1. Home
  2. Multimedia
  3. Image of the Day
  4. July 10, 2021

July 10, 2021: Barnacles

Several large barnacles were observed living on a sponge stalk during an Océano Profundo 2018: Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands expedition dive to explore the deepest portions of the Buck Island Reef National Monument and surrounding waters located approximately four miles north of St. Croix.

Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Download larger version (jpg, 835 KB).

Several large barnacles were observed living on a sponge stalk during an Océano Profundo 2018: Exploring Deep-sea Habitats off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands expedition dive to explore the deepest portions of the Buck Island Reef National Monument and surrounding waters located approximately four miles north of St. Croix. During the dive, which took place at depths between 1,600-1,800 meters (5,250-5,905 feet), scientists recorded a wide variety of deep-sea organisms, including fishes, corals, sponges, and other invertebrates. This was a special dive, as it explored the deepest areas ever surveyed inside the Monument and was also the deepest dive ever conducted within a conservation area managed by the U.S. National Park Service.

Learn more about the significance of this “Monumental Dive – Deep-sea Exploration in the Buck Island Reef National Monument.”