Photo Imaging Diana Nyad
On her fourth attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida, Diana Nyad is pulling out the stops. On her support team, there are four jellyfish imaging specialists from the world-renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Massachusetts. “We have a variety of visible and invisible photographic imaging equipment that can detect jellyfish in the water,” explained Mike McCartney.
The four-person team (Adam Sarafian, Mathhew Weeks, Lily Bieber-Ham, and McCarthey) will be positioned in a boat that runs ahead of Nyad. The quartet will be particularly attentive during the dusk to dawn hours when Nyad has previously encountered the venomous creatures.
The high-tech imaging system is a form of an early detection system. If the team identifies jellyfish as the lead boat, Nyad’s escort boat is alerted. Nyad can swim around the jellyfish bloom or somehow otherwise avoid the jellyfish, her greatest bane in the Florida Straits.
Nyad will also utilize the services of Luke Tipple as head of her shark diving team. Both teams (the jellyfish detection team from Woods Hole and the 5-person shark team from Key West, Florida) will be communicating and coordinating throughout her swim among the 5-boat flotilla.
Photo by Christi Barli. Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff.
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