Rachel Downey, researcher on polar and deep water sponges and Southern Ocean sponge expert, observes a bottle brush coral collected by Dr Susanne Lockhart, scientist, during a dive in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise has returned to the Antarctic Peninsula with scientists Susanne Lockhart and Rachel Downey for a series of dives with a submersible to explore the sea floor. Greenpeace is conducting scientific research and documenting the Antarctic’s unique wildlife, to strengthen the proposal to create the largest protected area on the planet, an Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary.

Photo Marizilda Cruppe