Submariner — Ocean Map

The upper caverns are recognizable as Antarctic waters: blue ice ceilings, drifting ice crystals, schools of cold-adapted fish, seals, squid and the distant songs of whales. But sunlight rapidly disappears. Passageways narrow, temperatures fall below the normal freezing point of fresh water, and the submarine must navigate around enormous underwater icicles and constantly shifting walls of ice. Deeper down, geothermal activity has created enormous chambers beneath the ice. Here, warm mineral-rich water meets supercooled seawater, producing strange currents, clouds of suspended ice crystals and towering formations that resemble frozen forests. Entire ecosystems exist without sunlight, supported by chemical energy escaping from the ocean floor. The creatures become increasingly unfamiliar. Transparent fish possess natural antifreeze compounds. Pale crustaceans hide inside cracks in the ice. Enormous squid hunt without visible eyes. Bioluminescent organisms illuminate entire cavern walls, sometimes flashing simultaneously when the submarine passes.