Marine Megatropolis: Stewardship Alternatives Other-Than-Oil For the Offshore Oil Platforms

March 29, 2018, at the Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and Santa Barbara Public Library hosted Marine Megatropolis: Stewardship & Alternatives, Other-Than-Oil for the Offshore Platforms. The program was shared with a standing room only crowd and kicked off the Earth Day 2018 series for the Santa Barbara Public Library. The program coincided with Marine Megatropolis (1974-1981) Photography by Bob Evans exhibited at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum November 16-2017 through May 18, 2018. 

Marine Megatropolis with Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

Posted by Santa Barbara Public Library on Thursday, March 29, 2018

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Photo of Bob Evans by Bev Morgan

Keynote Speaker: Santa Barbara Underwater Photographer Bob Evans, who from 1974-1981 was given carte blanche access to photo-document this ecosystem as it developed. Also included in your photo tour are aquaculture programs, abalone and scallop habitats hanging below Platforms Holly, Hope and “B”. These may have been the first alternative uses of offshore oil platforms.

Be inspired to imagine new opportunities for ocean adventure and exploration:

  • An open water surf park operating from Platform Holly, generating electricity using waves or currents.
  • A crystal clear, open water elevator shuttling tourists from the top of platform to its seafloor bottom.
  • Bring your own ideas. Ask our panel of experts.

The program concluded with our panel of experts joining Bob Evans to answer questions:

Milton Love, Ph.D., Research Biologist at the UCSB Marine Science Institute, who for the past 22 years has carried out surveys of the fish and invertebrate populations living on offshore oil platforms and natural reefs throughout the southern California Bight.
Holly Lohuis, Ocean Futures Society, who along with Jean Michel Cousteau has dove into every ocean of the world.
Marc McGinnes, environmental activist and pioneer, founding member of the Community Environmental Council, Environmental Defense Center and the Environmental Studies Program at UCSB.

Attendees received a ticket for free admission to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum, where Marine Megatropolis (1974-1981) Photos by Bob Evans was on Exhibit through May 19, 2018.  Refreshments provided by Kay Bowman Catering were served.

The mission of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum is to preserve and celebrate the maritime heritage of the California Coast and present it to the public in an interesting and exciting way.