10 Breathtaking Photos From Underneath The Arctic Circle. The Marine Life Is Astounding

by N/A, 9 years ago | 2 min read

When it comes to marine life, we've only seen the tip of the iceberg.

Photographer and marine biologist Alexander Semenov wants to see as much of the rest as possible. And that's precisely why he and a team of other researchers dive hundreds of meters deep near the Arctic Circle - so the rest of us can too.

Nature wow Animals ocean photos Photography Marine Biology Oceania Non-Premium

For the past several years, Semenov has led a team of divers from Moscow State University's "White Sea Biological Station" to further explore areas near the Arctic Circle.

Eutonina indicans

Cyanea rainbow

The abundance of marine wildlife there is inexhaustible, but Semenov and his team are bent on discovering as much of it as possible.

Syllidae from the Sea of Okhotsk

Cestum veneris, Italy

And when they find unique marine life, which is almost unavoidable, they're sure to capture high resolution images of it so they can further study them.

Beroe cucumis

Cyanea nude

With water temperatures near freezing, Semenov and his team's diving conditions are normally pretty harsh.

Clione limacina

Sarsia tubulosa attacked by Cyanea capillata

But they're par for the course of photographing and learning more about creatures as rare and unique as these.

Swimming file clam, Australia

Semenov's hope? To inspire people to want to learn more about this staggering amount of marine life that has eluded our discovery all these centuries.

"To date, we have studied less than five per cent of the ocean. I have the chance to explore this unseen realm, along with other scientists and adventurers and not only discover all this hidden beauty in the deep, but to share everything with you," he says on his website.

To check out more of his remarkable work, be sure to visit!