Blake Plateau

[4] George S. Blake′s hydrographic survey lines first defined the plateau that now bears the ship's name.

[5] Blake Plateau has the world's largest known deep-water coral reef, comprising a 6.4 million acre reef that stretches from Miami to Charleston, S. C.[6] In July 1880 George S. Blake under the command of Commander John R. Bartlett,[a] U.S.N., was working with sounding gear designed by Lieutenant Commander Charles Dwight Sigsbee in cooperation with Alexander Agassiz, who collected biological samples and examined the Gulf Stream running eastward from Cape Romain when, in taking frequent soundings eastward, "depths on this line were unexpectedly small, the axis of the Gulf Stream being crossed before a depth of three hundred fathoms (1,800 feet (548.6 meters)) was found" with a bottom of "hard coral" and little life.

Within the current the "bottom was washed nearly bare", with particles being small and broken pieces of coral rock and so hard the sharp edge of the brass cylinder was bent.

[14] In fact, by 2024 it was discovered that Blake Plateau has the world's largest known deep-water coral reef, comprising a 6.4 million acre reef that stretches from Miami to Charleston, S. C. The area is composed of nearly continuous coral mound features that span up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) long and 110 kilometers (68 miles) wide.

[16] Biological sampling of the deep bottom is difficult under the Gulf Stream with the consequence that the fauna is relatively poorly known.