Big Sur is a magical place. It’s nearly 100 miles of largely undeveloped California coastline, from Carmel to San Simeon. Highway 1 runs along it, steep cliffs falling into the ocean on one side and towering redwood forests on the other. If you want scenic views, it’s tough to beat. But what’s even more amazing is what lies beneath the surface of the ocean that pounds Big Sur’s shorelines.
Most of us don’t know just how spectacular it is down there, but researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBARI) sure do. That’s because they spend much of their time peering into the depths, using all sorts of equipment tacked onto remotely operated vehicles. We’ve been floored by some of the footage they’ve released in the past, and here we are, floored once again.
Some 22 miles west of Big Sur, MBARI’s underwater robots explored the Sur Ridge, a seamount that is absolutely teeming with life. The footage you see here is just a tiny peek into the vast and unexplored world just a stone’s throw from a coastline that sees millions of visitors each year — but most of them have no idea just how much they’re missing.
