I would like you all to think back to 2019, a time that seems so so loooong ago with all the changes that have occured around the world over the past 3 years.

In July of 2019 I was just completeing my first project – a dream I had been working on for over two years in my spare time when not leading expedition for national geographic.

My conscept was simple enough:

Ocean Science and the vital data it gathers if prohibitavely expensive, like $100,000 per day kinda expensive. With all the advances in technology in the past decade I thought  some of the science could be done with autonomous research vessels.

So I set out to build one for less than $25,000 and teach myself the necessary skills along the way.

Two years later and a lot of blood sweat tears and fibreglass, Osibot 1 – Mary was ready for her maiden launch.

I wanted to give her the best help I could in her attempt to circumnavigate the world, so I drove her south 2000km to a section of the east Australian coast were the preveiling current would push her far off shore.

I spent an entire day beside her on a small dingy as she navigated her way across the shipping channel and as she approached the edge of the continental shelf the sun began to set and I knew it was time.

I said a short prayer along the lines of “I have done everything I can, the rest is up to you – goodye mary – Have a safe trip”.

I turned my boat towards the distant shore and hammered the throttles crossing the bar right on dusk, my emotions churning the entire jouney home.

 

 

 

 

and after a brief brush with a fishing vessel