Jennifer L. Boyd of Seabrook is an avid scuba diver and underwater explorer. In the following article, Jennifer Boyd discusses the unique treasures hidden beneath the waves, that may be surprising.
Man has sent rovers to Mars, taken photographs of distant galaxies, and has stepped on the moon, but we’re still unfamiliar with our own planet. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that more than 80% of the ocean still remains unexplored, which is interesting to consider since 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by the ocean.
How much of the ocean can one man freely explore? In 2014, 41-year-old Ahmed Gabr was propelled into the Guinness Book of World Records by diving to a depth of 1,090 feet (332m) in the Red Sea off the coast of Dahab, Egypt. To this day, Gabr still holds the world record for the deepest scuba dive.
Below, Jennifer Boyd of Seabrook examines the different sights Gabr would have seen if he dove to the same depth, in different locations.
Jennifer Boyd on the Discovery of a Literal Sea Treasure
In 1985, just 35 miles southwest of Key West, Florida, treasure hunter Mel Fisher discovered the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank in a hurricane in 1622 on its way back to Spain.
Jennifer Boyd of Seabrook reports that just 54 feet below the surface, Fisher found an estimated $1.1 billion in value, in a mix of gold, silver, and precious stones. It took Fisher 16 years to locate the ship’s main body, and some of the discovery is on display at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida.
However, the captain’s cabin, which is expected to house the most valuable pieces of treasure, is yet to be found.
The Twilight Zone of the Ocean
Jennifer Boyd of Seabrook says that the mental image of a coral reef is typically a colorful affair, where fish and other marine animals are swimming about in brightly-lit waters. However, deep underwater, from 130-725 feet, exists the mesophotic coral systems. From the Greek words mesos and phos meaning “middle” and “light” respectively, a mesophotic coral ecosystem is a habitat that barely has light to support photosynthesis.
Since mesophotic ecosystems haven’t been studied much over the years, not a lot is known about them and there are still a number of undiscovered species for an enterprising diver to name.
Fresh Water Buried at Sea
About 40 miles out from Martha’s Vineyard, an island south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, a team from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found the most unexpected kind of treasure at sea–buried rainwater. The reservoir is buried 330 feet beneath the seafloor, baffling scientists at how rainwater managed to find itself way out offshore.
Jennifer Boyd of Seabrook notes that though not as exciting as gold coins or precious stones, discovering a new source of freshwater can be much more valuable as the global population continues to rise. Estimated to hit 10 billion by 2100, the population’s demand for freshwater can stress the available supply, as only about 2.5% of surface water on Earth is fresh.
As climate change, pollution, and urbanization compromise existing freshwater supplies, scientists are racing to figure out if these offshore reservoirs exist elsewhere, and how to use them to supplement the available freshwater safely and sustainably.
The Tallest Mountain on Earth
Jennifer Boyd of Seabrook says that when asked what the tallest mountain on Earth is, the typical answer would be Mt. Everest at 29,030 feet at its summit. However, that recognition actually goes to Mauna Kea, an active volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. If put side-by-side, Mauna Kea would tower over Everest at 33,500 feet, though only 13,803 feet is above sea level, the rest being at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
Although Mauna Kea is more known for tours of its summit, there are also vibrant scenes underwater for interested scuba divers. However, keep in mind to do high-altitude activities first before scuba diving, as doing the inverse is dangerous.
The Deepest Point on Earth
Jennifer Boyd of Seabrook says, speaking of Mt. Everest, the ocean also has its own version–the Mariana Trench. Located near Guam in the western Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench’s deepest point–Challenger Deep–can accommodate the entirety of Mt. Everest, with a mile of underwater space to spare.
In fact, only three people have ever explored this part of the Earth: Jacques Piccard and Navy Lt. Don Walsh in 1960, and James Cameron in 2012.
While 7 miles is unfathomable even for Ahmed Gabr, who knows what could be waiting in the barely explored depths of the Mariana Trench.
