THE WRECK AND THE JELLYFISH

In June 2002 Frazier Nivens chronicled the deployment of the largest ship ever intentionally sunk to become an artificial reef. After a long, drawn out effort by many dedicated groups and individuals, the mammoth 510-foot, former U.S. Navy transport Spiegel Grove finally settled on a barren seafloor in 150 feet of water just outside the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo, Florida. Over the years the State of Florida has put down an assortment of vessels to create additional refuge for marine life, but none ever as massive as the Spiegel Grove. In just a few weeks volunteer divers from the Reef Environmental Education Foundation documented more than 100 species of fishes inhabiting the new wreck site.

At a nearby coral reef, known as the Elbow, Nivens recorded a natural fish attractor at work - a magnificent lion's mane jellyfish. The stinging tentacles of the gelatinous nomad provide safe haven from hungry mouths for a diverse community of tiny open water fishes.
 

Frazier Nivens shot his first underwater video with a crude homemade Plexiglas housing and a huge full size VHS video camera in 1984 at Rum Cay in the Bahamas. Later he started the Nassau Scuba Centre, which he developed into a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center and one of the country's finest scuba businesses. Today, he remains an active PADI Course Director living in Key Largo, Florida where he runs Ocean Imaging Videography.

Over the years Frazier has worked on many underwater productions for ABC, BBC, Grenada TV, Marquee Film Company, and the Discovery Channel. In 1997 he was awarded an Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Ocean Imaging Videography
   

BACK TO CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS

 CONTACT US  

HOME | ABOUT THE DVD | PRODUCER'S NOTE | TRAILER | HOW TO ORDER | CONTRIBUTORS & CREDITS | THE SEQUEL | SITE MAP