Ocean Depth Comparison

[Mushroom]

I grew up with a summer house on Cape Cod and swimming in the ocean. I don't have any problems swimming in the ocean or over deep water. That said, I've never really done any diving and the deepest I've been down is probably sub 20 feet at a local pond. I'd be willing to try scuba diving though. (Even after listening to those Mr. Ballen horror stories )

[yablanowitz]

As for hagfish, yes, they are very weird-looking creatures. And there are many other bizarre-looking creatures way down there. And IMO, if there are gigantic “sea serpents” and other unclassified sea creatures, which I believe there are, they probably don’t even live at the maximum extreme depths, due to the extreme pressure.

Jim

The thing about that pressure is it only matters when it changes. The fish and other things down deep are at the same pressure inside as the water around them. Hook one and bring it up too quickly and the internal pressure in the cells can't equalize, so the cell walls rupture, killing the whatever it is. Something that Hollywood conveniently overlooks in their "seamonster" movies.

[James Y]

As for hagfish, yes, they are very weird-looking creatures. And there are many other bizarre-looking creatures way down there. And IMO, if there are gigantic “sea serpents” and other unclassified sea creatures, which I believe there are, they probably don’t even live at the maximum extreme depths, due to the extreme pressure.

Jim

The thing about that pressure is it only matters when it changes. The fish and other things down deep are at the same pressure inside as the water around them. Hook one and bring it up too quickly and the internal pressure in the cells can't equalize, so the cell walls rupture, killing the whatever it is. Something that Hollywood conveniently overlooks in their "seamonster" movies.

Thanks. Yeah, I’ve watched something, either on TV or on YouTube, where a deep sea fish was brought up and not only died, but its physical appearance changed dramatically when no longer in the deep pressure. IIRC, its face changed from looking like a fish to something resembling Popeye.

The “sea serpents” that sailors and others have reported over the centuries, if those were really seen alive on the surface in some instances, and if they were not other animals mistaken for serpents, were probably not from the deepest, darkest parts of the oceans, but maybe from intermediate depths. I don’t know, I’m just speculating, in my own unscientific way.

Jim

[bearfacedkiller]

The giant squid and colossal squid may have been mistaken for these mythical sea monsters. They live at extreme depths but sometimes come up closer to the surface. Very few specimens have ever been seen but we know a little about them because we find their beaks in the stomachs of sperm whales. This means that either sperm whales are going to extreme depths or the squid are coming up closer to the surface. It is believed that the squid live between 1,000 and 3,000 feet with older squid living deeper. Sperm whales can dive up to 6,000 feet. While not the bottom of the ocean it is deeper than light penetrates and the pressures are very high. Some animals seem to operate in a wide pressure range.


I have pulled fish up from 300 feet down in both fresh and salt water. Quite often they puke their air bladder out from the lack of pressure. You can carry a syringe with out the plunger and purge them by poking their stomach. If not they die.

[James Y]

Thanks for sharing, Darby!

https://youtu.be/DXUzj7SDzKw

https://youtu.be/jCWop491Q9Y

Jim

[TkoK83Spy]

All I have to say is....gross and terrifying!

[TkoK83Spy]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fossil-prehi ... 52205.html

[James Y]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fossil-prehi ... 52205.html

If those sea scorpions hadn't gone extinct, I wonder if they'd taste like crab or lobster?

Jim

[James Y]

The Ocean is Way Deeper Than You Think

https://youtu.be/GE-lAftuQgc

Jim

[cabfrank]

Amazing. Thanks for posting.

[James Y]

Amazing. Thanks for posting.

You’re welcome.

I find the oceans endlessly fascinating (and foreboding).

Jim

[Doc Dan]

I read about a case of a ship that sank and a giant squid preyed on the people in the life boats for days. This was disputed and I can find nothing else on it. It's been years since I read it. A Humbolt Squid will absolutely attack and kill humans, so it is no great leap to think that a Colossal or Giant Squid could and would do the same under the right conditions.

[James Y]

I read about a case of a ship that sank and a giant squid preyed on the people in the life boats for days. This was disputed and I can find nothing else on it. It's been years since I read it. A Humbolt Squid will absolutely attack and kill humans, so it is no great leap to think that a Colossal or Giant Squid could and would do the same under the right conditions.

That would certainly be a horrific way to go. I once saw a show (maybe on Animal Planet) several years back, where they were studying Humbolt squid in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California. I seem to remember one diver encountering at least one aggressive squid that was maybe 2 to 3 feet long, and it was very powerful and difficult to deal with. IIRC, I think it latched onto his face/scuba mask. I couldn’t imagine trying to deal with a child-sized squid, let alone a giant squid. You'd be a goner for sure.

Jim

[Bloke]

I love the ocean and always reckoned it only had two depths, one I could stand up in and one I couldn’t.

As a young tacker my mates and I surfed year round and I’ve seen sharks in the water (while surfing) on a few occasions. One was a big bastard early one morning so we came in. Another time we were diving for abalone and a little one seemed to be getting overly inquisitive and maybe wanted our abalone, so we left the water that day too.

Unfortunately for me, over the years I’ve developed an irrational phobia of the toothy buggers. One night I dreamt I was surfing one of my favourite breaks and as I when through the face of a wave on my way out, there was a huge White with its mouth agape about to munch me. It’s arguably the most realistic and terrifying dream I’ve had to date and that was it.

I took it as an omen and haven’t surfed, dived or waterskied since. I obsoletely hate it as it’s changed my lifestyle to a degree and my mates rib me over it. Ah, hahaha!

I still love the ocean but there’s only one beach here in Sydney I feel half comfortable swimming at. Luckily it’s the closest beach from home and only about a kilometre and a half away. I still won’t swim there around dawn, dusk, overcast days or if there’s not a fair few others swimming there. Ah, hahaha!

Last Wednesday around 16:30 a White Shark estimated at around five meters killed a swimmer about fifteen meters from a rock ledge that blokes were fishing off. A couple of kilometres from one of my favourite fishing spots. As it went one of the fishermen was filming with his phone and caught the lot on video. It was horrendous and I’m sorry I watched it. Thankfully, the footage has since been taken down.

[Doc Dan]

I love the ocean and always reckoned it only had two depths, one I could stand up in and one I couldn’t.

As a young tacker my mates and I surfed year round and I’ve seen sharks in the water (while surfing) on a few occasions. One was a big bastard early one morning so we came in. Another time we were diving for abalone and a little one seemed to be getting overly inquisitive and maybe wanted our abalone, so we left the water that day too.

Unfortunately for me, over the years I’ve developed an irrational phobia of the toothy buggers. One night I dreamt I was surfing one of my favourite breaks and as I when through the face of a wave on my way out, there was a huge White with its mouth agape about to munch me. It’s arguably the most realistic and terrifying dream I’ve had to date and that was it.

I took it as an omen and haven’t surfed, dived or waterskied since. I obsoletely hate it as it’s changed my lifestyle to a degree and my mates rib me over it. Ah, hahaha!

I still love the ocean but there’s only one beach here in Sydney I feel half comfortable swimming at. Luckily it’s the closest beach from home and only about a kilometre and a half away. I still won’t swim there around dawn, dusk, overcast days or if there’s not a fair few others swimming there. Ah, hahaha!

Last Wednesday around 16:30 a White Shark estimated at around five meters killed a swimmer about fifteen meters from a rock ledge that blokes were fishing off. A couple of kilometres from one of my favourite fishing spots. As it went one of the fishermen was filming with his phone and caught the lot on video. It was horrendous and I’m sorry I watched it. Thankfully, the footage has since been taken down.

Sharks? Sharks are nothing! Bloke, everything in Australia wants to kill you, from crocs, to little blue ringed octopus, little tiny clear jelly fish, spiders, snakes, toads, pretty much everything!

[TkoK83Spy]

For real! I like watching a lot of Discovery and Nat Geo...seems like any time there's some crazy animal/reptile/insect/fish that can kill you...it's hanging out in Blokes backyard haha!

[Bloke]

Sharks? Sharks are nothing! Bloke, everything in Australia wants to kill you, from crocs, to little blue ringed octopus, little tiny clear jelly fish, spiders, snakes, toads, pretty much everything!

For real! I like watching a lot of Discovery and Nat Geo...seems like any time there's some crazy animal/reptile/insect/fish that can kill you...it's hanging out in Blokes backyard haha!

Ah, hahaha! It’s nowhere near that bad plus I’ve never overly worried about things I can squash or bludgeon with a stick.

Salty Crocs aren’t much of an issue either and there’s none this far south anyhow. I’ve spent time up north and the locals will tell you crocs only eat silly buggers and tourists. It’s very sad but from memory one of the last people killed by a croc was an American lady on holidays. The jelly fish, Irukandji and Box are a major worry but again they’re up north too along with the Tiger Sharks which like the warm water unlike the stinking Whites which like the cooler water.

Down here we get Portuguese man o war jellies, which aren’t jellyfish as it goes but they’re a bloody nuisance. We call them Blue Bottles. They generally blow in on an easterly wind and surfing I’ve had the things across my face and around my neck which isn’t much fun. Fishing the beach, I’ve had them around my ankles. There were a few at the beach the other day as it goes but non got me. Ah, hahaha!

Blue Rings are a worry for little ones playing in rock pools and there’s nothing to distinguish them from any other baby occy till you hassle them then they flash electric blue rings. Like most things they’re no threat till you handle them. I caught one awhile back with our daughter’s little ones to show them and explained, stay clear of any baby octopus. Funny, the little boy wanted to take it home. Ah, hahaha, ah, hahaha, ah, hahaha!



A Blue Bottle washed up on the beach. They’re hard to see in the water.

[Doc Dan]

No thanks, Bloke. I'll stick to the ocean depths or the tame Gulf of Mexico.

Anyone ever wonder what the pressure in the Marianas Trench would make of a human body?

[kiwisailor]

It would probably look very much like a pepperoni pizza...

[James Y]

It would probably look very much like a pepperoni pizza...

...that somebody tap-danced on...

Jim