Black Smokers: Primal Oases of the Deep

‘About as close to visiting life on another planet as it is
possible to get’

> Journey deep into the heart of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to explore one of nature’s most astounding spectacles

> Experience the awe of navigating between the smokers’ gothic spires and super-heated ‘smoke’ thousands of  feet beneath the waves

> Encounter animals so strange that biologists consider them the best example of how life might exist on other planets

> Marvel at the beauty of these shimmering deep-sea oases as you explore a surreal volcanic wonderland

> Join the small community of private adventurers who have ventured into the abyss to explore our planets ‘other’ ecosystem

The Expedition

> Port of Departure: Ponta Delgado, Azores, Portugal

> Port of Return: Ponta Delgado, Azores, Portugal

> Dates: Summer, tentatively between June and August 2012

> Days at Sea: 8-12 days

> Black Smokers location: Rainbow Ventfield, 280 miles SW of Ponta Delgado

> Submersibles: Mir 1 and Mir 2

> Dive duration 8-10 hours approx.

> Ship: To be confirmed (but will include 5-star cuisine and comfortable amenities)

> Expedition Features: Mir submersible dive to black smokers, daily deep-ocean themed lectures, practical    marine biology sessions; likely bird, whale and dolphin viewing opportunities, five-star dining; icebreaker    celebration; end-of-expedition BBQ.

> Please contact Deep Ocean Expeditions for more information

About Black Smokers

Black smokers (hydrothermal vents) are an ancient ecosystem that existed long before our atmosphere contained breathable oxygen. 

Their discovery in the late 1970s caused a scientific sensation. The vents’ giant chimneys, superheated black ‘smoke’ and lush communities of unknown animals were so different from anything ever seen before, they seemed practically alien. The first vents to be explored were named the ‘Garden of Eden’ – an evocative name that captures the excitement of the scientists who found it.

Located between two giant tectonic plates, black smokers mark the ‘factory’ where new ocean floor is made, the result of immense forces almost beyond comprehension. Scientists believe that life itself may have begun on the deep vents - so a visit to the smokers may be a pilgrimage to our very own ‘crucible of creation’.

The black smoker ecosystem does not rely on the sun for energy – unlike almost all other life on Earth. The diverse fauna of vent animals obtain sustenance from deep within our planet via bacteria that harness the energy released when the sulphur compounds gushing from the smokers are broken down.

Despite being one of our planet’s acknowledged natural wonders, the smokers are rarely visited. Some scientists spend their whole career studying them, without ever going there in person. For private adventurers the ‘Black Smokers 2012’ expedition is a rare opportunity – the first chance in nearly a decade to explore deep-sea vents.