At 598 meters (1,962 ft) below the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana, ROV Hercules encountered a magnificent sperm whale. The whale circled Hercules several times and gave their cameras the chance to capture some incredible footage of this beautiful creature. Encounters between sperm whales and ROVs (remotely operative vehicles) are incredibly rare.

E/V Nautilus is exploring the ocean studying biology, geology, archeology, and more. Watch http://www.nautiluslive.org for LIVE video from the ocean floor.