The hidden deep‑sea world just off Big Sur | Exploring Sur Ridge

Dive into an offshore oasis—without leaving shore. Just 35 kilometers (22 miles) west of Big Sur, California, MBARI’s underwater robots reveal the hidden wonders of Sur Ridge, a seamount teeming with life.

MBARI technology is visualizing our planet’s hidden underwater landscapes. We invite you to relax, explore, and connect to the deep sea—one of Earth’s living treasures.


Animals in order of appearance:
Note: The red dots in some clips are measurement lasers. The horizontal dots measure 29–30 centimeters (11.4 inches), and the vertical dots measure 2.5 centimeters (0.95 inches)

0:00 Bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) | 838 meters (2,749 ft.)
0:21 Shortspine thornyhead (Sebastolobus alascanus) | 970 meters (3,182 ft.)
0:29 Sponge garden (Farrea sp., Staurocalyptus sp.) with king crabs (family Lithodidae) | 1,206 meters (3,957 ft.)
0:37 Pom‑pom anemone (Liponema brevicorne) with king crabs (family Lithodidae) | 912 meters (2,992 ft.)
0:49 Warty deep‑sea octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) | 1,477 meters (4,846 ft.)
1:02 Roughtail skate (Bathyraja trachura) and filamented rattail fish (Coryphaenoides filifer) with pink bamboo coral (Keratoisis sp.) and MBARI’s Deep Coral Cam | 1,253 meters (4,111 ft.)
1:24 Balloon tunicate (Culeolus barryi) | 1,210 meters (3,970 ft.)
1:38 Rosy nudibranch (Tritonia tetraquetra) | 1,099 meters (3,606 ft.)
1:56 Arbiter snailfish (Careproctus kamikawai) inside fingered goblet sponge (Heterochone calyx) | 1,115 meters (3,658 ft.)
2:07 Shaggy bamboo coral and pink bamboo coral (Isidella tentaculum, Keratoisis sp.) | 1,199 meters (3,934 ft.)
2:20 Light bulb sponge (Sclerothamnopsis compressa) | 906 meters (2,972 ft.)
2:32 Two‑line eelpout (Bothrocara brunneum) | 1,240 meters (4,068 ft.)
2:38 Squat lobster (Munida quadrispina) | 841 meters (2,759 ft.)
2:43 Coral community (Isidella tentaculum, family Paragorgidae, Keratoisis sp.) | 892 meters (2,927 ft.)
2:56 Blob sculpin (Psychrolutes phrictus) | 1,473 meters (4,833 ft.)
3:04 Armored sea cucumber and grooved tanner crab (Psolus squamatus, Chionoecetes tanneri) | 1,097 meters (3,599 ft.)
3:13 Bubblegum coral and fingered goblet sponge (Paragorgia arborea, Heterochone calyx) | 1,010 meters (3,314 ft.)
3:19 Flytrap anemone (Actinoscyphia sp.) | 1,920 meters (6,299 ft.)
3:31 Sponge community (Farrea sp., Staurocalyptus sp.) with bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) and king crabs (family Lithodidae) | 1,206 meters (3,957 ft.)
3:55 Shortspine king crab (Paralomis multispina) | 1,199 meters (3,934 ft.)
4:07 Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) | 1,253 meters (4,111 ft.)
4:21 Sponge community (Heterochone calyx, Staurocalyptus sp., family Hexactinellidae) | 840 meters (2,756 ft.)
4:39 Scarlet king crab and bubblegum coral (Lithodes couesi, Paragorgia arborea) | 900 meters (2,953 ft.)
4:49 Slime star and bamboo corals (Pteraster sp., family Keratoisididae) | 840 meters (2,756 ft.)
4:55 White ruffled sponge (Farrea sp.) | 1,195 meters (3,921 ft.)
5:07 Pink bamboo coral and spiny star (Keratoisis sp., Hippasteria sp.) | 1,286 meters (4,219 ft.)
5:19 Hagfish (Eptatretus sp.) | 837 meters (2,746 ft.)
5:31 Long‑armed crab on pink bamboo coral (Sternostylus iaspis, Keratoisis sp.) | 1,039 meters (3,409 ft.)
5:39 Warty deep‑sea octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) | 1,254 meters (4,114 ft.)
6:01 Bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) | 863 meters (2,831 ft.)
6:16 Thornyhead and sea anemone (Sebastolobus sp., order Actiniaria) | 1,245 meters (4,085 ft.)
6:22 Scarlet king crab and branched tree coral (Lithodes couesi, Parastenella sp.) | 915 meters (3,002 ft.)
6:32 Glowing sea cucumber (Pannychia moseleyi) | 836 meters (2,743 ft.)
6:39 Shaggy bamboo coral (Isidella tentaculum) | 1,161 meters (3,809 ft.)
6:56 Blacktail snailfish and grooved tanner crab (Careproctus melanurus, Chionoecetes tanneri) | 902 meters (2,959 ft.)
7:08 Sponge community (Farrea sp., Staurocalyptus sp.) with bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) and king crabs (family Lithodidae) | 1,195 meters (3,921 ft.)
7:20 Bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea) | 838 meters (2,749 ft.)
7:32 Ribbonfish (Trachipterus sp.) | 548 meters (1,798 ft.)
7:49 Dinner‑plate jelly (Solmissus sp.) | 815 meters (2,674 ft.)
7:56 Rabbit‑eared comb jelly (Kiyohimea usagi) | 521 meters (1,709 ft.)
8:07 Red steamed bun jelly (Periphyllopsis sp.) | 929 meters (3,048 ft.)
8:14 Christmas tree siphonophore (Forskalia sp.) | 437 meters (1,434 ft.)
8:25 Cupcake jelly (Pantachogon haeckeli) | 867 meters (2,844 ft.)
8:37 Dollar hatchetfish (Sternoptyx sp.) | 586 meters (1,923 ft.)
8:53 Midwater octopus (Japetella diaphana) | 639 meters (2,096 ft.)
9:03 Big red jelly (Tiburonia granrojo) | 881 meters (2,890 ft.)
9:22 Bristlemouth (Cyclothone sp.) | 559 meters (1,834 ft.)
9:33 Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) | 723 meters (2,372 ft.)