Dive 19 of the 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones expedition took place on one of the prominent pinnacles of Retriever Seamount. Biologically, this was a dense, high-biomass, high-diversity coral garden site, broken only by small plateaus of sediment in places. Overall, 29 species of coral were observed directly during the dive, as well as numerous species of sponges, brittle stars, crinoids, anemones, hydroids, bryozoans, and several species of fish.
Retriever is one of four seamounts protected by the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, and based on the highly diverse and dense life encountered during the dive, this monument truly is a national treasure.
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Video courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2021 North Atlantic Stepping Stones: New England and Corner Rise Seamounts.