South Carolina Waters Expedition #1--Trident OpenROV Underwater Video On The Ashley River

After viewing the Trident OpenROV underwater video of our first exploratory practice expedition on the Ashley River, we were delightfully surprised to see it was more successful than we originally thought--the camera picks up what the eye does not.

With the wind, the current and the murky waters of the Ashley River, it was a real challenge for David Eslinger to maneuver the Trident into strategic positions for ideal images. Controlling the sensitive Trident takes a real knack and its smooth operation is an acquired skill that will only get better with experience.

We did learn the Ashley River bottom, especially around the docks in Bristol Marina, is quit barren and eerily foreboding--void of bright colors. There was no plant life to mention and the silty bottom is littered with abandoned shells and shiny objects.

The Ashley River's waters are thick with suspended particles catching a ride on the constantly moving current--to be expected of a tidal river where debris is constantly flowing in from Charleston Harbor and out from upstream runoff coming down from Dorchester. The hidden world beneath its shimmering surface is visibly cold-blooded in many ways--psychologically and metabolically, except for the occasional frolicking dolphin and rarely seen unhurried manatee.

Some of the more common species of fish that frequent these waters are the Atlantic croaker, southern flounder, striped mullet, red drum, spot fish and spotted seatrout. Although, we did not see any marine species around the docks, while cruising the river we did see some bottlenose dolphin.


Diabolically lurking in these waters is an menace of the microscopic kind, persistent organic pollutants. Previous Charleston studies found high levels of these pollutants in the areas visiting dolphins. Dolphins are considered a sentinel species for monitoring the health of the environment and signaling emerging public health issues.

The sunken sailboat, well, that was another story. Its mysteries for now remain hidden. Maybe, someday we will return when our skills have been honed more precisely to unlock its aging story.

South Carolina Waters Expedition--The Ashley River Baptism

Practice makes perfect was the calling of the day on the prestigious Ashley River just before it makes its entrance into Charleston's deep water harbor at White Point Gardens. It would be the maiden voyage for the expedition team's recently acquired Trident ROV into South Carolina waters. The main target of the preparatory National Geographic Open Explorer exploration into the rivers murky liquid was a casualty of a past hurricane, a solitary sunken sailboat. Launching point was Bristol Marina.

You couldn't ask for better weather for mid-January with temperatures in the sixties and considerable sunshine. We rendezvoused at Rick Olson's boat, the expedition team's home base, where we discussed objectives, strategies, and equipment. The Trident was unpacked and readied for a trial run around the marina's docks. Team leader Dave Eslinger discussed the ROV's features, controls, and video capabilities with the team members.

The Trident was then launched and we got a view of the marina's pluff mud bottom dotted by various abandoned sea shells. After the quick run, the equipment was loaded unto the Sea Hunt where team mascot, a Golden Doodle named Willow, waited patiently and the necessary safety checks were made.

Leaving the protective confines of the Bristol Marina behind, it wasn't long before we passed under the historic Ashley River drawbridges of Highway 17. We could hear the loud traffic overhead zipping past on their metal grating. The first, a one way span built in 1926, is known as the Ashley River Memorial Bridge--dedicated to the lost soldiers of World War I and one of four remaining bridges of its kind in South Carolina. The second, a bascule bridge built in 1961, was named after T. Allen Legare--a Charleston lawyer and senator. After slipping past the next bridge in line, the concrete span of the James Island Expressway, our target came into view.

Sitting in about twenty-seven feet of water at present--depth changes with tide--the solitary mast of the sunken sailboat rose out of the Ashley River across from the City Marina. Time was nearing the beginning of the high tide cycle. Our excitement was peaking in anticipation of getting some good underwater video and possibly marine life using the boat for cover.

The Ashley River was once an important water thoroughfare for upriver plantations Drayton Hall, Magnolia Gardens, Runnymede, and Middleton Place in Summerville--an upstream town recognized as an important summer refuge for plantation owners escaping the heat and mosquitoes of downstream Charleston. Their cash crops were indigo, cotton, and rice, with rice the most popular.

Navigating and anchoring the boat into an optimum position in the afternoon breeze and changing tide was a little tricky. We changed our proximity and deployment of the ROV several times throughout our exploratory practice. If anything, it was a golden opportunity for team leader Dave to hone his skills at controlling the feisty Trident. Needless to say, the restless tidal current kicked our butts and the demised sloop was a formidable opponent to tangle with in the murky waters, literally.

With our first mishap recorded in the log, including someone getting wet, we have something to look back on and enjoy a good laugh. Though it wasn't a perfect beginning and we weren't able to get any underwater video of the sailboat, we considered it a success. We learned some lessons, equipment was tested, and the Open Explorer ROV had its baptism into South Carolina waters. Enjoy the video as we share our first preparatory excursion we'll call The Ashley River Baptism.

South Carolina Waters Expedition--A Key Piece Of Grant Funded Equipment Has Arrived

Charleston is home to some of the busiest waters on the southern coast from the daily flow of massive ocean-going container ships to the hundreds of considerably smaller paddleboarders leisurely gliding in and around its estuaries and beaches. Add to this, a cruise ship will periodically slip into port with its load of vacationers hungry to soak in the city's harbor views and peninsula history. For sure, there is a lot to be experienced above water level, but silently overlooked is the abundance to be discovered and shared below its murky coastal waters, historically and ecologically.

Compared to clear water, murky water is characteristically home to an abundance of living organisms, including phytoplankton (a flora of freely floating minute organisms and a key part of oceans, seas and freshwater basin ecosystems) and zooplankton (jellyfish, crustaceans, and other ocean-wandering animals). Sediments also play a role. Along certain coasts, easily agitated finer particles like sand and silt will stay afloat for longer periods adding to the water's murkiness. On the other hand, the sediments off clearer coasts may be heavier and coarser. Instead of fine sand, these sediments are often made up of things like pieces of shells and chunks of dead coral, which are often tougher to stir up. Murky Bulls Bay of the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge contains the cleanest, richest waters in the world. Notably, Charleston's waters are also rich with the oozy, gooey, viscous substance locals fondly know as pluff mud.

This is the kind of environment the exploration team of the South Carolina Waters Expedition will be performing in as they explore Charleston's waters from salty coastal marshes up brackish tidal rivers for a glimpse of its sunken ships, flooded ghost towns, submerged relics, and unique marine inhabitants. To see in this type of ecosystem, the team will need some specialized equipment. This key piece of equipment to augment the team's visual capabilities has finally arrived--the OpenROV Trident.

Outfitted with a 1080p camera protected by a hardened sapphire lens, the Trident will provide the essential instrumentation for acquiring the fascinating videography the exploration team plans on sharing with its interested parties and followers. Specifically optimized for underwater filming, its great low-light performance and a wide viewing angle supported by advanced color correction algorithms will further allow the exploration team to observe Charleston's diverse aquatic life and collection of hidden underwater treasures in all its murky colors--ideal for exploring its nutrient rich estuaries and tidal rivers.

The Trident can be extended to include custom sensors or modules as add-ons which can be bolted to the payload area and interface with the main vehicle via WiFi. A phone or tablet can be used to control the drone and stream live HD video.

It will take some practice sessions to master Trident's highly tuned electronic speed controller with its rugged brushless motors capable of reaching speeds of up to 2 m/s for a quick descent as far as 300 feet or glide silently at slow speeds to carefully observe the murky and mysterious underwater environment it will be traversing.

Enjoy the expedition team's first video of team leader Dave Eslinger unboxing and showcasing some of the Trident's features, and stay tuned for upcoming videos of practice sessions as the team familiarizes themselves with its advanced autopilot features and fine tunes their operating skills.


The Expedition Team: Dave Eslinger, Rick Olson, Adam Stover, Paul Zoeller, Brad Mallett, and myself.