Happy 45th anniversary to Monitor National Marine Sanctuary! 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂
This iconic place was the first national marine sanctuary ever designated. It protects the historic shipwreck of the Civil War era USS Monitor, and its designation highlighted on the importance of conserving the biodiversity, ecological integrity, and cultural legacy of special marine areas across the country. Happy birthday, Monitor!
(Photo: NOAA)
[Image description: A diver over the wreck of Monitor, which is encrusted by marine invertebrates.]











