There's still so much of the ocean to explore and learn about, especially when it comes to the deep-sea. But getting money fund research is getting harder and harder. Take a look at the research vessel Falkor below. Its owned by the Schmidt Ocean Institute in Palo Alto, California...an organisation made possible by Eric Schmidt and his wife of Google fame. This is just one example of a number of wealthy folk who are ploughing some of their money into scientific research.
You can read more about these seemingly unlikely science funders in this article by Mark Schrope of the Washington Post