Marine scientist Lara Atkinson, who was the team leader for the expedition, said descending 500m into the deep and seeing the seafloor unfold before her eyes for the first time was surreal — “like exploring an underwater fynbos landscape of the Western Cape".

“Watching a large octopus ‘play catch’ with the submersible’s lasers was a fascinating display of intelligence.”

She said the seamount was 16m to 18m below the sea surface. During the study, they managed to complete four visual surveys along the seamount and collected 196 samples of the water and ecosystems.

She said they also looked at another seamount with a unique deep ecosystem south of Walter's Shoal, which was 2 000 meters at the base.

“It’s probably the first time we have ever had visuals on this seamount, and that was very exciting.”

Closer to home was the seamount at the Aghulas Plateau with “fascinating” seabed features mapped there, she said. However, the strong Aghulas current did not allow the submersible to get to the seamount.

"We are monitoring it and we know there are days when that current will slow down and we could get in there to get first visuals ever of that seamount, so we are hopeful."

She said while deep sea samples are often new because not many people have explored the deep, the samples take a while to process until they are confirmed.

Ms Atkinson said this was the first time she got to lead an expedition of this nature. Research vessels in South Africa have not yet been able to explore the deep because they do not have the equipment.

“I’m not a big adrenaline junkie…but after I got over the fear, it was the most peaceful and calming experience ever. It felt like an eight-hour holiday from the ship — I was just in awe to be submerged in this ecosystem I’ve worked on for most of my adult life.”

She said equally rewarding for her was welcoming early-career researchers from six African countries aboard the OceanXplorer, many of whom had never ventured beyond coastal waters.

“Seeing them engage with deep-sea science firsthand has been incredibly fulfilling, as they return to their home countries not just as scientists, but as ambassadors for ocean exploration and conservation.”

Sinothando Silungile Shibe, a marine biologist at South African National Parks (SANParks), was one of the team members on the expedition. She said while the team of scientists came with a wealth of knowledge, some of them have never worked on ROVs or even been on boats before, so working on this expedition was an extraordinary experience for them.

“These open up opportunities for us to work in the field and gain the experience and the skills and increase our confidence in doing our science as well.”

She said going on the submersible for the first time was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“Not everyone gets the opportunity to experience the vastness of the ocean in all of its glory and to see different perspectives of the ocean. As someone who works with visual data most of the time, I get to experience the ocean and learn about the habitats, ecosystems and relationships with animals within the ocean, but to be in the submersible and experience that with my own eyes was life-changing.

“These subs are not attached to the boat so it felt like taking a drive on the ocean floor — like a marine game-drive 500m underwater and I felt like I was going shopping for species we want to use for science.”

During its time in Cape Town, OceanX and OceanQuest hosted guided tours of the OceanXplorer for students, educators and researchers, offering hands-on exposure to marine science and ocean storytelling.

A new group of 14 young explorers, part of a programme designed to develop emerging talent in ocean-related fields, will set sail from Cape Town for their multi-day at-sea educational experience.

“Africa’s oceans hold untapped scientific potential, with vast ecologically significant marine ecosystems still waiting to be explored. Our collaborations and partnerships aimed to enhance scientific understanding and develop a lasting framework for ocean research across the continent,” said Dr Martin Visbeck, CEO of OceanQuest. “Through deep-sea exploration, cutting-edge data collection, and capacity building programmes, we are empowering African scientists with the tools and knowledge needed to lead the next generation of marine discovery and conservation.”

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OceanXplorer reveals Africa's deep sea wonders