. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. SEA SCIENCE Exploring the Ocean Blue By Katie Mosher T ie Steeples area. The Lophelia Reefs. Can't place these exotic locations off the Carolina coast? Just ask countless teachers and students who followed the "Islands in the Stream 2002" research expedition through online logs. The daily journals often reflect the excitement of twice-daily submers- ible dives. But there's much more to these missions that are sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Exploration pro
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. SEA SCIENCE Exploring the Ocean Blue By Katie Mosher T ie Steeples area. The Lophelia Reefs. Can't place these exotic locations off the Carolina coast? Just ask countless teachers and students who followed the "Islands in the Stream 2002" research expedition through online logs. The daily journals often reflect the excitement of twice-daily submers- ible dives. But there's much more to these missions that are sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Exploration program. "We work the whole water column," says Steve W. Ross of the National Estuarine Research Reserve, leader of the team that designed the second leg of the three-part voyage. "The sub is just one piece of gear we use — and it is more vulnerable to weather," he adds with a knowing nod. When the weather cooperates, the sub provides spectacular views of deep-water habitats, as it can drop to 3,000 feet below the surface. But to find The Steeples off North Carolina's southern coast, the sub had to dive less than 400 feet, four times deeper than most scuba divers venture. The Steeples area includes large, irregular boulders and ledges — pieces of the continental shelf broken off by erosion and geological events and scattered by storm currents, the scientists explain. The warm Gulf Stream current transports fish larvae and encourages a dominance of tropical reef fishes. During an expedition in 2001, researchers reported sightings of several fishes that were previously not found north of Florida, several fishes new to the United States, and many species thought to be rare — thus prompting the return visit. "This dive added another up-close and personal look at this fauna, and new information on the overall community that supports an important food fishery," says Ken Sulak of the Geological Survey. In the 2002 voyage, the scientists also
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