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Epipelagic

This surface layer is also called the sunlight zone and extends from the surface to 200 meters (660 feet). It is in this zone that most of the visible light exists. With that sunlight comes heat from sun, which is responsible for wide variations in temperature across this zone, both with the seasons and latitudes - sea surface temperatures range from as high as 97°F (36°C) in the Persian Gulf to 28°F (-2°C) near the North Pole.

Wind keeps this layer mixed and thus allows the sun's heat to be distributed vertically. The base of this mixing layer is the beginning of the transition layer called the thermocline.

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Seychelles 2024 (January 13th – February 11th)

OceanX commences the expedition year in the Seychelles, an African nation located in the southwestern Indian Ocean and comprised of over 155 islands. The waters surrounding the Seychelles are especially productive due to the Seychelles-Chagos Thermocline Ridge, a year-round upwelling area that brings nutrient-rich waters from the depths to the surface, attracting megafauna and sustaining a diverse array of marine life in the open ocean. Past research efforts have largely focused on the shallow and mesophotic ecosystems inner islands of the Seychelles Plateau. In contrast, the outer islands, consisting of coral atolls further into the Indian Ocean, remain understudied especially in the deep ocean.

Led by 12 Seychellois researchers from universities, government, and local non-profits, OceanX sets out to collect new datasets in the deep ocean of the outer islands and offer a deeper dive into the ecosystems of this region

Mission Highlights

1. Mapping 22,555 square kilometers of the Seychelles EEZ with OceanXplorer, including brand-new high resolution maps of Aldabra, Alphonse, Poivre, and St. Joeseph islands

2. Full shallow coverage around each location from 200 - 20meters yielding over 70 square kilometers of ultra-high resolution data

3. 24 CTD casts collecting water for: 206 samples of eDNA for biodiversity analysis

4. 125 Pelagic BRUV deploymentsto capture footage of shark, fish, and turtle species in open-ocean pelagic areas

5. 140 shallow BRUV deployments around the coastal areas of the islands to capture sharks, fish, turtles, and rays

6. 27 total submersible dives with Neptune and Nadir, the deepest of which were 1000meters to conduct habitat surveys and collect footage for Media

7. Deepest ever manned-sub dive in the Seychelles, all Seychellois scientists making history as passengers

8. 27 ROV dives for standardized habitat transects from 1500m, 1000m, 750m, 500m, 250m, 120m and 60m

9. Deepest EVER dive in the Seychelles, and with our ROV, 4,600 meters in the Amirante Trench

10. Over 2,008 kilometers of aerial surveys with the helicopter team searching for megafauna, with sightings of Risso’s dolphins, manta, Brydes’ Whale, spotted and spinner dolphin, sharks and turtles.

11. 16 SCUBA dives for media and science for coral bleaching documentation, photogrammetry testing, and underwater photography.

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BRUVS Biodiversity Surveys

Researchers deployed BRUVs (Baited Remote Underwater Video) to observe marine species. Each BRUV is equipped with a camera and a a bait canister to lure animals in front of the video camera. BRUVs are useful instruments for capturing data on population and biomass. They also create minimal disruption to the environment, allowing researchers to capture natural behaviors.

Upon deployment, the BRUV’s attracted significant interest from the surrounding marine community. Blue sharks, turtles, hammerheads and more came to check out the camera systems at each location. This data will help conservation managers make informed decisions on fishery stocks and biomass estimates.

Megafauna Tracking

Seychellois researchers used the OceanXplorer helicopter to search for marine megafauna. In the Seychelles, the team encountered: Pilot whales, Brydes whales, eagle rays, dugongs, Rissos dolphins, spinner dolphins and bottlenose dolphins.

Aerial surveys consist of helicopter observers recording megafauna within a set boundary of ocean space. This allows researchers to calculate relative abundance and better identify scouted animals. Aerial surveys are also useful for comparing and contrasting species distribution in different areas. For example, an aerial survey near the coast may have different species than an aerial survey conducted in the open ocean.

Livestream From Aldabra Atoll

The OceanXplorer starts its mission in the Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its wealth of endemic species and marine biodiversity. Media and science teams worked around the clock to livestream to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland - 350m below the ocean surface.

From the depths, deep sea biologist and National Geographic explorer Dr. Diva Amon gave an impassioned talk on deep-sea conservation - highlighting the beauty of life in the deep and it's fragility.

How exactly did we transmit video and audio feeds from the deep to the surface? The surprising answer is light! Check out this video to watch how the team transformed our ROV into an optical modem for this innovative event.

The Incredible Story Behind a Live Stream From A Sub in the Deep | On Mission

Amirante Trench Deep Dive

For its final operation, the OceanX crew dove to the deepest location in the country: the Amirante Trench. This trench system drops down to a whopping 5,200m (~17,000ft) and has enigmatic geological origins with evidence suggesting the trench system is the end point of an ancient subduction zone dating back to the late Cretaceaous-Paleocene period.

OceanX crew piloted the ROV Chimaera down to a staggering 4,603m. This dive set a new record for the deepest ever dive in Seychelles waters. OceanX also encountered an array of fascinating sea creatures including an aggregation of Dumbo Octopus, juvenile cirrate octopus, and a tense encounter with a Dana Octopus Squid.

Encountering a Huge Bioluminescent Squid in the Seychelles

Rare Encounter with Dozens of Deep-Sea Octopuses

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