Diving explorations and studies Bowie Seamount

eastern flank of bowie seamount

in august 1969, canadian forces maritime command divers made more dives during scientific studies fisheries research board of canada. found dense shoals of rockfish floating on bowie s flat-topped summit , variety of bottom life. number of monochrome photographs taken , few seaweeds collected, no species record created other types of oceanic life around bowie seamount.

in november 1996, issue of national geographic magazine included article titled realm of seamount , describing dives made @ bowie seamount 2 explorers named bill curtsinger , eric hiner. explored slopes of bowie seamount using scuba diving equipment down 150 m (490 ft). photographs featured 1 of bowie s rugged peaks thickly covered seaweeds , colourful sea bottom invertebrates. shoals of young rockfish seen on bowie s steep flanks.

scientist bill austin of khoyatan marine lab in northeast pacific examined video made during national geographic dives identify benthic flora , fauna of bowie seamount. video, austin recognized of noticeable invertebrates , noted few species occurring in intertidal zone , in shallow subtidal environments found deeper might expected, , bigger normal.

a team of 5 divers, led photographer/videographer neil mcdaniel, visited seamount august 3–5, 2003 , conducted biological , photographic survey of summit down depths of 40 m (130 ft). total of 18 taxa of algae, 83 taxa of conspicuous invertebrates , 12 taxa of fishes documented, approximately 180 underwater still photographs taken , approximately 90 minutes of digital video recorded. of particular note dense schools of rockfish hovering on summit , numerous curious prowfish.