Australian Newbie stranded in Paradise (Bali)

[Geoff.Cranenburgh]

Hi,
I'm Geoff. Briefly I am a Maritime Archaeology student who came for a week in March to Bali. Then Covid hit and here I am. I am working on a self-funded project exploring shipwrecks around Bali. After a 53 meter dive I decided that there was a better way to explore and survey wrecks. That journey brought me to the world of ROVs. I have always thought that ROVs were for big budget treasure hunters when so much was at stake. That is, until I researched a bit more. That led me to the humble Sea Perch. Simple though it may be, it opened up a whole new world which shows, thanks to this forum, that it is possible to build effective ROVs for much less than those that are commercially available.
Honored to be here.

[Oddmar]

Are you stuck in Bali because Australia won't let you back in? How is Bali handling the extension of tourist visas?

When you say "self-funded", are you diving for pleasure or surveying wrecks for a local interest?

Sounds like a great place to get stuck...lol. Wish i were there. Not looking forward to 4 months of winter. 51 years old and my body isn't handling the cold weather like it used to...it's only 31*F outside and i'm already feeling chilled to the bone this past week. What will i feel like in February when it gets down to minus 5*F? Yuck.

I'd love to go to a tropical paradise, gather enough plastic 55-gallon drums to make a cabin pontoon boat, and construct an ROV. I could probably smuggle the hardest-to-find electronics and fittings in my luggage...lol.

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[asesorplaza1]

Well-come to the forum from Spain
I guess it's a difficult situation, being away from your country and not being able to come back under the circumstances.
Here in the forum you will find many ways to make an ROV, surely there is one that suits your needs, or you can collect ideas to be able to make your own.
How are you prepared in electronics and programming?, I guess through the University you can get some help for your project.

There's a neighbor of yours who's worth studying or at least reading, I'll leave you the link.

http://www.techmonkeybusiness.com/tag/rov.html

Greetings.

[fryslan76]

I vistited Bali during my honeymoon a few year back, better place to be stuck than some of the island around here. Enjoy the diving and ROV building. During my only dive day there to much current to visit manta point

[pabbott]

Hi from Adelaide. I'm in the process of designing and building my own ROV. Did you manage to build/buy your own?

Paul