The deep, dark ocean waters surrounding Hawaii are, in fact, a colorful and vibrant world of coral, fish and other bizarre creatures.

Last month, a team of scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration set out on a 69-day expedition called "Hohonu Moana" ("Deep Ocean," in the Hawaiian language). Their goal? To investigate some of the Hawaiian archipelago's most remote and unexplored waters.

The photos and videos they've captured thus far are nothing short of magnificent.