Amazing Dive - Part 3: Whale Skeleton

June 3rd @ 12:45pm – A short time later, we passed over a whale skeleton that was first noted in 2009. All that is left of what would’ve been a huge carcass is the vertebral column and part of the skull and jaw bones. We attempted to get a sample, but the bone has been completely chewed through by bone worms and is covered in spots by dense colonies of tube worms, so it was too fragile to bring back to the surface.

A ‘whale fall’ as these events are called, bring a bonanza of nutrients to the otherwise relatively barren seafloor, and can feed an entire ecosystem for years.

Stay tuned for Part 4…

Blog post and photos by Scott Doehler 
Marine Educator