What is the symbolism of the story, The Night Ocean, in the novel, The Night Ocean?

This story by Lovecraft and Barlow symbolizes the isolation of those who do not feel as though they fit into their world. The story is only mentioned briefly, but it shares its title with the novel as a whole. The story is about a lonely artist who visits a seaside town where he notices not-quite-human figures in the sea. Most of the focus is on how we are all alone and the universe does not care for us. It is the only collaboration mentioned between Lovecraft and Barlow, both lonely men who felt isolated from the world around them.