Deep Hole is the first playable sub-stage in Endless Ocean 2, located to the south of Gatama Atoll. It acts as a tutorial area to the concept of dangerous creatures, and use of the Pulsar.
Named after the large hole in the seafloor of the stage, this location is home to a wide array of sea life, including large creatures such as Pacific white-sided dolphins, Japanese eagle rays, and a tiger shark that appears at night.
In-Game[]
Loading Description[]
"A massive cavity in the ocean floor that strikes fear and wonder into the hearts of all who see it. A great place to see rays and groupers."
Notebook Description[]
"Located south of Gatama Atoll, this is the largest crater in the Pelago seas. Viewed from above, the area is instantly recognizable as a circle of deep dark blue within the lighter blue of the surrounding waves.
A thick forest of kelp conceals the area, and its complex terrain makes it a site best left to seasoned divers. However, those brave enough to make the journey to this little-known spot are rewarded with sights of ethereal beauty that few will ever witness."
Dialogue[]
Oceana's Guided Tour[]
Oceana: "Let me guide you through Deep Hole!
This is the entrance. It's covered in giant kelp. Places like this are full of holes that small fish love to hide in. So be sure to look carefully in the kelp! You might just find some really rare creatures in there. Once we get through here, we'll finally be at Deep Hole!
This giant shaft is Deep Hole. There are several levels inside, and it's over 100 feet deep in some places. You'll find Japanese eagle rays and Pacific white-sided dolphins here. There are a lot of fish living inside too. There's a gigantic ocean sunfish in there as well! It's nearly as big as the actual sun! Be nice to him. Let's go in and take a look!
This cavern is a bit like a little room inside of a bigger room. Can you see a big fish? That's a giant grouper. He rules this place. They say he's dozens of years old... But want to know the best thing about this place? Look up! It's being able to see things like this that makes me want to never stop diving.
Oh, yeah! Do you see the holes in the floor here? Have you ever taken a look inside? If you haven't, you should take a look sometime. You might even find something in there!"
Spots[]
Coliseum[]
The Coliseum is the large, sandy area that sprawls around the Mouth of Truth, enclosed by sloping walls of rock. It is home to large groups of Japanese eagle rays and several smaller fish like sailfin tang and Japanese bullhead sharks (including eggs and young), as well as zoom-mode spots that house fish like orange and black sea slugs and stocky anthiases.
Mouth of Truth[]
The Mouth of Truth is the yawning hole in the seafloor that leads to the one-hundred-foot drop that Deep Hole is named for. In the level of the Hole just below it, the entrances to the smaller Serpent's Lair and Giant's Grotto can be found, as well as the entrance to Deep Dome, the deepest space in the area.
The area is inhabited by a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins that swim about above it, a school of whitemargin unicornfish, an ocean sunfish who only shows up from the player's second visit onward, a pygmy sperm whale (only after it's freed from the Hidden Cavern, and only at night), and the aggressive tiger shark from the main plot who returns to patrol the place at night. Just below the Mouth, there are a few large shoals of goldeye rockfish and a giant grouper who only shows up from the player's second visit onward. In addition, the legendary golden sunfish, Apollo, appears here exclusively at night (as the only legendary creature to be found on this map), replacing the normal sunfish that lives here during the day. There is also a unique Pacific white-sided dolphin with silvery fins that appears as a part of the "Be the Best Trainer" quest.
Deep Dome[]
Deep Dome is the deepest part of Deep Hole. A multitude of pineconefish live here, as well as a few singular bannerfish and young emperor angelfish that can be found under the zoom-mode glows.
Exit to Gatama Atoll[]
The opposite side of the Deep Hole Entrance, Exit to Gatama Atoll is simply a stretch of seafloor that connects Deep Hole back to Gatama Atoll, as its name suggests. It is also the area that precedes Kelp Tunnel.
Landmarks[]
Kelp Tunnel[]
A shallow path filled with kelp, going for a short distance before opening up into the coliseum area. Its name comes from the steep, rocky cliffs that form on either side of it, creating a tunnel leading towards the deep hole. Coral-reef fish like blue tang and sailfin tang live amongst the kelp, and this is the only place where the player can find the leafy seadragon, which lives under zoom-mode glows in the foliage. At night, bigfin reef squid are found here.
Giant's Grotto[]
This is one of the smaller caves inside of Deep Hole, though slightly larger than the Serpent's Lair. This one contains a giant grouper, a slightly smaller specimen than the one in the Mouth Of Truth. Like the other grouper, it is absent during the player's first visit.
Serpent's Lair[]
This is the other small cave inside of Deep Hole. The only animal that can be found in it is a single ribbon moray, which is exclusive to the area. This is also the location of the one-time salvage item known as the Trident Ring.
Hidden Cavern[]
The Hidden Cavern is a small chamber in Deep Dome at the bottom of Deep Hole. It is blocked off by a boulder, and contains a pygmy sperm whale trapped inside. This rock can be moved with the help of a dolphin partner, and the whale can be seen swimming around Deep Dome from then on. Aside from that, the cave is rather unremarkable and only contains a single zoom-mode spot.
Animal and Event Scenes[]
When diving in this stage with Hayako Sakurai, the player has the option to replay previously viewed scenes by talking her. The scenes available for Deep Hole are as follows:
Animal[]
- Ocean sunfish
- Pineconefish
- Pygmy sperm whale
Story Significance[]
Deep Hole is the second stage visited by the player. They travel here early in the morning with Jean-Eric, after he discovers that Oceana had left without supervision to find one of her lapis lazuli pendants, given to her by her father, that she had dropped in Deep Hole a while ago. The player and Jean-Eric arrive to find her under attack by an agitated tiger shark, which the player is tasked with calming by way of the Pulsar.
After the shark has been placated, everybody returns to Nineball Island, with Oceana having successfully found her pendant. While going after it alone was an unwise idea, as pointed out by Jean-Eric, her retrieving it is a positive in the end - that pendant, one of three, turns out to be a part of the Dragon Flute, a tool integral to solving the mystery of the Song of Dragons.
Gallery[]
.png "Deep Hole (Inside 2).png (1.41 MB)")
.png "Deep Hole (Inside 1).png (1.32 MB)")
.JPG "Pygmy Sperm Whale - Deep Hole (2).JPG (74 KB)")
Notes[]
- The in-game description for Deep Hole is written on the page seen whenever entering a new location (see image right). Also mentioned on this page are the scientific names for razorfish, leatherback turtles, speckled butterflyfish, king angelfish, purple queens, ribbon morays, and flame angelfish.
- Near the bottom of Deep Hole, one can see ammonite fossils on one of the walls. It is unknown whether this is because the fossils formed in the cave wall many millions of years ago and remained mostly unchanged since, or because the fossils formed that long ago and were exposed as the cave was hollowed out by natural forces.
Dive Points:
Atoll Gate • Spring Garden • Private Reef Entrance • Deep Hole Entrance
Spots:
Atoll Gate • Dolphin Island • Doughnut Reef • Spring Garden • Blue Cliff • Cabbage Patch • Deep Hole Entrance • Private Reef Entrance
Landmarks:
Cake Rock • Silent Cavern • Gatama's Navel
Spots:
Coliseum • Mouth of Truth • Deep Dome • Exit to Gatama Atoll
Landmarks:
Kelp Tunnel • Giant's Grotto • Serpent's Lair • Hidden Cavern