NEVER MIND THE IMAGINABLE HAZARDS
of establishing electrical connections underwater. Think about doing so when the water is rushing past at two feet per second and you can begin to appreciate the production that was the Nearshore Canyon Experiment (NCEX).

During fall 2003, NCEX scientists studied wave and other dynamics of the La Jolla coastline using instrument-filled buoys, aerial videography, and specialized watercraft to measure changes in the elevation of sand on the seafloor and the height of the water surface.

Few tasks in this project had the danger of Dennis Darnell's. The staff research associate was among the divers responsible for installing and servicing instrument packages mounted on tripods at Black's Beach, a location north of Scripps that has some of the strongest rip currents in the San Diego area. The instruments measured currents and water pressure, and their readings traveled electronically along electric cables buried in the sand that ran up to antenna stations located on the dry beach, then were transmitted back to Scripps. Installing this network meant hooking up cables to sensors and gauges in the midst of breaking waves and strong flows, creating an experience akin to being on the receiving end of a sandblasting.

"It's insane," said Darnell, who was a Navy diver before he came to Scripps. "It's sometimes easier to close your eyes and work with your hands because then you're not distracted waiting to see what you're doing."