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YES, WE HAVE FREAKY DISCO Mission Dispatch 2 - April 5, 2005 | Mark Schrope - @SEA Correspondent N 26.14 W 79.00: En Route Freeport to Bimini It took a little longer than we had hoped to clear customs in Freeport this morning, but that's usually the case, and we were still able to complete all planned submersible work for the day. We made two sub dives near Freeport before heading toward Cay Sal. The first was intended mainly to collect samples of Discodermia, the sponge discovered by Harbor Branch that produces the potential anti-cancer drug discodermolide. Various researchers on board and back home have projects involving the sponge, so fresh samples are always welcome. 
Much of the Discodermia work focuses on discovering new ways to produce discodermolide. For instance, the team suspects that the compound is actually produced by microorganisms living in the sponge, rather than by the sponge itself, so one goal is to try and isolate this producer in hopes that it can be cultured in the lab to create a relatively easy means of production. Currently, the only way to get discodermolide is by using a very involved and expensive synthetic production technique, or collecting the sponge from the wild, which is also quite expensive and yields only tiny amounts of compound. Discodermia, or Disco as it is usually called, comes in a variety of different forms. There are fingers, which look almost creepily like fingers in shape and color, not to be confused with the creeping form, which has thin tree-like branches. Then there is the cup version, which I suppose is self explanatory, and of course, the freaky form, which looks like a hand with fingers that are thinner than the fingers of the finger form. Got it? Yes, today we managed to get some freaky disco as well as all the others, which will keep some projects running for months if not years. Each Discodermia form is distinct in appearance but also has its own unique chemistry. For instance, some forms do not produce discodermolide. This could help scientists isolate the genes that produce the compound and determine whether they come from the sponge or a microorganism by allowing comparison of the genetic material found in the sponge forms that do and do not have discodermolide present. 
Chief scientist
Amy Wright was in the submersible sphere for the Disco
dive, along with pilot Don Liberatore. In the aft compartment were Jimmy
Nelson from the sub crew and
James "J" Bottesch, a new research specialist
in the Biomedical Marine Research group on his first dive. Like most
everybody after his first time, J came back in a very good mood. "It was
one of the most incredible experiences of my life," he says, "It's
something I've always wanted to do since I was in 5th grade and saw my
first Jacques Cousteau show but I thought I'd never get the chance."
YES, WE ARE CERTIFIABLE The second dive involved a special guest we picked up this morning off the island using one of the small boats. Every year, the Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles have to go through recertification by the American Bureau of Shipping, which involves various checks of safety equipment and records as well as a check-out dive to maximum depth. So, an inspector from ABS came out for a dive to 3,000 feet, which went smoothly. Once we had dropped him back off at Lucaya, near Freeport, we were on our way. Tonight we intend to make it as far as Bimini, about 60 miles south. There tomorrow morning we'll do one submersible dive as well as the first scuba dive then we'll be back on our way. 
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