Our Favorite Photos

a whale tail rises from the water — Water streams off the edge of a humpback whale’s tail in the sanctuary. Photo: NOAA (NOAA Fisheries Permit #14245)

Photographers, including staff, volunteers, and science partners, have captured amazing photographs of sanctuary scenes, species, habitats, and research. Here are some of our favorite photos.

Marine Mammals

a breaching whale flops on its back as birds fly away — This humpback whale appears to levitate as it makes a full body breach. Photo: David Wiley/NOAA (NOAA Research Permit #14245)

a breaching whale — No one knows definitely why humpback whales breach. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Research Permit #14245)

a breaching whale — A humpback whale leaps from the water with a massive breach. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Research Permit #14245)

a whale tail rises out of the water — The tail of one humpback frames the dorsal fin of a second whale. Photo: Jeremy Winn (NOAA Permit #775-1875)

a whale tail rises out of the water — Two humpback whales, including Pele (the whale whose tail is viewable), dive in the sanctuary. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Permit #775-1875)

a whale tail rises out of the water — The tail of one humpback frames the dorsal fin of a second whale. Photo: NOAA (NOAA Permit #14245)

a whale tail rises out of the water — The humpback whale’s tail creates a waterfall effect as it dives. Photo: Anne Smrcina/NOAA)

a whale's mouth rises out of the water with birds nearby' — Herring gulls try to pick off the sand lance that escape from the humpback’s mouth. Photo: Jeremy Winn (NOAA Permit #775-1875)

small fish fly out of the water as a whale raises its fin — The action of a humpback forces sand lance to leap from the feeding whale. Photo: Jeremy Winn (NOAA Fisheries Permit #605-1904)

a whale's mouth rises out of the water with a whale watchign boat in the background — Whale watch passengers observe a whale feeding nearby. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Fisheries Permit #775-1875)

a whale's mouth rises out of the water with a whale watchign boat in the background — The feeding humpback whale’s throat pleats expand as it takes a large mouthful of water and fish. Photo: Jeremy Winn (NOAA Fisheries Permit #605-1904)

a whale's tail rises out of the water — A humpback whale slaps the water with its tail. Photo: Jeremy Winn (NOAA Permit #775-1875)

birds land near a whale — Herring gull hitches a ride on a humpback whale’s head. Photo: WCNE/NOAA (NOAA Fisheries Permit #981-1707)

a whale bubble feeding — Researchers photograph a humpback whale bubble net from an airship. Photo: WHOI/NOAA (taken under NOAA Research Permit)

a whale breaches in the distance behind a small boat — Whale tagging researchers view the breach of a young humpback whale. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Fisheries Permit #14245)

a seal swimming — A harbor seal checks out the research vessel. Photo: Elliott Hazen

a dolphin leaps out of the water — An Atlantic white-sided dolphin leap in the open ocean. Photo: Elliott Hazen (NOAA Fisheries Permit #14245)

a whale just below the surface of the water — A fin whale glides through calm sanctuary waters. Photo: Ari Friedlaender (NOAA Fisheries Permit #14245)

a a breaching whale about to re-enter the water back first — A minke whale breaches in the sanctuary. Photo: Anne Smrcina/NOAA

a whale's mouth at the surface of the water' — A North Atlantic right whale skim feeds on zooplankton. Photo: NOAA (NOAA Fisheries Permit #633-1763-01)

Fishes and Birds

a bird seemingly running on the water's surface — Wilson’s storm petrel “walks” on the water. Photo: NOAA

a floats on water — Great shearwater sits on calm water. Photo: Ari Friedlaender

a bird with a fish in its mouth — Great Shearwater catches a sand lance. Photo: Elliott Hazen

a bird in flight — Northern gannet flies overhead. Photo: Peter Flood

a birdiving out of the air — Northern gannet plunges for food. Photo: Rob MacDonald

a cod in deep water — Atlantic cod congregate near a shipwreck. Photo: Doug Costa/SBNMS

a fish hides in a pipe — Cusk hides in a steam vent pipe on the Portland shipwreck. Photo: NOAA and UConn

divers swim near mola mola — Shorthorn sculpin, northern red anemone, spiny sunstar and blood star sit on the sandy seafloor. Photo: Ben Haskell/NOAA

a fish hides in a pipe — Ocean sunfish swims near sanctuary divers. Photo: NOAA

a fish attempting to hide — Wolffish rests in its den. Photo: Matthew Lawrence/NOAA

close up of a fish — Wolffish turns towards the camera. Photo: Peter Auster/UConn

A fish lies flat on the seafloor — Goosefish studies potential threats. Photo: Mark Dixon/NOAA

a fish camouflaged in sand — Goosefish encounters a North Atlantic octopus. Photo: Peter Auster/UConn

Surface Scenes and Research

people fishing from a boat, seen from below the surface of the water — Recreational fishing is a popular activity in the sanctuary. Photo: Matt McIntosh/NOAA

crew in orange vests work to launch an rov — A remotely operated vehicle is deployed from a research vessel to get close-up views of sanctuary shipwrecks and seafloor. Photo: Anne Smrcina/NOAA

A sunrise over the ocean — The sunrise breaks over the water as a research vessel heads to the sanctuary. Photo: Dann Blackwood/USGS

a sunset over the ocean — At the close of the day, the sanctuary’s waters and sky field a palette of colors. Photo: Anne Smrcina/NOAA

A sunset over the ocean — The sky blazes with rich reds during a sunset over the sanctuary. Photo: Anne Smrcina/NOAA

a sunset over the ocean — A blazing sun is soon to be obscured by the land as researchers look west from the sanctuary. Photo: Ari Friedlaender

Just Invertebrates

fish swim in front of a reef — Cunner swims by an invertebrate-covered shipwreck. Photo: NOAA

a fish hides in a shipwreck — Atlantic cod shelter under part of the Paul Palmer wreck. Photo: NOAA

bright pink cerianthids — Northern cerianthids and an Acadian hermit crab populate a muddy basin habitat. Photo: UConn and SBNMS

Shrimp surround an anemone — Shrimp find shelter under a Bolocera anemone. Photo: USGS

A red starfish — A badge star and a crinoid cling to a boulder. Photo: Peter Auster/SHRMP/UConn

an anemone — Shrimp swim near anemones on a boulder reef. Photo: Peter Auster/SHRMP/UConn

An anemone with a lobster closeby — A northern red anemone clings to a boulder under which an American lobster hides. Photo: USGS

anemone, finger sponge, and sea cucumber on the seafloor — A Bolocera anemone, finger sponge, and sea cucumber sit on a boulder. Photo: Peter Auster/UConn

A pink heart shaped sponge — A Boltenia tunicate appear flower-like in the Sponge Forest. Photo: Matthew Lawrence/NOAA

A fan worm, solitary hydroids, sea vases, and the arms of a brittle star demonstrate ocean diversity — A fan worm, solitary hydroids, sea vases, and the arms of a brittle star demonstrate ocean diversity. Photo: Peter Auster/UConn

a lobster with large claws partially hidden in its den — A large American lobster peers out of its den. Photo: Doug Costa/NOAA

a large pink anemone next to a shrimp — A pom pom anemone dwarfs a Dichelopandalus leptocerus shrimp. Photo: Peter Auster/UConn

a sea scallop tucked among rocks — The sea scallop is a favored commercial catch in the sanctuary. Photo: USGS

a small see through creature in dark water — The naked sea butterfly is an otherworldly and beautiful form of zooplankton. Photo: Jeff Hannigan

a pink spiky creature on the seafloor — The sea pen, related to corals and anemones, is an uncommon sight in the sanctuary. Photo: USGS

a pink sea star — Smooth sunstars, also called northern or purple sunstars, have many arms, (usually 9-10), and can appear in different colors. Photo: USGS

a sea star on the side of a rock — The spiny sunstar has a spiny upper surface, concentric bands around its body and can have up to 14 arms. Photo: Matthew Lawrence/NOAA

a small squid swims on the seafloor next to a small sea star — A longfin squid sits on the sanctuary seafloor near a blood star, which can be found in varying colors. Photo: USGS