Trieste

FifthPixel made this great rendition of the bathyscaphe Trieste. On January 23, 1960, Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh reached the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean at 10,911 meters. This feat was not repeated until last year (by Titanic director James Cameron).

Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle is one of the world's leading oceanographers, having led more than 60 scientific expeditions with over 7000 hours underwater. Pixbymaia has made a LEGO version of Dr. Earle and even had the opportunity to pose with the original.

Shinkai 6500

I previously noted the Japan-exclusive set 21100, Shinkai 6500. Builder Ocean-Storm made a number of modifications to make a more accurate model of the deep-sea explorer.

Shinkai 6500

No other manned research submarine can dive deeper than the Shinkai 6500, a vessel operated by JAMSTEC, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. This year, LEGO offered set 21100 based on this sub exclusively in Japan. Ocean-Storm shows the Shinkai 6500 here investigating a hydrothermal vent. Superheated water issues from these cracks in volcanically active areas, often including high levels of sulfur. The energy and minerals available from these vents can give rise to very unique life forms, such as the giant tube worms seen here.