Our World – Underwater Scholarship Society in North America

“The contrast between places I visited like Dry Tortugas, Kalaupapa, and Isle Royale to a big city like Washington, DC is stark and dramatic. My appreciation for isolation and untouched natural beauty has definitely increased over the past few months.”

“The Law Enforcement division at Delaware Water Gap differs from other parks I’ve been to this summer because some of their rangers also work as park divers. These rangers are trained to retrieve lost bodies with the use of scuba.”

To make my way to my next destination, Isle Royale, I met Susanna Pershern from the Submerged Resources Center (SRC) at the St. Croix National Scenic River headquarters in Wisconsin. We drove to her brother’s house to meet with Brett Seymour and Tara Van Niekerk who pulled the trailer full of gear from the SRC headquarters in [...]

“…the color of the water surprised me-it looked like cloudy iced tea! The orange hue of the water comes from tannins that are leeched from the leaves that fall from the trees as they biodegrade in the water…”

…I got an unexpected opportunity to take a two hour helicopter ride over Everglades National Park…

…When we went out on the boat, I was amazed at the clarity of the water but also by how shallow it was. It made me understand why there were so many shipwrecks here when we had to slow down in our little boat in certain areas so we didn’t hit the bottom. Also, it stayed shallow for miles offshore…

…I explored the whole island, swimming in Cinnamon Bay and then hiking down to the salt ponds after driving over to the East End. During the drive I pulled off on some overlooks to see some of the most beautiful, serene white sand beaches with the clearest turquoise water I have ever seen in my life…

“Let’s dive us up a shipwreck!” My time in Dry Tortugas seemed to fly by. My days consisted of diving, eating, doing chores, and sleeping. To start it off, I stayed up until 4:00 am packing my bags in California then I drove to the airport for a long flight to Florida. Upon arrival, I [...]

Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park was established in 1978 and preserves the coastal sections of two ahupu’a or traditional land divisions of Kaloko and Honokohau. This area of land extends from the upper slopes of the volcano down to the coast and out into the ocean. It includes the Kaloko fishpond, which was constructed with lava rock and is an excellent example of traditional aquaculture as fish were raised in the pond to sustain the population. Most of our dive sites were located in Honokohau Bay or just outside of Kaloko fishpond.

When I first arrived at Kalaupapa National Historical Park, I was greeted warmly and instantly felt a part of the small community. Shortly after I flew in, I was invited to play volleyball with several of the people in the town so I happily joined the game. The kindness and friendliness of the people in [...]