If you have any questions as to the nature of the installed infrastructure, or its potential impact on your boating and shipping activity, please do not hesitate to contact VENUS.
VENUS coastal network, part of the Ocean Networks Canada Observatory, is a research project to cable and instrument the coastal waters of BC in order to monitor, study, and better understand our coastal marine environment. The on-site infrastructure consists of a shore station, an armoured submarine cable, an observatory node, and connected observatory instrument systems. The shore station provides high voltage DC current to the node and instruments via a copper conductor, and Ethernet communications via optic fibres, both housed in an armoured marine telecommunications rated cable. The node and instrument systems are large multi-ton platforms, housing pressure cans and delicate scientific instruments. The cable corridor and instrument study area have been cordoned off for network use though regulatory permits. We appreciate your cooperation in avoiding this area. Although most gear is mounted on the bottom, there are plans to have mid-water column moorings connected to the network in the deeper reaches of the study area (red circle).
Notice to Mariners
The latest Notice to Mariners for our fixed marine assets is also available for download in PDF file format.
Locations and Positions as of May 7, 2013
The diagrams to the left shows the approximate location and cables for each of the deployed instrument systems. For exact locations of each network component, please see the tables below. The approximate cable route is marked on the latest CHS charts. If you have concerns or anticipate that the installation, maintenance, or the infrastructure (Node, Cable, Instruments) will impact your operations, please do not hesitate to contact the Project Manager, Adrian Round, or the Associate Director – Research, Richard Dewey.
Saanich Inlet Array
| Name | Latitude | Longitude | Depth [m] | Notice | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Area | 48° 39.184’ N (NW)
48° 39.184’ N (NE) 48° 38.967’ N (SE) |
123° 29.350’ W (NW)
123° 29.017’ W (NE) 123° 29.350’ W (SW) |
100 – 92m | Chart 3441 | The VENUS Permit identifies a 400m square study area around the Node for instruments and experiments. Instruments connected to the Node by large cables extend in various directions like spokes of a wheel. |
| Node | 48° 39.0540’ N | 123° 29.2027’ W | 100m | This is the large (1000kg), black, trawl resistant power and communications hub, into which instrument systems are plugged. There are likely to be many cables leading to/from this Node. | |
| Anode | 48° 39.08’ N | 123° 27.07’ W | 5m | The Sea-water return Anode is located along the main cable route, 100m south of the mid-point of the IOS breakwater. | |
|
VIP |
48° 39.0759’ N | 123° 29.1921’ W | 96m | This is a large (3m) white frame (850 kg) supporting numerous oceanographic instruments, including several CTDs, an ADCP (300kHz), and an upward looking sonar (200kHz). An orange oil-filled hose runs from here to the Node. | |
| HD Pig Platform | 48° 39.084’ N | 123° 29.232’ W | 92m | This is a large (2m) white frame (850 kg) supporting several oceanographic instruments inluding a CTD and a Web Camera. | |
| CMap MicroSquid | 48° 39.0543’ N | 123° 29.2442’ W | 100m | Large (4m) white frame | |
| Autonomous Mooring | 48° 41.30’ N | 123° 30.02’ W | 90m | P0508 | Small Aluminum frame |
OTTB
| Name | Latitude | Longitude | Depth [m] |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTTB | 48° 38.950’ N | 123° 28.545’ W | 95m |
| Clump Weight at Buoy | 48° 38.956’ N | 123° 28.589’ W | |
| Turn around Point | 48° 39.022’ N | 123° 29.136’ W | |
| Mid Span Connection | 48° 39.041’ N | 123° 29.020 W |
Strait of Georgia Array
| Name | Latitude | Longitude | Depth [m] | Notice | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Node | 49° 2.422’ N | 123° 25.5477’ W | 300m | Chart 3463 | Large (2000kg), orange and black frame |
| VIP Central | 49° 2.422’ N | 123° 25.5642’ W | 300m | Large (3m) white steel frame | |
| BBL Experiment | 49° 2.4047’ N | 123° 25.5904’ W | 300m | Small (2m) white steel frame | |
| East Node | 49° 2.5701’ N | 123° 19.0359’ W | 170m | Chart 3463 | Large orange and black frame. |
| VIP East | 49° 2.5567’ N | 123° 19.0313’ W | 170m | Large (3m) white steel frame | |
| Hydrophone East |
49° 2.6’ N | 123° 19.04’ W | 170m | Large (3m) yellow steel frame | |
| East-ONCCEE Array | 49° 2.5689’ N | 123° 19.0710’ W | 170m | Tall (3.5m) steel frame | |
|
Delta Dynamics Laboratory |
49° 4.843’ N | 123° 20.4037’ W | 150m |
Small (2m) white tripod |
|
| Delta Dynamics Laboratory VIP | 49° 5.0989’ N | 123° 19.7917’ W | 110m | Chart 3463 | Small (2m) white tripod |
| DDL-ONCCEE Array | 49 4.8575’ N | 123 20.4201’ W | 150m | Tall (3.5m) steel frame | |
| DDL-SLIP | 49 4.8528’ N | 123.20.4391’ W | 150m | Small (2m) yellow frame |
