Highlights: 00:31:43 Octopus - Graneledone ?

Predominantly soft sediment, pronounced bioturbation with deep burrows and troughs throughout. Sediment appears to be carbonate with mud overlay. Small carbonate outcrops occasionally throughout dive. Most abundant fauna are small sea pens, cerianthid anemones, Stichopathes, Radicipies gracilis, eels and the echinoid Phormosoma placenta (more abundant towards 2nd half of dive). Occasionally Phelliactis hertwigii, Leiopathes sp., Actinernus sp., grenadiers and Lepidion eques are seen. One large ray and Graneledone verrucosa octopus observed. Heavy marine snow at this site causing poor visibility at stages. A large pod of pilot whales is observed at the surface.

START VIDEO [00:00:00]/14:18. Marine snow present throughout the entire dive. [1] Muddy sediment/carbonate boulders on steep uphill/vertical wall. [00:02:00] Blue water. [00:12:00] ROV causes mud cloud, it tries to escape it and swim upwards and then down to the bottom again. [00:24:00] [2] Carbonate boulders. Stichopathes sp. and Ophiomusa lymani are frequent. [00:26:00] [3] Muddy steep hill. [00:29:00] [4] Stichopathes sp. dominant, Paramuricea sp. frequently encountered on carbonate mounds. Escarpment. Carbonate bedrock/mound. [00:30:00] Vision obscured. ROV escapes mud cloud. Vision back to normal. [00:31:00] [5] Muddy steep sediment. Ophiomusa lymani is frequent. [00:31:00] ROV stops for imagery of Graneledone verrucosa OTU973. [01:35:00] Vision obscured. Poor visibility until [02:00:00] [6] ROV is climbing a steep muddy hill (nearly vertical). Sparse epifauna, with frequent encounters of Phormosoma placenta OTU555. [02:04:00] Large boulder with encrusted sponges. [02:05:00] ROV stops for imagery. [02:07:00] ROV samples 2 x pushcore. END VIDEO [02:13:00]/16:31.