The Monterey Bay Aquarium!

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has been a place that I have always wanted to visit but for some reason have never been able to visit. This all changed in June when I found myself staying with past scholar Brenna Mahoney in Santa Cruz, only a short drive away from Monterey. Having had the opportunity to meet the Monterey Bay Aquarium Diving Safety Officer, George Peterson, at last year’s American Academy of Underwater Sciences symposium, I sent him an email in early June to see if he might have some time to show me everything the aquarium had to offer. George responded immediately and within days I found myself driving down to Monterey loaded with dive gear and ready to finally check out the famed aquarium. I had a whirlwind day packed with diving the surrounding kelp forest, volunteering as a victim in a practice rescue, getting a behind-the-scenes tour of every exhibit, and jumping in the Kelp Forest exhibit for my first aquarium dives. George (DSO), Justin (Assistant DSO), and Scott (Assistant DSO) put me through a tutorial on the Guardian full face mask regulator and before I knew it I was finishing the day with my first ever full face mask dive! The entire experience was amazing and one I will never forget. I hope you enjoy the pictures and some movies posted by George!