2019 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest results

Thank you to all the photographers who shared their view of national marine sanctuaries with us! Click each photograph to see the full version.

Please note that we may use any of the photos we received for this contest on our website, on social media, and in other NOAA and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation publications. We will provide credit to photographers whenever we use any of the photos. Organizations other than NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation may use photographs submitted in this contest to promote sustainable and responsible activities in the National Marine Sanctuary System, as long as the photographer is credited. These photos are not for sale and are not for commercial use unless prior permission is arranged.

Sanctuary Recreation

National marine sanctuaries provide an idyllic setting for a variety of recreational activities. This category celebrates the people who visit them.

sea turtle and divers
1st Place: Olivia Williamson. A scuba diver swims alongside a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
divers near a shipwreck
2nd Place: Keith C. Flood. Divers explore the Florida shipwreck at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Lake Huron. The steam ship sank under 200 feet of water after a collision in 1897, and can still be dived today.
woman and dog on beach at sunset
3rd Place: Anne Mary Schaefer. A woman and her dog enjoy a sunset stroll at Schooner Gulch Beach in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

All submitted photos

hiker on an island
A hiker enjoys the views of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary from Santa Cruz Island. Photo: Chuck Graham
kayaker
A kayer explores Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Chuck Graham
kayaker and dolphins
A kayaker meets a local dolphin at Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Chuck Graham
stand up paddleboarder
A stand up paddleboarder paddles towards Santa Rosa Island at Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Chuck Graham
diver swimming near coral
A diver explores the pristine reefs at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Scott Bauer
diver and amberjacks
A diver admires a school of beautiful amberjacks at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Scott Bauer
diver and amberjacks
A diver meets the local amberjacks at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Scott Bauer
diver and reeffish
A diver swims with the fish above the reef at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Scott Bauer
person fishing on a boat
Anglers find the perfect place to fish at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Sepp Haukebo
person fishing on a boat
Fishermen search for the perfect catch at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Sepp Haukebo
person fishing on a boat
Boaters enjoy excellent fishing at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Sepp Haukebo
person fly fishing on a boat
A fly fisher tries his luck at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: James MacMillan
diver photographing jellyfish
A diver gets up close to a Cassiopea jellyfish (Cassiopea xamachana) at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Tiffany Duong
snorkler over corals
A snorkeler swims over Orbicella faveolata, one of a variety of corals found at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Olivia Williamson
sailboat at sunset
Sunset sails with seabirds at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jessica Hogan
a canoe paddle in the water
A canoe paddle digs through the water at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jeff Moore
outrigger canoes under a rainbow
Outrigger canoes await adventure under a rainbow at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jeff Moore
freediver exploring caves
A freediver explores the coral caverns and underwater caves in the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
a freediver over coral
A freediver explores the coral caverns and underwater caves in the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
freediver exploring coral reef
A freediver explores the coral caverns and underwater caves in the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
freediver posing in front of corals
A freediver strikes a pose while exploring the underwater caves in the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
a freediver in a running pose
A freediver goes for a "run" in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
freediver exploring caves
A freediver explores the caves at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Crystal Dombrow
fisherman casting at sunset
A fisherman casts a net at sunset at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jeff Moore
freediver at the ocean surface
A freediver stretches among the local fish before descending into the depths at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
freediver over coral and sand
A freediver explores beneath the surface at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marina Kulakova
freediver among coral
A freediver explores incredible coral structures in the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Crystal Dombrow
a whale off to the side of an outrigger canoe and paddler
A curious adult humpback whale comes to the surface to check out an outrigger canoe at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jeff Moore
a whale off to the side of an outrigger canoe and paddler
Make way for the locals! A outrigger canoe paddler pauses to allow a mother humpback whale and her calf to pass at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Barbara Craig
outrigger canoes at sunset
Outrigger canoes set out at sunset at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Barbara Craig
sailboat at sunset
A sunset sail provides incredible views of Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Lisa Carpenter
people and a white shark in waves at a beach
Even white sharks enjoy the surf at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jim Bryan
dolphins swimming near boogieboarder
Friendly locals! A pod of bottlenose dolphins come up to say hello to a boogie boarder at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Robin Agarwal
diver over sand
A diver explores the depths of the sea at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Eric Wahl
bubbles rising near kelp
A diver's bubbles rise through the kelp during an exploration of the giant kelp forest at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Sabrina Wong
diving fins above the ocean surface
A diver shows off flippers near Cannery Row in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Eric Wahl
diver selfie in kelp
A diver weaves through the kelp forest at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Eric Wahl
diver in kelp forest
A diver explores the kelp forests at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Bruce Sudweeks
divers entering the water from a rocky beach
The perfect date idea! Follow these divers' lead and go exploring at Lovers Point at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Megan Crabtree
a diver flashing the okay sign at the water's surface at sunset
Enjoying a night dive at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Megan Crabtree
paddleboarder over a swarm of jellyfish
A paddleboarder pauses over a sea of jellyfish at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Bruce Sudweeks
paddleboarder over a jellyfish
A jellyfish comes up to greet a paddleboarder at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Bruce Sudweeks
photographer surfacing near a boat
An underwater photographer surfaces after capturing the beautiful sights at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Steve Peletz
snorkeler
The best way to see the wonders of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is to grab a snorkel and dive into the water like this adventurer! Photo: Eric Wahl
people exploring tide pools
When the tide rolls out, visitors from far and wide can come check out the tide pools at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Sierra Rose Garcia
a person investigating a tide pool
A man investigates as low tide exposes the inhabitants of the rocky tide pools at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Sierra Rose Garcia
diver, fish, and sand tiger shark
A diver meets one of the sand tiger sharks that guard the Atlas shipwreck near Monitor National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Bruce Sudweeks
person holding marine debris on a beach
A man helps collect debris during a beach cleanup event at Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Nancy Uziemblo
a person holding marine debris on a beach
A participant in a beach cleanup helps collect debris at Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Nancy Uziemblo
divers exploring shipwreck
Divers explore one of the many shipwrecks at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Norman sank after a collision in 1895 and now rests in 210 feet of water. Photo: Keith C. Flood
kayakers above a shipwreck
Kayakers paddle over the Portland shipwreck at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This 150-foot wooden schooner was carrying a load of salt when it ran aground in 1877, and today it sits under eight feet of water. Photo: Bryan Dort
stand up paddleboarder over shipwreck
A stand up paddleboarder hovers over history as she rests above the Joseph S. Fay shipwreck. The 216-foot wreck sits under 17 feet of water just off the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Bryan Dort
stand up paddleboarder over shipwreck
A stand up paddleboarder looks down at the historic Joseph S. Fay shipwreck at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The 216-foot wreck sits under 17 feet of water just off the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse. Photo: Bryan Dort
stand up paddleboarder over shipwreck
A stand up paddleboarder explores shipwrecks from above at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary at the wreck of Joseph S. Fay. Photo: Bryan Dort
stand up paddleboarder over shipwreck
A stand up paddleboarder explores the Joseph S. Fay shipwreck from above. The 216-foot wreck sits under 17 feet of water at Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, just off the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse. Photo: Bryan Dort

Please note that we may use any of the photos we received for this contest on our website, on social media, and in other NOAA and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation publications. We will provide credit to photographers whenever we use any of the photos. Organizations other than NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation may use photographs submitted in this contest to promote sustainable and responsible recreation in the National Marine Sanctuary System. These photos are not for sale and are not for commercial use unless prior permission is arranged.