The Halibut Flats exhibit represents the ocean on the continental shelf, in Oregon’s coastal waters. The seafloor is made up of sand and mud broken up by rocky outcrops. Plant life is sparse in this region, yet there is plenty of animal life where a variety of interconnected species form a vibrant underwater community. Aside from the sturgeon, lingcod, halibut and flounder that constantly patrol the shipwreck, the sandy ocean floor is a resting place for skates, a disk-shaped species of fish related to sharks and rays. You may have to look carefully, however, as the skates’ mottled coloring is the perfect camouflage for this region of dappled sunlight.