2020 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 Views

See the beauty of the National Marine Sanctuary System through visitors' eyes.

**1st Place: Jon Anderson.** Sunbeams penetrate the canopy of a kelp forest in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as blue rockfish (*Sebastes mystinus*) congregate beneath.

a rocky beach — **2nd Place: Steve Zmak.** The sun sets on another beautiful day at Limekiln State Park in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

View from a kayak under an arch — **3rd place: Dustin Harris.** A kayaker glides through a sea arch in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

Back to category winners

All submitted photos

Gull flying over pier — Gull flying over the Capitola Pier in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

Clouds rolling over ocean and cliffsides — Condor's view of a Sunset, Big Sur Coast in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Steve Zmak

Anemone on rocks — Anemones and invertebrate life paint a bustling rocky reef at Point Joe with strokes of vibrance in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Photo: Jon Anderson

Ocean cove from above — “This is arguably the most photographed location along the Big Sur Coast in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, but the red Dudleya makes it unique with McWay Falls in the background.” Photo: Chuck Graham

Wharf from afar — Capitola Beach and Wharf in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

Starry sky over pier — Comet NEOWISE hangs among the stars over Prisoner’s Harbor, Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dustin Harris

Surf coming in — Beach with other islands in view, Santa Cruz, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jenna Biggs

Shoreline with cliffside mountains in the background — Erosion on the cliffside, Santa Cruz, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jenna Biggs

Foggy cliffs on the ocean — Foggy cliffs, Santa Cruz, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jenna Biggs

Rocky coastline — Rocky Coastline, Santa Cruz, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jenna Biggs

Fort Jefferson moat from above, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jenna Biggs

Sunset with person in foreground taking a photo — At the end of a fun-filled winter's day on Santa Cruz Island, we head home through Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, crossing the Santa Barbara Channel as the sun sets into the Pacific.” Photo: Judy Willens

Sunset with mountains in the background — At the end of a fun-filled winter's day on Santa Cruz Island, we head home through Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, crossing the Santa Barbara Channel as the sun sets into the Pacific.” Photo: Judy Willens

Sunset over mountains — At the end of a fun-filled winter's day on Santa Cruz Island, we head home through Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, crossing the Santa Barbara Channel as the sun sets into the Pacific.” Photo: Judy Willens

Barracuda — Seascape at French Reef in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with great barracuda (*Sphyraena barracuda*), snappers, grunts, and yellow goatfish (*Mulloidichthys martinicus*). Photo: Daryl Duda

French angelfish (*Pomacanthus paru*) at the Tower at Elbow Reef in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Daryl Duda

fish in front of a wreck — Doctorfish tang (*Acanthurus chirurgus*) with snappers and grunts at Mike's Wreck at Elbow Reef in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Daryl Duda

School of fish — Seascape at Elbow Reef in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with snappers and grunts. Photo: Daryl Duda

Boats onshore infront of the golden gate bridge — Fort Baker to the Golden Gate in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

sunset over the ocean from a tree covered area. — Makena Bay sunset near Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Tom Ayers

Palm trees in front of a sunset on the ocean — Maluake Bay sunset near Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Tom Ayers

Palm tree on a shoreline — Puako Petroglyph Park near Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Tom Ayers

Stairs leading to water — Steps created for scuba divers, leading down to the sanctuary waters to begin a dive trip in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Kate Berg

Two dive flags in water — Dive flags in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary waters to protect divers from boats. Photo: Kate Berg

Stairs leading down to water — Steps created for scuba divers, leading down to the sanctuary waters to begin a dive trip in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Kate Berg

Wreck covered in mussels — The ghostly and beautiful *Grecian* Shipwreck (approximately 80' feet deep), almost exactly 114 years after it sunk in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Kate Berg

Red flowers in front of a beach — Mara Beach, Carmel-By-The-Sea near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

Person on a cliff overlooking ocean — Breathtaking California Coast near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

Sailboat surrounded by birds — Huge flock of sooty shearwaters (*Ardenna grisea*) visiting the Capitola Wharf in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Geoff Kershner

Pier surrounded by birds — Huge flock of sooty shearwaters (*Ardenna grisea*)visiting the Capitola Wharf in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Geoff Kershner

Seastar in a tidepool — Tide pools at Carmel Bay in the Monterey National Marine Sanctuary. “We took a walk on the beach at Carmel and were fortunate that this ochre sea star (*Pisaster ochraceus*) was hanging out in one of the tide pools.” Photo: Douglas Croft

Shipwreck is the *L.M. Mason* at Presque Isle in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marc Hoeksema

Footsteps in the sand — Marina Footprints near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Lisa Carpenter

sunset over the ocean — Marina Sunset near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Lisa Carpenter

Tidepool — Tide pool in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dennis Segers

Light streaming through an arch on the beach — Pfiefer Beach near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Jerry Loomis

Water over rocks on ocean sunset — Point Lobos Sunset near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dennis Segers

Sunset over ocean edge — Point Lobos Sunset near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dennis Segers

Cliffside overlooking ocean — Poppy Strewn Cliffs over Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

Coastline — Seaside Beach on a Sunday morning in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Parsons

Tide pools infront of an orange sunset — Stewarts Cove near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dennis Segers

Ocean water over rocky shore — Waters of Carmel Point near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dennis Segers

waves crashing near rocky shore — Waves at Soberanes Point near Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Dennis Segers

Wreck from above — A wreck lays still in Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Kate Sutter

Colorful sunset on a beach — Low tide sunset at Third Beach/Hoh/Quileute Tribal Land in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Justine Yglesias

colorful sunset on beach — Low tide sunset at Third Beach/Hoh/Quileute Tribal Land in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Justine Yglesias

Silhouette of person on beach at sunset — "I'm Listening:" enjoying the golden hour at the end of a great backpacking day. Point Reyes National Seashore, California in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Christina Ford

Baleen chunck on the beach — A hunk of baleen from a whale washed up on the beach at Scorpion Anchorage near sunset on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Chuck Graham

Reef and corals — A variety of life bursts out on this tiny rock reef in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, with all different colors, textures, and biological purposes. Photo: Tiffany Duong

Ocean from an airplane — “One of my favorite ways to take in the immense beauty of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is from the air. Here is an aerial view of the sanctuary surrounding the 7-mile bridge in Marathon, taken from a historic Ford Tri-Motor airplane.” Photo: Tiffany Duong

Photo mosaic of shipwreck — Shipwreck is the *L.M. Mason* at Presque Isle in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: Marc Hoeksema

Rainbow over beach with person looking out — “I shot this from Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island, the largest isle in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. This image looks to the east toward Chinese Harbor, Coche Point and Potato Harbor, one the most biodiverse islands off California.” Photo: Chuck Graham

Kayak on the shore — “My kayak at East Point on Santa Rosa Island pointed toward the west end of neighboring Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. The Santa Cruz Passage, one of the most dangerous passages in the world is all that stood in the way of another channel crossing. I shot this near sunset, while reveling in another circumnavigation of the archipelago.” Photo: Chuck Graham

Elephant seals in a narrow leading to the ocean — “I shot these wallowing northern elephant seals (*Mirounga angustirostris*) at the bottom of a spring in Nidever Canyon on San Miguel Island, the most northwest isle in Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Scenic Cuyler Harbor is in the background.” Photo: Chuck Graham

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.