OET’s Top 10 WOW Moments of 2024
Take a look back at some of the biggest “WOW” moments of 2024 for Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) and the Corps of Exploration as we explored the sea and tested new technology across the Pacific Ocean. In 2024, we celebrated 15 years of ocean exploration, and you can join us with limited edition swag!
10. Bright Red Velvet Whalefish in Palau
Our Corps of Exploration spotted this bright red velvet whalefish (Barbourisia rufa) while exploring an unnamed ridge located roughly 30 nm southeast of Angaur, and just inside the boundaries of the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. This deep-sea fish is found around the world but especially in the Pacific Ocean. It’s named for its resemblance to a whale: small pectoral and pelvic fins, and dorsal and anal fins set far back. Scientists don’t know much about this benthic species but suspect they feed on crustaceans.
9. Meet the Huge “Sea Elephant” Heteropod in Palau’s Ocean
While diving on an Unnamed Seamount approximately 30 nm north of Tobi Island within the Palau National Marine Sanctuary, our Corps of Exploration came across something truly unique: a giant heteropod (aka Pterotracheoidea). This predatory gastropod has blue eyes and a “snout” like proboscis that allows it to suck up snails- giving it the nickname “sea elephant.” Can you spot its tiny shell on the bottom and the modified foot (visible as a dark-edged undulating fin) it uses to move? At more than 30 cm long (~11.5 inches) this animal is massive compared to it's coin-sized marine snail cousins. A totally pelagic creature, heteropods have evolved a transparent body lined with special organs (statotcysts) to help understand it's orientation in a world with no reference light above or seabed below.
8. Deep Sea Skate 360 at Endeavour Vent Field
While exploring the Endeavour High Rise vent field near the NEPTUNE Observatory with Ocean Networks Canada, our Corps of Exploration were WOWed by this gorgeous deep sea skate (Bathyraja genus). Enjoy a stunning 360 view of this species in the family Arhynchobatidae, and share in the wonder of our control van as it swims alongside ROV Hercules. Skates are closely related to sharks and rays, and this isn’t the first time they’ve been spotted near hydrothermal vents. Some species have even been known to create nurseries of eggs on active volcanos. Scientists speculate that the heated water provides incubation for the eggs (also known as “mermaid purses.”)
7. Stunning Biodiversity in Palau’s Deep Sea
The first look at the seafloor during the Lebuu’s Voyage expedition wowed witnessing the spectacular biodiversity in the Palau National Marine Sanctuary. Our Corps of Exploration dove ROV Hercules onto an unnamed seamount 45 nautical miles north of Velasco Reef. Hours before E/V Nautilus collected the first ever high-resolution map of this underwater mountain. This compilation video is just a peek into the wonderful world of the deep sea of Palau.
6. Super High Temperatures at Grotto Hydrothermal Vent
It’s a good thing our geologists like it hot because while measuring temperatures at the Grotto hydrothermal vent of the Main Endeavour Field during dive H2031, our probe recorded an incredibly high measurement of 332℃ or 629.6℉! During this #ONCabyss Summer 2024 expedition, OET and Ocean Networks Canada are performing maintenance and collecting data on this special deep sea environment, one of the most hostile on the planet. We install these BARS, or benthic and resistivity sensors, to record measurements like resistivity, temperature, hydrogen, and eH at these sites over time. Our scientists speculate these higher-than-expected temperatures may be a result of recent increased seismic activity in the region, recorded by ONC instruments in real-time beginning in March 2024.
5. Anemone Engulfs Isopod
During ROV Hercules’ exploration of Nafanua Cone on Vailuluʻu Seamount, we watched in real-time as an anemone made a meal of a nearby isopod. Both pink critters were living on the slopes of this active underwater volcano within the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa. Sea anemones are predators that use their tentacles covered with stinger cells (cnidocytes) containing barbs to catch prey like zooplankton, fish, worms, marine larvae, mussels, and (unfortunately for this crustacean) isopods. Witnessing predation events in the deep sea rarely happens but provides important data to better understand seafloor food chains.
4. First In-Situ Hydrothermal CO2 Measurements at Vailulu’u
During the NA165 E Mamana Ou Gataifale II expedition, we mapped the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Vailulu’u Seamount using WHOI’s Sensor for Aqueous Gases in the Environment (SAGE) on its first deployment to an underwater volcano. Using SAGE on both ROV Hercules and AUV Sentry, we gathered the first ever in-situ CO2 measurements from a deep sea hydrothermal system. This allowed us to create a more complete picture of the volcanic activity. SAGE was developed by Dr. Anna Michel and engineer Jason Kapit and overseen onboard E/V Nautilus during the expedition by Dr. Mary Burkitt-Gray.
3. Newly Described Tridentisis Coral Spotted on Tutuila Ridge
During one of our first dives of the E Mamana Ou Gataifale II NA165 expedition on Tutuila Ridge, the Corps of Exploration came across some pretty awesome deep sea invertebrates. First up is a fun assemblage featuring a venus fly trap anemone and crinoids on glass sponge. Not far from that is a healthy example of newly described genus of bamboo coral (Tridentisis) given the zoom treatment by our video engineers. This species Tridentisis candelabrum was just described in 2024 named for all its branches aligning in one plane like an Aquaman trident or massive candelabra! No previous seafloor exploration dives have been conducted on this unnamed ridge on the continental slope north of Tutuila Island, about 3 nm northwest of the National Park of American Samoa.
2. Giant Molas Spotted Deep Offshore American Samoa
During the E Mamana Ou Gataifale II expedition, OET’s Corps of Exploration had the exciting chance to witness a giant ocean sunfish! Cruising calmly past ROV Hercules at around 580 meters (1,900 feet) deep, the encounter occurred as the team was exploring a partially collapsed volcanic cone on Manuʻa Ridge between the islands of Taʻū and Olosega Islands in American Samoa. The onboard team of scientists speculates this could potentially be one of the deepest sightings captured on video. Then across the dive, the team had, not one, but two more visits with these unique pelagic planktivores! One of the largest bony fish in the ocean, sunfish adults can grow to weigh over 2,000kg. Expert Scientists Ashore later updated the animal identification from this dive to include both Mola alexandrini and Masturus lanceolatus in the Molidae family.
1. First Nautiloids Spotted from E/V Nautilus on Last Dive of Season
The last ROV Hercules dive of 2024 certainly was the grand finale of the season: our Corps of Exploration witnessed four Palau nautilus individuals (Nautilus belauensis) in Palau’s German Channel! These are the first sightings of nautiloids — the most primitive cephalopods — from E/V Nautilus after 1000+ ROV dives over the last 15 years of operations. This marine mollusk found in the Indo-Pacific is rarely photographed- let alone caught on video -and 2024’s expeditions represent the first of OET’s adventures within the nautilus’s expected distribution range. Similar to the vertical movements of submarines, nautiluses are known for moving up and down in the water column. The individuals from this expedition were spotted at depths between 220 to 375 meters during ROV dive H2085.
