Nitrox SCUBA Compressor

As another busy summer draws to a close, the Aquarium is already jump starting
plans for the future. One of the key areas of growth that we identified in our
strategic plan is the opportunity to expand our recognition as an authority on
marine conservation in the Pacific Northwest. We have already begun to advance
in this area, as we build on and develop new partnerships in the name of the
ocean and its inhabitants.

Not surprisingly, these collaborative efforts often take us underwater. In addition
to the diving our staff and volunteers do for animal care and habitat maintenance,
conservation projects are increasingly taking our divers out of Aquarium exhibits
and into the ocean and estuaries. Whether we are conducting rockfish population
surveys for Oregon’s marine reserves or identifying cases of sea star wasting
disease, it is our responsibility to ensure that divers are working in safe conditions.

The Aquarium has identified the need for a new Nitrox SCUBA compressor.
This machine is a unique air compressor that fills SCUBA cylinders with a high
proportion of oxygen, which allows for longer and safer dives with shorter
intervals in between. Jenna Walker, our Dive Safety Officer, emphasized that
“the compressor would significantly enhance the Aquarium’s capacity to conduct
ocean conservation work in the field and keep our divers safe while doing so.”

With this letter, we respectfully ask you to donate towards the $58,000 required
to purchase the compressor. We recognize that your membership demonstrates your
support of the Aquarium’s mission, and it also unites us as a larger community
supporting ocean conservation.
Thank you for helping us continue the mission that we began 25 years ago!

With gratitude,

Carrie E. Lewis
President / CEO