Strange Underwater Sea Tower Discovered Off California Coast

An oddly-shaped underwater seamount was recently discovered just 184-miles off the coast of Northern California. According to SF Gate, the volcano sits two miles below the surface near Cape Mendocino. While this discovery is common, there were a few very unusual takeaways regarding this unique find. A seamount of this size has never been found near Mendocino, and scientists were puzzled by its strangely-smooth surface.

Dr. Aurora Elmore, program manager for NOAA's Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute, told SF Gate that the seamount was likely formed as a result of prior volcanic activity and the build-up of "marine snow," (otherwise known as fish poop.)

"Typically seamounts have sloped sides, like Mount Fuji. But what's interesting about this one is that it's really steep. It rises from the bottom of the seafloor with a tower shape."

The seamount was initially discovered by Saildrone, an ocean data company out of San Francisco. SF Gate described the Saildrone vessel as an "un-crewed sailboat Surveyor SD 1200 that surfs the ocean using a multi-beam sonar on its hull to map the contours of the depths below." The whole operation is extremely safe for humans as pilots in Alameda direct the sailboat remotely without putting themselves in danger. According to the NOAA, you might be more familiar with seamounts than you think! These formations can break through the water in certain instances to create island formations across the globe. This exact phenomenon is what shaped the Hawaiian Islands.