The ocean is full of surprises, and the crew of the E/V Nautilus recently had the opportunity to behold a couple of them. During a recent exploration of the waters near the Channel Islands, they caught a glimpse of some truly unique and fabulous Benthic Siphonophores.

The ocean is full of surprises, and the crew of the E/V Nautilus recently had the opportunity to behold a couple of them. 
During a recent exploration of the waters near the Channel Islands, they caught a glimpse of some truly unique and fabulous Benthic Siphonophores.
The sea creatures, with their rounded pink forms and thin tendrils anchoring them to the rocks below, bear a strong resemblance to hot air balloons.
In addition to looking cool, the sea dwellers have a rather unique composition.
They are actually comprised of multiple ‘colonial cells’ that form an organism.