Mussel beds are extensive and dominate all other species.
Surrounding basalts are highly vesicular and show evidence for emplacement through explosive volcanic processes, an unusual characteristic for mid-ocean ridge basalts that is most probably related to shallow eruption depths. Instead of an axial valley there is a prominent axial high, which is cut by a small summit graben. The hydrothermal site is located in this small graben in the center of the segment. Geological observations suggest that hydrothermal activity at this site initiated quite recently, which gives a unique opportunity to monitor the early stages of hydrothermal activity at a slow-spreading ridge. The Lucky Strike vent field is one of the largest hydrothermal areas known in the modern ocean, with 21 active chimney sites.