If you seek an indication that something is terribly wrong with science look no further. In 2012 brave citizen of Miami Cory Boehne noted that just south of the Port of Miami ship channel, less than two miles from downtown Miami Beach in 30′ of water, was the unmistakable signature of a cosmic collision: A multi-ringed impact complex crater with a central peak.
Impact Crater_1
© NOAA
Cool. At best it is an easily accessible opportunity for complex crater research. So much easier than Greenland or the Moon.

Or, at worst, a chance to demonstrate geological forces other than impact are crafty, and conspire to produce "pseudo-craters" in order to fool pajama scientists like the Tusk.

So what do you think was the response from the scientific "community" to these compelling images? Crickets. Not a word.

Despite what appears to be a sincere attempt to bring some attention to the amazing find, and another wonderful effort by astronomer Charles P.T. O'Dale, as far as I can tell, the community of academic and research scientists in Florida and elsewhere could not get up the gas money to take a boat out there.

See if you can find a single published paper.

Yet again we learn the lesson: The closer the subject hits to home, the more verboten it becomes.

But in this case, given the accessibility of the suspected crater, the Tusk itself may take on the job. My nephew tipped me off about this feature. Mr. William Howard owns a killer fish and dive charter service in Miami, which he works when he and his wife are not on long hours as hospital and EMS nurses.

William is an extraordinary guy for many reasons. But in this context his closeness to the crater is particularly cool. Ft Lauderdale Offshore is doing regular contract work right now for marine sensing company CMOR Mapping, an extraordinary company that needs more Tusk.

William Howard "mows the lawn" offshore with their equipment to collect precision marine elevation data.

So I figured at best William has direct access to and experience with the world's best commercial tools to characterize the potential crater (if we can find the money). Or at worst he can dive the damn thing and take a pic of the "central peak," and we can get to know the crater better with his marine systems.

Mrs. Tusk and I have already begun planning for an April visit to Miami with the kids. Should be interesting. Stay tuned...

MiamiCrater_1
© Google Earth
MiamiCrater_2
© Cosmic Tusk
MiamiCrater_3
© Cosmic Tusk
MiamiCrater_4
© Cosmic Tusk
MiamiCrater_5
© Cosmic Tusk