Underwater Safari- October 1992

In October of 1992, the diving students of Pearson College were able to help with the underwater filming for the Canadian Underwater Safari production. This series of 24 one hour television programs was broadcast live to schools and museum audiences across Canada and the US on the Anik E2 Satellite. Since that time the programs have been broadcast across the world. We have made available at this location some of the unique underwater footage which was taken by the photographer Darryl Bainbridge. The project was an experiment in using technology along with many volunteer hours to help to bring the fragile ecology of this unique area to the world. Our thanks to B.C.Parks for the intial funding to launch the production. The Royal B.C. Museum and its staff , Shaw Cable, BC Systems, BC Tel and many volunteers who provided assistance with this project.

 This video is of Pearson College student Jason Reid ( PC yr. 18) discovering a wolf eel Anarrhichthys ocellatus while the program was broadcasting live. Cameraman Darryl Bainbridge followed the huge fish for some time and caught it feeding on a green sea urchin.

OTHER REFERENCES TO THIS PROGRAM ARE IN THESE POSTS: 

 https://www.racerocks.ca/tag/underwater-safari/

Living on a shelf off the North side of Great Rocks is a Wolf Eel often seen by divers. This very gentle fish cooperated with us for one session allowing some very interesting poses. On this dive, Jason Reid (LBPC year 18) encounters the wolf eel

 

The fish shows patience while looking for its favourite food

Jason offers the wolf eel a green urchin

as it eats, clouds of urchin roe puff out of he urchin

Swimming away with his “catch”

A harbour seal was inquisitive with the divers

A gentle nose to nose with a diver

 

There was a video published by the Friends of the Royal British Columbia Museum and authored by Brent Cooke and Roger  Frampton on the Underwater Safari program: the following gives information on it.

https://www.worldcat.org/title/canadian-underwater-safari/oclc/41934389#borrow

Canadian Underwater Safari. RBC Museum

From: https://www.worldcat.org/title/canadian-underwater-safari/oclc/41934389

Canadian underwater safari.

Abstract:

Educational program examining marine animals at Race Rocks, an ecological reserve off the west coast of Victoria, British Columbia.
Author: Brent CookeRoger FramptonFriends of the Royal British Columbia Museum.Royal British Columbia Museum.
Publisher: Victoria, B.C. : The Friends of the Royal British Columbia Museum, ©1992.
Edition/Format:   VHS video : VHS tape   Visual material   Archival Material : English
Summary:
Educational program examining marine animals at Race Rocks, an ecological reserve off the west coast of Victoria, British Columbia.
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Subjects

FROM the Royal British Columbia Museum Report • Canadian Underwater Safari consisted of 24 live television shows giving
students and the public an opportunity to see marine biologists at work
and to question them about science. Programs were broadcast across
Canada, the USA and 56 other countries. This was the first time any
museum has broadcast a program live to any other cultural institution.
Fiber-optic links allowed for two-way audio and visual communication in
British Columbia The viewing audience was estimated to be 500,000. More
than 5,000 children participated in the Newcombe Theatre portion of the
broadcast. The budget of $173,967 was raised outside the Museum. This
co-operative project involved the Institute of Ocean Sciences, Victoria Real
Estate Board, Orcatron Manufacturing Ltd, Shaw Cable, Aqualung Canada, ·
RSI Research, Rogers Cable, B.C. Tel, B.C. Systems Corporation, Ministry of
Advanced Education, Training and Technology, Ministry of Education,
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Ministry of Tourism and
Ministry Responsible for Culture, Canada 125 Corporation, the Ontario
Science Centre, Science Alberta Foundation, and the New England Science

Diving with a Wolf Eel at Race Rocks

In October of 1992, Lester Pearson College with the collaboration of the Royal BC Museum, and many volunteer organizations in the Victoria community helped to operate the week-long live TV program, ” Underwater Safari.” This video is of Pearson College student Jason Reid ( PC yr. 18) discovering a wolf eel Anarrhichthys ocellatus while the program was broadcasting live. Cameraman Darryl Bainbridge followed the huge fish for some time and caught it feeding on a green sea urchin.