Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary photos

Chestnut cowrie with mantle extended.
Species: Chestnut cowrie, Date cowrie, Cypraea spadicea
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 01062  

Feather duster worm.
Species: Feather duster worm, Eudistylia polymorpha
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 02544  

Simnia and egg cluster on gorgonian.
Species: Simnia, Delonovolva aequalis
Location: Anacapa Island, California
Image ID: 02556  

Chestnut cowrie with mantle extended.
Species: Chestnut cowrie, Date cowrie, Cypraea spadicea
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 01035  

Anemone mouth.
Species: Aggregating anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima
Location: San Miguel Island, California
Image ID: 02484  

A cluster of vibrantly-colored strawberry anemones (club-tipped anemone, more correctly a corallimorph) polyps clings to the rocky reef.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 10168  

Kelp fronds showing pneumatocysts, bouyant gas-filled bubble-like structures which float the kelp plant off the ocean bottom toward the surface, where it will spread to form a roof-like canopy. Santa Barbara Island.
Species: Giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 10228  

Common dolphin at the edge of the ocean.
Species: Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Image ID: 27017  

Common dolphin leaping from the ocean.
Species: Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Image ID: 27018  

Water falling from a blue whale fluke as the whale dives to forage for food in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27023  

California sea lion, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23433  

A submarine cavern at Santa Barbara Island, underwater.
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23434  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23437  

California sea lion, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23440  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23442  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23447  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23450  

A cluster of vibrantly-colored strawberry anemones (club-tipped anemone, more correctly a corallimorph) polyps clings to the rocky reef.
Species: Strawberry anemone, Corynactis californica
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 10163  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23453  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23458  

A SCUBA diver enters a submarine cavern at Santa Barbara Island, underwater cave.
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23464  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23474  

California sea lion, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23475  

California sea lions, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23479  

California sea lion, underwater at Santa Barbara Island. Santa Barbara Island, 38 miles off the coast of southern California, is part of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park. It is home to a large population of sea lions.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23485  

A California sea lion, underwater inside a submarine cavern, at Santa Barbara Island.
Species: California sea lion, Zalophus californianus
Location: Santa Barbara Island, California
Image ID: 23486  

Blue whale fluke (tail) lifted high above the water as the whale dives in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Species: Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27020  

Scarring of this humpback whale's fluke allow researchers to identify this particular whale from season to season.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27027  

Perfect view of the ventral surface of a humpback whales fluke, as the whale raises its fluke just before diving underwater. The white patches and scalloping along the trailing edge of the fluke make this whale identifiable when it is observed from year to year.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27031  

Scarring of this humpback whale's fluke allow researchers to identify this particular whale from season to season.
Species: Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
Location: Santa Rosa Island, California
Image ID: 27039