Migration of Bay Scallops

[subsea]

Tom, is a work associate and friend. On my dailly rounds as a Senior Subsea Supervisor on Transocean flagship in the the late 1970, Discoverer Seven Seas, I would often stop and chat with technitions in Oceaneering command module. If you think NASA has an impressive space center, you should see inside an Oceaneering ROV operations center. Tom was on an elite team which first located and filmed the wreck of the Titanic. I suspect he saw more than he wanted to. Tom never smiled when he talked about this accomplishment. When he dives on the ship, it is from a plush interactive chair that allows him to drive ROV, Remote Operated Vehicle. With no preceived movement except for eyes looking at different cameras, heat sensors and sonor he manuvers robatic manipulator arms to provide emmergency intervention on BOP manual override valves. We on the ship, prefer that this never happens, but they are their for insurance.

Both Tom and I were on a 28 day rotational schedule of 28 on and 28 off. We often fished after our 12 hour work day. Tom had the unique distinction of catcing a 530 lb Yellow Fin Tuna that took all six Oceaneering crew members over four hours to land on the deck. Tom helped me maintain a 55G marine tank on this dynamic positioned drill ship and he shared diving stories with me. While diving in Tampa Bay he was privliged to see a migration of thousands of large bay scallops hopping across the bottom of the bay. It was evident from his unrestrained joy, that it had impressed him. Tom died helping others to safety when the Transocean rig sunk at the BP oil spill. He was an officier and a gentleman in my book. While drinking Irish Wiskey last night, I saluted his memory..

Patrick