109-Year-Old Shipwreck George E. Billings: Play Now | Download (131)
Did you know that hundreds of historic ships and aircraft lie beneath the waves off of California’s coast? We talked with Bob Schwemmer, a NOAA maritime archaeologist, whose job is to explore and document shipwrecks like the wreck of a 109-year-old schooner discovered on the ocean floor. The George E. Billings once hauled timber in the early 1900s from the West Coast to Hawaii and Latin America. Bob tells us how it was found last year after two decades of searching in NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. And there’s more to the story!
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center is a state-of-the-art facility designed to foster stewardship of the region’s marine ecosystem. Just steps from the ocean, the two-story, 12,387 square-foot center, located in Santa Cruz’ famed beach area, functions as the sanctuary’s premier interpretive facility. Our guest, Lisa Uttal, Sanctuary Exploration Center Interim Director, describes how interactive exhibits connect people with the water, geology, ecosystems, and the extraordinary diversity of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Exhibits include the Exploration Theater, a walk through a kelp forest, intertidal touchpool, open-ocean mini-theater and a replica deep-sea canyon with a remotely operated vehicle.
America's Cup Healthy Ocean Project: Play Now | Download (260)
Excitement is building as America’s Cup comes to San Francisco in 2012 and 2013. Your Thank You Ocean campaign is proud to support the Healthy Ocean Project, “the embodiment of the America’s Cup commitment to leave a positive social and environmental legacy.” Our guest is Jill McCarthy, Head of Partnerships, who explains how AC Healthy Ocean Project embraces the direct connection between sailing and the ocean. Partnering with leading ocean conservation organizations, AC Healthy Ocean Project focuses on three areas that align with Thank You Ocean: marine protected areas, life choices for sustainable seas and reducing the amount of single use plastic that ends up in the ocean. (Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget)
California Coast: Whale World! (Part II): Play Now | Download (308)
It’s a spectacular year for whale sightings off the California Coast, with blue whales and humpbacks in abundance. Why are they here in such large numbers, and how can we best experience them? We continue our discussion with Mary Jane Schramm, media and public outreach specialist for Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Find out what we can do to help whales survive—and thrive—for future generations of avid whale watchers.
One of the best shows of summer can be found right off the California coast with an abundance of whales visiting our shores. Mary Jane Schramm is co-author of the book “West Coast Whale Watching” and is media and public outreach specialist for Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Find out about California’s whales, what brings them close to shore, and how you can be a good “whale watcher.”
Celebrate the Ocean on World Oceans Day: Play Now | Download (353)
World Oceans Day is our planet’s biggest celebration of the ocean, held every June 8. Our guest Bill Mott, Executive Director of The Ocean Project, talks about World Oceans Day 2012 with the theme “Youth: the Next Wave for Change.” This year, The Ocean Project is partnering with Dr. Seuss and NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Learn about World Oceans Day events, resources and information.
Enjoy-But Do Not Disturb-Coastal Wildlife: Play Now | Download (1334)
While we enjoy observing coastal wildlife, it’s important to avoid disturbing them. Our guest Mary Jane Schramm, Media and Public Outreach Specialist with the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, says failing to be respectful and cautious when encountering harbor seals can have dire impacts on their population. (Photo courtesy of Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Photo Library)
America’s ocean treasures are right off our coasts! National marine sanctuaries are special ocean places that have a unique ability to touch people. Thirteen national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument make up the National Marine Sanctuary System. Four are in California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay and Channel Islands national marine sanctuaries. Dan Basta, Director of the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, talks about how “America’s ocean treasures” help people change how they think about our ocean and create a “community of the committed.”
California King Tides Initiative: Glimpses into the Future of Rising Sea Levels: Play Now | Download (729)
King Tides are the highest predicted high tides of the year. Combined with winter storm events, these high water levels can show us how rising sea levels due to climate change might impact our communities in the future. The California King Tides Initiative is inviting the public to shoot (from a safe distance) and share photos online using social media to build a living record of current and future coastal areas vulnerable to inundation. Marina Psaros from the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve discusses how these photographs help us visualize the future impacts from sea level rise in your local community and all along the California coastline.
Ocean for Life brings together students of diverse cultures and backgrounds to discover marine science, conservation, and how the ocean connects us all. NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries provide the optimal setting for this unique opportunity to enhance cross-cultural relationships, while creating a stewardship ethic for the ocean and the universal human experience.
