Exploring the Slope of Vailulu’u Seamount | Nautilus Live

While many dives during the E Mamana Ou Gataifale II expedition (NA165) explored the hydrothermally active caldera of Vailulu’u Seamount, our Corps of Exploration set our sights on understanding more about the entire underwater mountain. The team in two dives explored the deeper slopes of Vailulu’u, from 1500m to the caldera rim above 600m, for the first time since 2005. From sea cucumbers to sponges and corals to crustaceans, the dive provided chances to see a wide variety of wildlife, including anglerfish like the fan-favorite Chaunacops spp. and impressively-patterned juvenile batfish “rock climbing” a volcanic talus slope. This seamount provides the unique opportunity to study a volcano in it’s early life, estimated to have been erupting only over the last 300,000 years. Check out the winding lava formations like the volcano pillar left behind as fresh lava erupted into cooling fractures in the slope! Along the ascent, the team also discovered a new hydrothermal vent gurgling shimmering wa