The Deep Handbook Extract

“My family are explorers. We have been for generations. While others look up to the stars, we know that there are an infinite number of things that shine in the darkness below.

There are things lurking in the seas that long ago vanished into myth.

My family are explorers and we explore the Deep‌�

CHAPTER 1

THE TRUTH IS DOWN THERE

INTO THE DEEP Welcome, Junior Nekton! Your mission has been set. You are going on a journey – a voyage of discovery into the ocean blue.

Buckle up – it is going to be quite a ride!

Most of our world is water, and it lies unexplored. Unexplained. Down below us there are mighty mountains, thick forests and valleys so vast they seem to have no end. Every tide brings a new surprise – whirlpools swirl and circle, storms rage and volcanoes roar. This is the world that the Nekton family live in every day. And they are not alone. There are things lurking in the seas that long ago vanished into myth. The Nektons believe that these myths are returning. Secrets are rising out of the abyss.

Antaeus and Fontaine Nekton are the latest in a long line of explorers. Each generation has roamed the ocean, travelling in search of the truth. Back then, Nekton families chartered primitive submersibles. Now Ant, Fontaine and their parents use state-of-the-art technology to further their quest. They believe that somewhere, out there in the blue, the sunken city of Lemuria is waiting – an ancient civilisation that disappeared thousands of years ago.

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THE SEA IS THE KEY Take a deep breath and jump in! What is the ocean really like? It’s a place where giant sea beasts snap and prowl, where pirates lurk amidst floating black markets and where undersea quakes shake the seabed. It is also vast – vaster than you could ever imagine…

MYSTERIOUS CREATURES Fish that look likes horses, squid that glow in the dark and whales that are bigger than jumbo jets – every Nekton mission brings the chance of a new meeting. Around 94% of the world’s creatures dwell here, but scientists haven’t even got close to spotting them all. Hundreds of new species are recorded every year. Who or what will Antaeus Nekton come across next?

A MAMMOTH TASK

Humans have only officially explored 5% of the world’s oceans so far. The Nektons are pioneers, voyaging into undocumented waters. Ant and Fontaine’s journey has only just begun…

AN ANCIENT FRIEND The Nektons have made a pledge to protect the ocean and everything in it. The family understand that the seas are vital for life on Earth. The deep helps to feed us, control our climate and provide the ingredients for our medicines. It also creates at least half of the oxygen we need to breathe.

A WORLD OF WATER Think of India, Australia or China – huge nations that are home to millions of people.

It would take a lifetime to explore just one of these countries, and yet together they form a small proportion of the world’s surface. Around 71% of the world’s surface is covered by water. In order to patrol this gigantic kingdom, the Aronnax must navigate incredible distances.

BIGGEST, BRIGHTEST, BEST

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Everything in the ocean is supersized! Just like on land, it has mountain ranges, caves and valleys. The deepest trench is the Mariana in the Pacific Ocean, near the Philippines. In order to reach the bottom, Ant and Fontaine would need to dive down for 11 kilometres straight! The Nektons have explored many other amazing underwater marvels.

One of the most colourful is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia – a stunning arc of coral that is so large, it can be seen from the Moon.

LIVING HISTORY Ant Nekton loves exploring sunken shipwrecks and ancient relics.

Each one is an underwater time capsule, preserved and left untouched for centuries. The ocean is an enormous treasure trove.

There are more historical objects and artefacts hiding beneath the surface than in all the world’s museums combined.

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CHAPTER 2

NEKTONS AND FRIENDS