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The Canadian Press

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ESQUIMALT, B.C. - Life beneath the sea is about to go live on the Internet, with the launch of the world's largest and most advanced underwater observatory off the coast of British Columbia.

The $100-million Neptune Canada project will give the world an unprecedented look at life beneath the ocean's surface.

Led by the University of Victoria, the project launched Friday in a ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, near Victoria, will provide 25 years of long-term monitoring of ocean events as they occur.

Three ships and at least one underwater robot-operated vehicle will be used to lower five 13-tonne module-like structures down to the sea floor off the west coast of Vancouver Island, near Port Alberni, where they'll be connected to 800 kilometres of fibre-optic cable winding its way over the sea floor.

Inside the modules are hundreds of observation instruments that will allow researchers around the world to use the ocean observatory to conduct deep-sea experiments and receive real-time data without leaving their laboratories and offices.

"At a time when our understanding of the oceans is clearly becoming more essential than ever, Neptune Canada will play a leadership role in advancing our knowledge of the oceans in ways not previously possible," Dr. David Turpin, university president, said in a statement.

At depths of up to 2.6 kilometres, the module-like nodes will supply power and two-way communications.

The Neptune Canada components and instruments are designed to withstand intense pressure and the cold and corrosive waters of the north Pacific.

The installation of the undersea nodes is expected to be complete by late September. Data is expected to start flowing later this year.