While the focus of Dive 03 of Windows to the Deep 2021 was water column exploration, we did spend a brief amount of time on the seafloor at 1,020 meters (3,346 feet) depth. The seafloor was entirely sand with areas of ripples. We collected two different species of sea pens in the order Pennatulacea, both of which are likely undescribed and thus new to science.
Collecting Sea Pen
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2021.
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While the focus of Dive 03 of Windows to the Deep 2021 was water column exploration, we did spend a brief amount of time on the seafloor at 1,020 meters (3,346 feet) depth. The seafloor was entirely sand with areas of ripples. We collected two different species of sea pens in the order Pennatulacea, both of which are likely undescribed and thus new to science.