SEAKEEPER FAQ'S

Below are some questions the Society is often asked

Q. What is The International SeaKeepers Society?
Q. What is the SeaKeeper 1000® system?
Q. What is SeaKeepers’ next mission?
Q. Is the ocean eco system really in peril?
Q. What does SeaKeepers do?
Q. Why is the SeaKeeper 1000 automated monitoring system particularly valuable?
Q. Where does the data go?
Q. What scientific discovery has come from our equipment?
Q. Specifically what are we measuring?
Q. What is the difference between meteorological and climatologic measurements?
Q. What is modeling?
Q. Why are we licensing our design architecture without fee?
Q. Is our system just for yachts?
Q. What have we accomplished so far?
Q. What can you do to help?

Recognizing that scientists were in need of more high quality oceanographic data, SeaKeepers first created a revolutionary method of data collection, and used some of the Founders’ yachts as test platforms. The innovative SeaKeeper 1000™ automated oceanographic monitoring system has now been deployed in some 50 locations around the world, from private yachts to cruise ships, freighters, car ferries, governmental sea buoys, piers, a lighthouse, and a US Coast Guard ice breaker. [back to top]

Q. What is the SeaKeeper 1000™ system?
A. The SeaKeeper 1000™ is an innovative oceanographic and meteorological monitoring system. Its automated, modular, packaged design helped it to win the prestigious Tech Museum Intel Award for International Environmental Technology Benefiting Humanity.

The SeaKeepers system takes precise scientific measurements every minute and then automatically sends its collected data via satellite. It can function for months without any human attention.  Thus, is suitable to be placed not only on a private luxury yachts, cruise ships, tankers, and sea buoys, but also on piers or even remote areas like the arctic. Unlike other monitors, the SeaKeeper 1000 is a “plug and play” system that offers scientists the flexibility and cost-efficiency of interchangeable sensors.

Since its auspicious beginnings, the SeaKeeper 1000 system has been recognized throughout the scientific community for its unique ability to provide reliable and extremely cost-effective data, including recognition from United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), who issue joint certificates of participation in the Global Ocean Observing System to all SeaKeeper-equipped vessels. It is also being used by Scripps Institution of Oceanography and by NOAA’s National Weather Service and National Marine Sanctuaries Program. [back to top]

Q. What is SeaKeepers’ next mission?
A. In just a few years with a total budget of $8 million USD private citizens from around the world funded development of the automated SeaKeeper 1000™ system.

Growing out of its members’ strong concern about education and public awareness about the complex issues of ocean policy, in 2006 SeaKeepers produced a second project, the publication “11 Critical Ocean Issues: With Action Items for Concerned Citizens.” The action-oriented document is downloadable for free on our website. It has distilled the complex subject of our degrading oceans into non-scientific language understandable by nearly any reader.

SeaKeepers is also in the early stages of developing a public information program called SeaKiosk, an interactive station that can be installed in public places such as ferry and cruise ship lobbies or piers, to describe the various threats to the ocean’s health and what they can do to help mitigate the problems.

Finally, SeaKeepers is proud to point to the growing network of individuals and corporations who are making our work possible.  There are other marine environmental organizations, some of them very large, and a number of good initiatives organized by governments and institutions such as the United Nations.  Nonetheless, we believe that there is strength and unique capacity in a small, nimble international group of leaders concerned with promoting understanding and solutions about the profound issues facing our oceans. [back to top]

Q. Is the ocean eco system really in peril?
A.  In some places the ocean is still beautiful.  But anyone who has been scuba diving or snorkeling for more than a decade can probably reflect on some huge changes in nearly every ocean environment.  (We also recognize that in some bodies of water things have actually recovered, due to such measures as the US Clean Water Act that has been operative for some three decades.  A good example would be the Hudson River in New York which now has decent visibility and fishing thanks to efforts of  government, environmental groups, and strong citizen advocates.)

But for the larger picture, two recent comprehensive analyses of state of the world oceans leave little doubt that they are in jeopardy.  These two US commissions, one chaired by a prominent Democrat and the other by a prominent Republican make clear what will happen if we do not change our policies on use – or more accurately abuse – of the world’s oceans.  The problems can be broadly categorized as overfishing; habitat destruction; pollution; plus a special category including such items as climate change and the rapid decline of coral reefs worldwide. 

After 3 years of hearings with diverse groups of experts around the US, Admiral James Watkins (USN retired) chairman of the US Commission on Ocean Policy has concluded that we may see a catastrophic collapse of the ocean ecosystem in as little as six or seven years if we do not take steps now as outlined in their findings.  [Note: In recognition of his extraordinary leadership on this issue, Admiral Watkins received the presitigous SeaKeeper Award in 2005.  For a list of the other SeaKeeper Award recipients, visit www.seakeepers.org ] [back to top]

Q. What does SeaKeepers do?
A. Started in 1998 in Monaco by a group of concerned yacht owners, The International SeaKeepers Society today is a unique network of more than 80 families and individuals representing more than 15 countries and growing.  It is no longer just yacht owners.  This is an exclusive group of leaders who want to make a difference on marine environmental issues using a somewhat different mode than the very large “grass roots” marine organizations. 

As an initial project the SeaKeepers recognized that scientists were in need of more high quality oceanographic data.  SeaKeepers created a revolutionary method of data collection, and used some of the Founders yachts as free test platforms.  The SeaKeeper 1000™ automated oceanographic data system is now deployed at some 50 locations ranging from luxury yachts to cruise ships, freighters, car ferries, government sea buoys, piers, a lighthouse, and a US Coast Guard ice breaker. [back to top]

Q. Why is the SeaKeeper 1000 automated monitoring system particularly valuable?
A. Every minute the SeaKeeper 1000 takes detailed meterological readings (to climatological accuracy) and at the same time does electrical or optical analysis of seawater using highly sophisticated sensors.  The detailed data is recorded on the system for capture at regular service intervals.  Every 3 hours a data set is sent via satellite to the SeaKeepers data servers. 

Scientists find the SeaKeeper 1000 to be innovative and valuable for many reasons, including:  The sensors used are modular, similar to the plug and play cards in a PC computer.  This facilitates easy swapping for calibration and maintenance.  It also encourages numerous manufacturers and inventors worldwide to build to a common sensor architecture.  Until the SeaKeepers system, nearly all ocean instruments were custom designed in terms of physical format, electrical, and data connections.  Like the universal “Bluetooth” standard for short range electronic communication, there is a huge advantage in having a common architecture.

The SeaKeepers system is also novel in that it is fully automated.  It takes precise scientific measurements every minute, does not consume any chemicals in the standard configuration, and can function for months without any human attention.  Thus, it is not only suitable to be placed on a private luxury yacht, but equally on a cruise ship, oceanic tanker, sea buoy, or a piling on a remote island.  This is innovative compared to the situation on a research ship, or coastal laboratory with the considerable costs of overhead and operating expenses. [back to top]

Q. Where does the data go?
A.  The weather data is immediately put into the Global Telecommunication Service Network (GTS) used by many different US National Weather services belonging to the World Meteorological Organization(WMO).  This means that our widely dispersed systems often fill in important gaps in the current weather data, which in turn yield better weather forecasting.  This has benefit not only to yachtsmen but to all users of a more accurate weather forecast worldwide, e.g. farmers, utility companies and insurance underwriters.

In the fields of oceanography, there are tens of thousands of scientists around the world looking at diverse processes from anoxic “dead zones” in the ocean, to changing salinity and acidity due to melting sea ice, to seasonal changes in chlorophyll.  Their analysis requires “mining” vast databases of global data.  The SeaKeepers system generates data that is available to these scientists.  As explained above, the important aspect of the SeaKeepers data is that due to full automation and modular design, a) it is much less expensive than other comparable ocean data, and b) it is readily expandable allowing additional sensors to be deployed. [back to top]

Q. What scientific discovery has come from our equipment?
A. While it would be ideal to point to a specific scientific breakthrough that came exclusively from the SeaKeepers data, that is not how science works, particularly in the Internet era.  Some scientists collect data; the data is then made available through diverse media and databases.  Then thousands of scientists worldwide analyze the various databases, sometimes making innovative comparisons of different databases.  From this they develop, assert, prove, or perhaps refute various hypotheses. They write papers putting forth a theory, finding, or correlation to the scientific community for “peer review.”  Depending upon the acceptance of refutation by the larger scientific community, a particular hypothesis may be added to the building blocks of facts or concepts about our world.

As one specific example:  In February 2005 there was an important story about Global Warming that was covered in the scientific press, and in the general media.  Tim Barnett, a scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography had come up with a new analysis of 40 years of ocean data, that yielded a new formula or model to predict climate change.  This new “model” was a large step forward in terms of “proving” global warming since it had a 95% correlation with historical data.  Our SeaKeepers data was in one of the databases used in this study.  While we had only been collecting data since the year 2000, it was still valuable due to the vastness of the ocean and the surprising scarcity of real open ocean measurements – particularly with instruments as precise as those used in the SeaKeeper 1000 system.

In terms of more immediate data value, SeaKeepers systems generate weather information that would otherwise not be available.  That is of benefit to yachtsmen and shipping companies traversing the oceans.  In particular situations that data has allowed the world to plot the course and position of weather systems and storms, allowing ships to take safe harbor. [back to top]

Q. Specifically what are we measuring?
A. Generally we take precise atmospheric measurements (meteorological) simultaneously with the seawater analysis.  This is important, since the atmosphere and ocean are actually one interrelated system.

A typical data set would include the following as a minimum:

• Precise GPS location (latitude / longitude with date / time.
• Wind speed and direction
• Air temperature
• Barometric pressure
• Relative humidity
• Sea Surface Temperature
• Salinity
• pH (acidity)
• Dissolved oxygen
• Oxygen reduction potential (Eh)

Additional sensors might include

• CDOM (colored dissolved organic matter)
• Chlorophyll measure by fluorescence
• Nutrients
• Nitrates
• Other sensors are now in development including:
• heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Mn, Zn, Pb, Fe)
• Harmful Algal Blooms (“HAB’s”) such as red tide
  

Q. What is the difference between meteorological and climatologic measurements?
A.  Meteorology is the science of weather.  A good weather report or forecast would typically be given to a resolution of one degree of temperature.  Climatology is the science of long term weather patterns.  To see climactic trends one has to take readings to a much higher resolution, with great precision (repeatability), for longer periods of time.  For example, our measurements of air temperature are done in tenths of a degree Celsius.  Our seawater temperatures are done to thousandths of a degree.  Thus we boast that we are not just getting weather data; it is valid for trend studies of climate change due to the extremely high degree of resolution. [back to top]

Q. What is modeling? 
A.  A “model” is a representation, usually mathematical formulas, used to explain the workings of a real world system or event. To model or predict our oceans and climate, it is not just a formula, but thousands of complex formulas that take some of the most powerful computers a long time to “crunch the numbers.”
Even taking something specific, such as predicting the temperature or oxygen content of our oceans, say five years from now.  To make that projection, we need a computer model or set of equations that takes into account hundreds or thousands of factors.  As scientists develop these models, they test them against historical data.  If the fit is good, then we can project into the future.  If we develop a good mathematical model, then we can see how changes now will affect the outcome years from now. The benefits of this projection have immense value in areas from climate to seafood yields.  Most important, if we understand the relation of current factors to future outcomes, we can hopefully make changes to our policies in order to ensure a more sustainable environment in the years ahead. [back to top]

Q. Why are we licensing our design architecture without fee? 
A.  As described above, the SeaKeeper 1000 monitoring system brought a new structure or design to the field of ocean monitoring systems.  It was awarded a US patent.  In 2006 it was decided to freely license this design architecture for others to use.  There are several rationale:  While there is obvious benefit in trying to protect your own design to capitalize on it, recent experience points to another path.  Whether it be the design of a personal computer, the modular plug for telephones, or VHS video tapes, it is now understood that what is important is to get acceptance of a common standard.  Our evaluation was that if SeaKeepers tried to charge significant licensing fees, that there would be strong resistance for others to adopt our design architecture. 

Our patented design is not something unique like a pharmaceutical patent.  The best evidence of this strategy is that the IBM PC design from 25 years ago is still the one used by Dell and nearly all other computer makers worldwide.  They chose not to protect the design, but rather to encourage anyone in the world to build clones, or to create “cards” to fit in the back of the PC chassis.  In contrast, companies like Apple (and a host of others, mostly now out of business) went the route of fiercely protecting their own design. 

Furthermore, since The International SeaKeepers Society is constituted as a non-profit, its mandate is to effect things for the public good, or pro bono.  Making our design available without charge, in the interest of making precise ocean data more economical was deemed the right position for this organization. [back to top]

Q. Is our system just for yachts?
A.  No.  While our system was tested on large private yachts and many of our contributors are proud to sponsor a system on their ships, the SeaKeeper 1000 is now on cruise ships, a lighthouse, government sea buoys, a large car ferry in the Mediterranean, a US Coast Guard Icebreaker, piers, trans Pacific freighters, an LNG tanker off the coast of Brasil. [back to top]

Q.  What have we accomplished so far?
A.  The fact that a few hundred private citizens from different countries have funded an automated system like the SeaKeeper 1000 is nearly unprecedented.  That there are now some 50 systems operating and able to collect real data is an impressive accomplishment.  That this has all been done in just eight years, with a total budget of approximately US$ 8 million is truly incredible to those in science, government, or academia.  We are very proud of that accomplishment alone.  With the SeaKeeper 1000 automated ocean and atmospheric monitoring system as a very tangible achievement, we are now looking at a few other select initiatives.  But we must be clear that we are not a funding organization, nor will we take on many diverse projects.

In 2006 we produced a second project, manifesting our strong concern about education and contributing to public awareness about the complex issues of ocean policy.  Our publication “11 Critical Ocean Issues, with Action Items for Concerned Citizens” has garnered a very positive response from many sectors.  It is available from our office for hard copy purchase, and is freely downloadable from our web site.  We are gratified that it has taken a hugely complex subject such as the degrading oceans and put it into a booklet understandable by nearly any reader. Within the confines of our modest budget we are looking at ways to strengthen and leverage off both the above products during the coming year.

Last we are proud to point to the growing network of “SeaKeepers” who have made our work possible.  There are other very large marine environmental organizations and there are good initiatives by governments and within the United Nations.  Nonetheless we believe that there is strength and unique capacity in a small nimble international group of leaders concerned about the profound issues involved with our oceans.  Developing that network is by itself an accomplishment. [back to top]

Q. What can you do to help?
A.  Please consider joining our organization as a “Founder” or other leadership level.  If that is not within your means, we would appreciate any financial support.  In addition to direct financial support, we can accept financial instruments such as publicly traded securities.  We would also be pleased to discuss bequests or other customized approaches appropriate to your situation. [back to top]