exist somewhere entirely different.
I gave ChatGPT the same assignment I gave them.
In 2/4 cases, ChatGPT chose to make up references that seem plausible (authors that indeed study that organism; real journals; etc) but do not actually exist or exist somewhere entirely different.
June 28, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Had the privilege of sharing this with my students:
I gave ChatGPT the same assignment I gave them.
In 2/4 cases, ChatGPT chose to make up references that seem plausible (authors that indeed study that organism; real journals; etc) but do not actually exist or exist somewhere entirely different.
I gave ChatGPT the same assignment I gave them.
In 2/4 cases, ChatGPT chose to make up references that seem plausible (authors that indeed study that organism; real journals; etc) but do not actually exist or exist somewhere entirely different.
Happy Earth Day! 🌎🐟🧪🦑
About to submit our Year 3 Report for Palos Verdes Reef. I'll give you a sneak peak at how the restoration reef is doing.
In short: Incredibly well. Figures show biotic benthic cover and fish biomass on the new reef modules, by year.
Construction was in 2020.
About to submit our Year 3 Report for Palos Verdes Reef. I'll give you a sneak peak at how the restoration reef is doing.
In short: Incredibly well. Figures show biotic benthic cover and fish biomass on the new reef modules, by year.
Construction was in 2020.
April 23, 2024 at 12:04 AM
Happy Earth Day! 🌎🐟🧪🦑
About to submit our Year 3 Report for Palos Verdes Reef. I'll give you a sneak peak at how the restoration reef is doing.
In short: Incredibly well. Figures show biotic benthic cover and fish biomass on the new reef modules, by year.
Construction was in 2020.
About to submit our Year 3 Report for Palos Verdes Reef. I'll give you a sneak peak at how the restoration reef is doing.
In short: Incredibly well. Figures show biotic benthic cover and fish biomass on the new reef modules, by year.
Construction was in 2020.
After #OSM24, we stuck around New Orleans for a bit. Did a tour of the Honey Island Swamp and West Pearl River.
Why did nobody tell me that the swamp is kinda gorgeous?
And littered with raccoons??
🌎
Why did nobody tell me that the swamp is kinda gorgeous?
And littered with raccoons??
🌎
February 27, 2024 at 5:42 PM
After #OSM24, we stuck around New Orleans for a bit. Did a tour of the Honey Island Swamp and West Pearl River.
Why did nobody tell me that the swamp is kinda gorgeous?
And littered with raccoons??
🌎
Why did nobody tell me that the swamp is kinda gorgeous?
And littered with raccoons??
🌎
...She might have learned about narwhals from Futurama though, because as an excellent parent, she watches Futurama
February 8, 2024 at 1:29 AM
...She might have learned about narwhals from Futurama though, because as an excellent parent, she watches Futurama
lol
“Night: Not for this day”
“Night: Not for this day”
February 7, 2024 at 2:44 AM
lol
“Night: Not for this day”
“Night: Not for this day”
Well, last time we got this much rain in February was 1998. The fisheries survey we conducted in San Diego Bay 2 mos later showed that the entire community changed, largely driven by an influx of Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus), a catadromous species. 🦑🌎🧪🐟
February 6, 2024 at 7:49 PM
Well, last time we got this much rain in February was 1998. The fisheries survey we conducted in San Diego Bay 2 mos later showed that the entire community changed, largely driven by an influx of Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus), a catadromous species. 🦑🌎🧪🐟
It's been raining for 46 straight hours here in Los Angeles. What does that volume of fresh water do to fish populations in estuaries? 🌎🧪🦑🐟
February 6, 2024 at 7:47 PM
It's been raining for 46 straight hours here in Los Angeles. What does that volume of fresh water do to fish populations in estuaries? 🌎🧪🦑🐟
"Why is the water so brown and why is there so much sediment on top of the reef?"
Here's a good illustration of why, and why we built Palos Verdes Reef modules up to 4 m tall: to withstand the constant flow of terrestrial sediment from landslides that will never stop.
Here's a good illustration of why, and why we built Palos Verdes Reef modules up to 4 m tall: to withstand the constant flow of terrestrial sediment from landslides that will never stop.
January 24, 2024 at 8:32 PM
"Why is the water so brown and why is there so much sediment on top of the reef?"
Here's a good illustration of why, and why we built Palos Verdes Reef modules up to 4 m tall: to withstand the constant flow of terrestrial sediment from landslides that will never stop.
Here's a good illustration of why, and why we built Palos Verdes Reef modules up to 4 m tall: to withstand the constant flow of terrestrial sediment from landslides that will never stop.
Well well well, look who finally decided to take up residence in my owl box, 6 years after I put it up 🦉🌎
January 23, 2024 at 5:55 AM
Well well well, look who finally decided to take up residence in my owl box, 6 years after I put it up 🦉🌎
Been a hot minute since we felt and earthquake here
January 5, 2024 at 7:02 PM
Been a hot minute since we felt and earthquake here
With storms coming in next week, we are officially calling it a field season!
Hard to describe how much effort it takes to survey 361 dive sites in six months, but maybe the maps will help.
Zoomed in views of Palos Verdes and Malibu to show the absurd coverage we have in Santa Monica Bay! 🌎🦑🧪
Hard to describe how much effort it takes to survey 361 dive sites in six months, but maybe the maps will help.
Zoomed in views of Palos Verdes and Malibu to show the absurd coverage we have in Santa Monica Bay! 🌎🦑🧪
December 15, 2023 at 10:07 PM
With storms coming in next week, we are officially calling it a field season!
Hard to describe how much effort it takes to survey 361 dive sites in six months, but maybe the maps will help.
Zoomed in views of Palos Verdes and Malibu to show the absurd coverage we have in Santa Monica Bay! 🌎🦑🧪
Hard to describe how much effort it takes to survey 361 dive sites in six months, but maybe the maps will help.
Zoomed in views of Palos Verdes and Malibu to show the absurd coverage we have in Santa Monica Bay! 🌎🦑🧪
Every time THE video comes up on Reddit, I'm amusing to see some form of this comment.
December 1, 2023 at 9:59 PM
Every time THE video comes up on Reddit, I'm amusing to see some form of this comment.