Get Into Your Sanctuary

A red and white scuba diving flag is attached to a boat with a yellow weather buoy floating on the ocean surface. — Get Into Your Sanctuary encourages our communities to find ways to explore their sanctuary. Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary offers virtual and in-person activities. Photo: Alison Soss/NOAA

Each summer, Gray's Reef joins the National Marine Sanctuary System in celebrating Get Into Your Sanctuary events to help you make the most of your national marine sanctuaries and protected waters.

#ILoveMySanctuary

Ongoing Activities

Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest

In celebration of national Get Into Your Sanctuary activities, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries holds a photo contest annually from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.

Winning photos will be featured in next year's Earth Is Blue Magazine and on the Earth Is Blue social media campaign.

Collect Badges for your virtual Get Into Your Sanctuary

In collaboration with the National Park Trust and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, you can earn badges for your virtual Get Into Your Sanctuary visit and/or for outdoor recreational activities completed throughout the National Marine Sanctuary System.

2021 - Get Your Fish on—Tour the Best Fishing Practices Guide of Gray's Reef

2020 - Discover Fishing and Diving at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Dive into the Recreational Opportunities at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Discover Recreation Fishing and Diving at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary!

2019 - Rendezvous with the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster

Two people talk to each other on a boat on the ocean. — Sanctuary scientists meet with recreational divers describing some of the research happening on the annual *Nancy Foster expedition*. Photo: NOAA

Gray's Reef worked with a local dive shop and boat charter to share the wonders of the sanctuary. On Friday of Get Into Your Sanctuary weekend, Gray's Reef staff visited Southern Dive Center in Statesboro, Georgia introducing divers to the sanctuary and taking them on virtual dives with 360° photo and video.

On Saturday, Latitude 31 Dive Company brought six divers to the sanctuary for a rendezvous with the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster learning more about the scientific research conducted in the sanctuary.