Aqua Safaris Scuba Center

We'll be hosting the underwater cleanup on the Santa Cruz Wharf again this year. Come join us! Call the shop to get on the list.

Hidden deep within Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Sur Ridge is a vibrant underwater mountain covered in corals, sponges, and other marine life.🪸

For more than a decade, MBARI and sanctuary collaborators have built an unmatched inventory of life at Sur Ridge, tracking changes in coral growth, species interactions, and environmental conditions year after year. This continuity allows researchers to piece together the bigger story of how deep-sea coral communities grow, adapt, and respond to changes. Together, MBARI and NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries have established a persistent presence at this underwater oasis, revealing the vulnerability and remarkable resilience of life on the deep seafloor.

Learn how researchers are turning this biodiversity hotspot into a living laboratory for deep-sea conservation in our latest web story: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/2026/sur-ridges-living-laboratory.html

Photo: MBARI

A young harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) approaches a diver near the Hopkins Marine Station in Monterey, California. Seals are known for their curious and playful demeanor, but they can also easily become stressed with unexpected human interaction. Their presence typically indicates a healthy habitat, as they consume fish that are vulnerable to pollution, in turn regulating their populations.

See more Photos of the Day: https://on.natgeo.com/Hy3kIO

For more than 75 years, Dick Rutkowski has helped shape the future of diving, and at 95 years old, he's still inspiring generations 🌎

From pioneering nitrox research and advancing diver safety to training thousands of dive and hyperbaric professionals, Dick's impact on the underwater world is immeasurable.

Congratulations to the legendary Dick Rutkowski on receiving the Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences' NOGI Award for Distinguished Service. Thank you for helping make diving safer for us all.

Read the full article: http://padi.co/k1wz2j9r

✨ Interested in more articles like this? Join PADI Club for a free annual subscription of Scuba Diving Magazine!

Game changer! Scientists have developed a new method to monitor the health and recovery of sunflower sea stars, which have declined in recent years due to disease and marine heatwaves.

Normally, we use divers to monitor sea stars deep below the surface. The new rapid environmental DNA detection method is able to find tiny amounts of genetic material the sea stars shed. It can detect as few as a handful of copies of DNA in a liter of seawater! It’s also less expensive, more sensitive, and more efficient for rapid assessments than dive surveys, and helps us survey in areas difficult for divers to reach.

The once-abundant sunflower star is a key player in the ecosystem, helping keep sea urchin populations in check so kelp forests can thrive. Our Office of Habitat Conservation is funding partners who are rearing juvenile sea stars in laboratories, and conducting research into their genetics so we can spawn sea stars that are resistant to disease.

https://www.noaa.gov/stories/new-edna-tool-to-help-track-recovery-of-sunflower-sea-star-pacific-coast-apex-predator

Credit: NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory/Zachary Gold

Last summer, scientists discovered four sunflower stars (Pycnopodia helianthoides) in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary!

After the species suffered a massive die-off ten years ago as a result of sea star wasting disease, kelp forests were devastated. Active restoration efforts in partnership with Greater Farallones Association have been underway since then. Last summer, divers joined "Pycnopalooza," a large sea star search led by Sonoma State University, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, NOAA's Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, and Greater Farallones Association where they spotted 18 sunflower stars total!

Read the latest : https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/notes/2026/sunflower-star-sighting.html.

📸: Tyler Mears/GFA/NOAA