#graysreef

[noaasanctuaries]

Are your spider senses tingling?

Perched carefully on the spines of an urchin, this yellowline arrow crab is one of many crustaceans that make their home in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Found in the Atlantic from North Carolina to Brazil, these little, spidery crabs inhabit coral and rocky reefs, where they scavenge on small invertebrates.

📸: Greg McFall/NOAA

[noaasanctuaries]

National Volunteer Month Feature: Lee Martinez

Gray’s Reef Ocean Discovery Greeter

"I'm a greeter at the Ocean Discovery Center, meaning I welcome visitors and introduce them to the Sanctuary and our programs. This is by far the coolest 'job' I've ever had -- not only has it given me a new appreciation for the interdependence of our local waters and daily life here in the city, but it's also inspiring to learn how personal changes can make a positive impact, and how to spot those effects as they happen in the wild." -Lee Martinez

Thank you for all the work you do, Lee! Find out how you can get involved at NOAA Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary by visiting

Gray's Reef is part of the community. People are our number one resource to conserve and protect Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Find

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An open water diver’s paradise 😍

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is one of the most popular spots off the Georgia coast for experienced diving. Encompassing one of the largest “live-bottom” reefs in the southeastern United States, Gray’s Reef is teeming with marine life - from the loggerhead turtles that rest at the reef, to the more than 200 fish species identified by scientists. Additionally, sea stars, octopuses, crabs, lobsters, soft corals, sharks, whelks, dolphins and thousands of other animals live among the ledges and slopes of Gray’s Reef. Looking for the perfect place for an open water dive trip? This is the perfect opportunity to Get Into Your Sanctuary this summer.

Learn more about diving in Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary:

Diving, Visiting, Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Get Into Your Sanctuary this summer:

These events are held annually during the first week of August. Join us during the week of August 2-8, 2021 for a variety of activities acro

Wildlife Viewing Guidelines:

[noaasanctuaries]

Learn about the species featured on #NationalMarineSanctuariesStamps by playing #TwoTruthsTuesday!

Do you know which of these three statements isn't true about Atlantic sea nettles found in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary? Let us know in the comments!

1. Atlantic sea nettles only eat zooplankton.

2. Atlantic sea nettles have stinging tentacles that can grow up to 20 inches long.

3. Atlantic sea nettles have very few predators.

Learn more about #NationalMarineSanctuariesStamps:

Introducing National Marine Sanctuaries Forever® Stamps

The US Postal Service and NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries are excited to announce the release of the National Marine Sanctuarie

Image credit: Michael Durham

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Wormholes aren’t just in science fiction! This feather duster worm may not be able to distort space-time, but did you know this invertebrate can collapse into a thick, protective tube made of sediment particles, and mucus? The ornate feathers of this worm’s head emerge to comb through the ocean water of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary in search of food (tiny plankton).

Image Description: A white feather duster worm with feather-like radioles fanned out in the waters of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Brilliant white, feathers protrude from its head to collect plankton. Photo Credit: Greg McFall/NOAA

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Have a great STARt to your weekend from all of us at NOAA Sanctuaries ⭐️

Invertebrates may lack a spine, but they are the backbone of ocean communities along the coasts of the southeast U.S. Sea stars are an important part of the live-bottom habitat at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

Photo: Greg McFall/NOAA

[noaasanctuaries]

Ready, set, time to get wet! It's World Wetlands Day!

Wetlands, such as swamps, marshes, and mangrove forests, provide a buffer to America's coasts and clean the water that flows through them. They also provide important habitat that supports biodiversity, and can protect communities from extreme weather events. Here, educators from the Atlanta metro area are following Georgia's rivers and streams that lead to Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary as part of the annual "Rivers to Reefs" workshop.

Photo Credit: Gail Krueger/NOAA Description: 10 adults wade through an Atlanta waterway for a sanctuary activity.

[noaasanctuaries]

🎉Check out the latest poster in our 50th Anniversary Save Spectacular poster series!

Our new poster features Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, located off the coast of Georgia. The reef’s scattered rocky outcroppings and ledges provide a home for an abundance of marine life, which form a dense carpet of living creatures called a “live bottom." This poster highlights the true beauty and importance of the waters surrounding Gray's Reef.

Take a look for yourself, and download the poster today: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/50/

(Illustration by Matt McIntosh/NOAA. Image description: Gray’s Reef is a marine oasis. On the surface, recreational anglers try for grouper, sea bass, and snapper, while a northern gannet flies overhead, and a NOAA weather buoy collects data. Beneath the waves, divers share the waters with a host of colorful tunicates, sponges, soft corals, and other residents of the live-bottom reef, like a loggerhead sea turtle, octopuses, nurse sharks, schools of spadefish, jellyfish, and North Atlantic right whales. BACKSIDE: Map showing the location and boundaries of Gray's Reef national Marine sanctuary. This side also includes a number of fun and fascinating facts about the imagery seen on the front side)