UTILIZATION OF PORPOISES 409 



CONCLUSIONS 



A porpoise can be trained to perform useful and even vital tasks in man-in-the-sea pro- 

 grams such as Sealab. It can adapt relatively quickly to a strange and in many ways disturbing 

 environment, and once trained will perform with a high degree of precision and reliability. 



The potential value of a porpoise (or other deep-diving marine mammal) will increase as 

 future Sealabs are located at greater and greater depths. All of the various ways in which 

 trained marine mammals can contribute to the Sealab program have not been determined; it 

 is anticipated that further investigations will be conducted in future man-in-the-sea tests. 



The wild sea lions that on several occasions reportedly surfaced in the well of Sealab n 

 and respired there during the third team's stay demonstrated that these pinnipeds, at least 

 could breath the compressed atmosphere and rise to the surface without injury. It remains to 

 be determined whether a cetacean can do this, at least without special training. However, a 

 capability for making small-package deliveries to and from the interior of a Sealab would vastly 

 increase an animal's value, since this would eliminate the necessity for two aquanauts to don 

 suits and scuba gear and go outside for any transfer of small equipment or materials between 

 surface and Sealab. It would also greatly speed such transfer, a factor of potentially vital im- 

 portance in an emergency situation. 



RECOMMENDATIONS 



Porpoise and/or pinniped personnel should become an integral part of the Sealab program. 

 Additional work functions should be investigated and tested in follow-on-at-sea tests. 



APPENDIX A 

 PRACTICE DIVES NEAR SEALAB H SITE 



14 Sep 65 - Depth 110 feet . 



Morning Session 

 Dive No . Time Remarks 



1 I'OO" Line transfer between divers 



2 1'15" Tool delivery & line transfer* 



3 Not recorded Tool delivery & line transfer 



4 1'14" Tool delivery & line transfer 



5 1'17" Tool delivery & line transfer 



6 I'lO" Tool delivery t 



7 45" Tool delivery, surface to first diver only 



Afternoon Session 



Line transfer 



Tool delivery & line transfer 



Tool delivery & line transfer 



Tool delivery 



Tool delivery 



*In most instances this entry refers to tool or message capsule delivery from surface to first 

 diver, line transfer from first to second diver, and tool or capsule delivery from second diver 

 to surface. 



tin most instances, Tool Delivery refers to delivery from surface to first diver, from first to 

 second diver, and from second diver to surface. At each station the tool or capsule was de- 

 tached and another attached. 



