P-Subs members collaborate with CMU Institute for Great Lakes Research on Beaver Island

For the second consecutive year, engineers and submarine captains Alec Smyth from Virginia and Cliff Redus from Texas have brought their self-designed and constructed submersibles to Beaver Island. They teamed up with scientists from the Central Michigan University Institute for Great Lakes Research to conduct research in northern Lake Michigan.

Smyth, the founder of Innerspace Science, and Redus, are both active members of P-Subs, an international group of submersible owners. Alongside other P-Subs experts, they traveled to CMU Biological Station to perform scientific studies with IGLR researchers.

The goals of their expedition included:

• Measuring 13 water quality parameters at depths comparable to those measured by IGLR scientists from the surface using the Emerald Isle ferry, which services Beaver Island from Charlevoix.
• Obtaining a general description of the substrate and potential spawning habitats for cisco and lake whitefish along a six-mile transect from the transect line north to Garden and Hog Islands.

Dr. Don Uzarski, director of the CMU Institute for Great Lakes Research, joined the group during his vacation time to support the project. (View the full video here.)  

This collaboration highlights the dedication and passion of private submersible owners in contributing to scientific research and underscores the potential of private-public partnerships in advancing our understanding of aquatic ecosystems.