13 dramatic photos that capture the beauty of marine sanctuaries
BY okaygteam
January 4, 2025
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A majestic humpback whale, dramatic coastlines, and a coral reef ecosystem shine in the NOAA and and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s ‘Get Into Your Sanctuary’ photo contest. The winning photos celebrate the National Marine Sanctuary Systemwhich encompasses more than 629,000 square miles and includes 17 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments.
Freediving into a school of akule in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Sanctuary Recreation, Second Place Credit: Christian Crook
Winners were named across five categories: Sanctuary Views, Sanctuary Life, Sanctuary Recreation, Sanctuaries at Home, and Sanctuaries Around the World.
Sunset at Rialto Beach in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Sanctuary Views, Second Place Credit: Elliot GilfixPotato Harbor on Santa Cruz Island is one of few wind-protected places to hunker down for the night in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Even still, wind and swell sneak their way into the small anchorage under the setting sun. Sanctuary Views, Third Place Credit: Dustin HarrisCamping under the stars in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Sanctuary Recreation, First Place Credit: Daniel Eidsmoe McWay Falls in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Sanctuary Views, First Place Credit: Peter ReinoldAtlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) are ocean-dependent birds that spend most of their lives on open water. The productive North Atlantic Canadian waters surrounding Newfoundland provide some of the best habitat for these beloved marine birds. Sanctuaries Around the World, Second Place Credit: Carolyn CopperMale lined seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) like this one at the Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach, Florida, receive eggs from the female and keep them in a pouch where they fertilize and carry them until they are ready to hatch. Sanctuaries Around the World, Third Place Credit: Tamara ChristianA humpback whale (Megaptera novaengliae) dives at sunset in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This photo was taken with a telephoto lens from a safe distance. Sanctuary Life, Third Place Credit: Kaelyn DeYoungAn arrow crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) sits in front of a Caribbean long spine sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Sanctuary Life, First Place Credit: Gabriel JensenGiant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) walks the deep coldwater reef in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Sanctuary Life, Second Place Credit: Robert LeeKite flying on a beach near Palm Coast, Florida. Sanctuaries at Home, Second Place Credit: Daniel EidsmoeA green sea turtle (Chelonia) surfaces for air in the shallows of Playa Punta Corola on San Cristobal in Galapagos, Ecuador. Sanctuaries Around the World, Finalist Credit: Dan Shipp Split shoreline and underwater view of the coral reef ecosystem around Fakarava Atoll in French Polynesia. Sanctuaries at Home, First Place Credit: Justin Wallace
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