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Project Niu is an educational program that provides K-12 students and teachers with hands-on, project-based experiences with satellite technologies used in remotely monitoring the ocean. Through deploying and tracking a satellite-tracked "message in a bottle" as it drifts out to sea, students develop a firsthand understanding of ocean currents and marine debris while forming personal connections to the environment. The Project Niu team includes engineers and scientists at Archinoetics, LLC and is sponsored by NOAA's B-WET Hawaii Program.
Niu Poni, Almost One Year at Sea
After almost a year at sea, Niu Poni is approaching a big anniversary. Here are the stats as of last week. What do you think these numbers will be when Niu Poni reaches a year on 1/30/2010?
Some statistics on Niu Poni (as of 1/22)
- 5,150 miles traveled
- 2,691 miles WNW Honolulu
- 1,365 miles SE of Tokyo
- 629 miles NW of Wake Island
- 96% battery power
- Average speed: 14.4 miles / day
- Fastest speed: 37 miles / day
- Slowest speed: 0.8 miles / day
- Longest time w/o transmitting: 4 days
- Worst Iridium position estimate: 244 miles off
- Nearest land since deployment: Johnston Atoll, 153 miles, on 4/7/09
- Crossed Int'l Date Line: July 4, 2009 (Hawaii time)
Thanks for the Memories, Niu `Alani
Submitted by Evan on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 9:29am
It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that Niu `Alani (pictured at left, orange on the map), has now been "lost" at sea for over 18 days. After traveling 4,515 brave miles and coasting the currents valiantly for 280 days, he has finally gone silent (he is no longer transmitting via satellite, caused by excess internal humidity). Perhaps someday, someone will find him and return him to us, when we will welcome him with open arms.
But may we not hang our heads for long, knowing that Niu `Alani had a long, happy life that has brought joy and knowledge to so many of us. Let us remember the times when `Alani came just a few miles from Johnston Atoll and no doubt caught a glimpse of sea birds who came out to visit. And let us recall when `Alani made an abrupt 180 degree turn just south of Kauai and started to head back to Oahu, surely because he missed us dearly. Or, when `Alani became the first Niu to report back to us west of the International Date Line, gallantly bouncing along the waves in the tomorrow-land of the eastern hemisphere. And, of course, we will always remember our rendezvous with him off the coast of Hawaii Kai when we set him free of his foam belt that had been plaguing he and his mates those first few hours.
Niu `Alani remained close to his old friend Niu Poni throughout their entire journey, and was last heard from less than 200 miles from his favorite exploring partner. Amazing that after almost 5,000 miles together, they remained so in sync. Although Niu `Alani stopped reporting 1,200 miles from Tokyo, we know that he is cheering on Poni to continue his unfinished business, as well as his other friend, Hae Akala, that is sailing south in warmer waters.
Niu `Alani... thanks for the memories. May your orange streak across the sea live for all eternity in the hearts and minds of children everywhere. You shall be missed.
Lovingly,
The Project Niu Team
Mahalo, Roz Savage!
Submitted by Evan on Mon, 08/24/2009 - 12:02pm
Niu Device:
Niu Hae Akala
Latitude:
0.00
Longitude:
179.21 Project Niu would like to say "mahalo" to ocean rower Roz Savage, who has rowed solo all the way from Hawaii to drop "Niu Hae Akala" directly on the equator (which had been a stow away on her rowboat for the past few months). Roz is currently on her way to Tuvalu on the second leg of her attempt to be the first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean.
If you go to the NiuTracker, you'll see that Niu Hae Akala (in pink) left Honolulu in May 2009 and headed southwest until it reached the equator on August 23rd. From here on out, where it goes is anyone's guess. The currents and winds around the equator are notoriously unpredictable, so it will be really interesting to see what happens to Niu Hae Akala.
Photo from Niu
Submitted by Evan on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 4:20pmCurious how quickly life can grow underwater in the ocean on the outside of a plastic dome? Check out the photo below, taken by Niu's camera after just five months at sea.
Imagine a World Without Fish
Submitted by Evan on Mon, 06/08/2009 - 9:06amPublished in
Imagine a world without fish. It is a scary prospect, but it is within the realm of possibility. Check out the new movie "The End of Line" to learn more about overfishing and what you can do to help be a responsibile steward of the oceans.
Roz Savage Rows the Pacific Ocean
Submitted by Evan on Wed, 05/27/2009 - 9:14pmPublished in
Have you heard about Roz Savage? She attempting to be the first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean. Yes, row a boat, by herself, no escort boat, without a sail or motor, all by herself, across the entire Pacific Ocean. Did we mention that she's all be herself in the middle of the ocean?!?! Wow! And if that weren't enough, Roz is doing this all not for fame and fortune, but to raise awareness about the top environmental issues, such as climate change and marine debris.
In September 2008, Roz arrived in Honolulu after 100 days rowing across the ocean from San Francisco. On May 24, 2009, she left the Waikiki Yacht Club on the second leg of her voyage to head into the South Pacific. Roz is expecting to arrive in Tuvalu or Samoa and then will continue her voyage to Australia in summer 2010.
So, why are you reading about this on the Project Niu website? Well, two BIG reasons. First, Roz is carrying on her boat the newest niu, Niu Hae Akala. The plan is for Roz to deploy it when she crosses the equator. We are excited about this because it will show us how marine debris might travel in the equatorial regions of the Pacific Ocean. Since all the Niu's that we have deployed from Hawaii have gone in a westerly direction, it seems that deploying a niu from a different location might provide some new information.
We are also writing about Roz Savage because if you check out Roz's website, you'll notice a tracking system very similar to that of Project Niu. In fact, the RozTracker, as it is called, was built by the Project Niu team using the same technologies that we use to track the niu's. Additionally, the RozTracker incorporates social media that Roz creates, such as blogs, podcasts, videos, or photos. So, wherever Roz is in the ocean when she creates those items, the map will show them in that spot. How cool is that?!?!
We hope that you'll go to Roz Savage's website and learn more about her mission for environmental awareness and her unbelievable adventure across the Pacific Ocean!
Earth Day and the Ocean
Submitted by Evan on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 1:17pmAll of us at Project Niu wish you a happy Earth Day and hope that you'll do something this week to celebrate and protect whatever it is about the environment that matters most to you. Go for a hike, do a beach cleanup, go to the recycling center, plant a tree, read a book in the park... just do something that you enjoy and reflect on how important a clean, healthy environment is to your life. Make a commitment to yourself, your friends, and your family to not take the Earth for granted.
Earth Day provides us all the opportunity to remember that the Earth is a fragile place and that we are its stewards. At Project Niu, we believe that science and technology must be leveraged to their fullest extent as we all work together to reduce and combat the effects of climate change. Our unique project addresses the growing concern that the oceans are in a state of decline. Mankind cannot exist without a healthy ocean, as a large bulk of our food and the oxygen in the atmosphere are created in the blue heart of the planet. Our main focus is on the problem of marine debris, which is increasing from the proliferation of non-reusable products and plastics. We hope that by teaching today's youth about the problem, and giving them the tools of science and technology, they will have the means necessary to ensure the future sustainability of the oceans.
We invite you all to enjoy Earth Day and challenge yourself to do whatever you can to ensure that future generations, your grandchildre and great-grandchildren, will inherit a thriving, healthy planet.
Threats to Reefs in Northwest Hawaiian Islands
Submitted by Evan on Mon, 04/13/2009 - 9:39amPublished in
The National Science Foundation announced the results of a study today that investigated the threats to the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (Papahânaumokuâkea Marine National Monument). Please read below for an introduction to the study and then follow the link below that for the full article.
"In the current issue of the journal Coral Reefs, authors Kimberly Selkoe and Benjamin Halpern, both of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at the University of California at Santa Barbara, explain how maps of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI)--a vast area stretching across more than 1,200 miles of Pacific Ocean--can be used to make informed decisions about protecting the world's fragile coral reefs."
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=114538&govDel=USNSF_51
Photos by Niu!
Submitted by Evan on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 3:24pm
One of the most exciting features of the Niu devices is that they each have a digital camera. Over the past day, we have sent commands for them to take photos. In this story are the actual photos without any post-processing. We encourage you to share your thoughts about what appears in these photos by adding comments to this story. We will hold off on our opinions for a few days to give you all a chance to contribute.
Niu Sensors, Marine Debris Reach Johnston Atoll
Submitted by Evan on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 12:38pmPublished in
For those who have been actively following the three Niu ocean drifter devices since they were deployed offshore of Honolulu, Hawaii on January 30, 2009, this is an exciting moment. After over 54 days at sea and more than 1000 miles traveled, Niu `Alani is now only 50 miles from land! For the past several days, Niu `Alani has hovered offshore of Johnston Atoll, a small island that is part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (designated by President George W. Bush in January 2009).
So, what's so important about a Niu reaching Johnston Atoll? Well, for one thing, since the Niu simulates marine debris, it means that in just about a month and a half, pollutants such as plastic and derelict fishing gear that enter the watershed in Honolulu can travel over 800 miles to land on the shores of Johnston Atoll. This also means that efforts to curtail polluting the ocean near Honolulu could possibly go a long way in preventing damage to Johnston's fragile ecosystem. Wildlife at Johnston includes coral reefs, numerous species of sea birds and fish, green sea turtles (Honu), the Hawaiian monk seal, and more. So, even though the island is now uninhabited, all these animals could be threatened if Johnston does in fact receive a significant amount of floating marine pollution from Honolulu.
What activities can YOU do to help protect Johnston Atoll and other remote islands in the Pacific Ocean?
Learn more about Johnston Atoll.
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