13 dramatic photos that capture the beauty of marine sanctuaries

By / / Science / 3 minutes of reading


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 System, which encompasses more than 629,000 square miles and includes 17 national marine sanctuaries and Papahānaumokuākea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments.

a diving swimmer swims against a large school of fish
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.

rocks sticking up on a coastline. logs litter the shoreline
Sunset at Rialto Beach in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
Sanctuary Views, Second Place
Credit: Elliot Gilfix
large cliffs
Potato 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 Harris
a camper with a flashlight shining up. the milky way is seen in the sky
Camping under the stars in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Sanctuary Recreation, First Place
Credit: Daniel Eidsmoe
an isolated beach with cliffs and trees
McWay Falls in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Sanctuary Views, First Place
Credit: Peter Reinold
a puffin stands near a flower
Atlantic 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 Copper
a seahorse closeup
Male 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 Christian
a whale tail right before diving at sunset
A 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 DeYoung
a crab looks at the camera
An 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 Jensen
large octopus underwater stretched across rocks
Giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) walks the deep coldwater reef in Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
Sanctuary Life, Second Place
Credit: Robert Lee
a woman walks with a kite. photograph is taken from above
Kite flying on a beach near Palm Coast, Florida.
Sanctuaries at Home, Second Place
Credit: Daniel Eidsmoe
a sea turtle with moss on its back swims
A 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
beach cottages above the water line. coral seen below the water line
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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About The Author

Marion Moreno is a news writer at News Tempus, where she covers arts, construction, automotive, travel, and fashion. She is also interested in the history of the world - particularly anything related to ancient civilizations. Marion's favorite pastime is reading books about anything from politics to physics to art history.

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