Distinct trail cutting across seafloor

Hummocky mounds in sediment caused by either biological or geological activity

Light-colored mud trail that abruptly ends (perhaps begins) on darker colored substrate

Course material in shallow oval hole

Consolidated sandstone or ash cliff with deep sea fish cruising just below the cliff face.

Consolidated sandstone or volcanic ash cliff

Consolidated sandstone or volcanic ash cliff

Consolidated sandstone or volcanic ash cliff

Consolidated sandstone or volcanic ash cliff. Look closely and some of the bedding can be seen.

Rock rubble, outcrops and sand and mud covering part of the rock material. The sand and mud has been disturbed by biological activity in the lower right quarter of the image.

Partially sediment covered rock outcrop

Sediment covered rock in a scene reminiscent of a winter snowfall. The white specks are in fact marine snow, organic remains of animals living far above in the photic zone and the various creatures that feed on materials sinking to the bottom of th sea.

A rock outcrop being covered by sediment.

Angular boulders that have never been subjected to surface erosion being slowly covered by sediment. At least one fairly large white creature is seen on a rock outcrop in the middle right of this image. Can you find it?

Ridge top with strange emaciated appearing coral bush and equally strange rock outcrop (or is it the remains of a large object of biological origin). Either way, no feature of this sort (the vertical object in the center of the image) was seen in any other image of the Cayman expedition.

Cloudy water with relatively large amount of white material possibly indicates proximity to hydrothermal venting

Assemblage of material in water column - sediment or biological in origin?

Pebbly substrate with iron oxide - seemingly devoid of life

Large, apparently hydrothermally altered boulder

Broken flat slabs of rock (sheet lava?) on side of ridge

Rock outcrop with large block having orthogonal surfaces

Rock outcrop nearly, if not totally, devoid of life

Rock outcrop with some small life forms and pile of shells and other biological debris next to its base

Jagged rock outcrop with stunted coral bush at top and other very small life forms (note white hairlike material at top of outcrop) and black objects to right.

White clay-like appearing material in crevasse between two very rugose opposing rock surfaces

White clay-like appearing material adjacent to highly rugose rock surface. There appear to be a number of coral bushes at the top center of the image and also to the left of the clay-like material. Bluish gray sponges are also seen on the rock walls.

Bluish gray sponges seen in a rock crevasse between two adjacent rock outcrops covered with clay-like material

Bluish gray sponges seen along a rock wall

A rock pillar covered on top with clay-like material and on its sides with bluish-gray sponges. Also, the corals seen on the side of this feature are some of the largest seen on the Mid-Cayman Rise expedition.

Broken sheet lava slabs covered on broken edges covered with small life forms

Broken sheet lava slabs covered on broken edges covered with small life forms

Broken sheet lava slabs covered on broken edges covered with small life forms. One relatively large translucent sponge is seen in the bottom center and a relatively large tube worm (white object to right of sponge) is seen in image.

Broken sheet lava slabs covered on broken edges covered with small life forms. Greyish brown material on margins of sheet lava appears to be a life form.

Beautiful swirl in lava reminiscent of pahoehoe lava.

Beautiful swirl in lava reminiscent of pahoehoe lava.

Broken jumbled mass of hydrothermally altered rocks indicating possible proximity to hydrothermal venting.

Swarm of shrimp near hydrothermal vent. Look closely to see head of small deep sea fish near left top of image. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Swarm of shrimp near hydrothermal vent. Look closely to see head of small deep sea fish near left top of image and right bottom corner. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Mass of shrimp in close proximity to hydrothermal venting. Note small fish just above densest swarm of shrimp. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Edge of huge vent orifice. Both small deep sea fish and shrimp can be seen in lower quarter of image with hydrothermally altered rocks apparent near vent. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Two species of vent shrimp are seen in this image - the larger white with white shining eyes and two of a smaller species with yellow eyes seen to left of main swarm. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Hydrothermally altered rock nearly devoid of life although some shrimp can be seen to left of white rock. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Swarm of shrimp with tails of two fish seen on the bottom left edge and right bottom corner edge. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Hydrothermal mound covered with shrimp and fish. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Shimmering water indicates vent orifice with white shrimp closest to vent, smaller red and yellow spotted shrimp further from vent , and at least one fish peering out from hole in rocks. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Closeup of reddish outlying shrimp with green (eggs?) top. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Looking down the orifice of a very large hydrothermal vent. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Two clam shells and a squat lobster carapace onhydrothermally altered rock. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Single large tube worm seen at hydrothermal site with clam shell on hydrothermally altered rock. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.

Shrimp agglomeration near vent. Eel-like fish staked out his territory on rock devoid of shrimp. At the Von Damm vent field on Mount Dent.