Exploring Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

By Guest Author Dive Locations Jun 14, 2016

For more than 40 years, national marine sanctuaries have worked to protect special places in America’s oceans and Great Lakes waters, from the Hawaiian Islands to the Florida Keys, from Lake Huron to American Samoa. Backed by one of the nation’s strongest pieces of ocean-conservation legislation, the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the sanctuaries seek to preserve the extraordinary beauty, biodiversity, historical connections and economic productivity of our most precious underwater treasures. And — lucky for you — most of these places are accessible to recreational divers. Sanctuary waters are filled with unique ecosystems, harboring a spectacular array of plants, animals and historical artifacts, all waiting to be explored. National marine sanctuaries belong to everyone, so dive in.

Bottom-dwelling fish like this kelp greenling are commonly found throughout the sanctuary’s diverse habitats. This female has found a safe resting spot among dozens of small orange cup corals. (Photo credit: NOAA)

Of the 309 species of fish that call Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary home, 34 of them are species of rockfish. These can be found in almost every type of underwater environment here, including rocky reefs, kelp forests and submarine canyons. (Photo credit: Janna Nichols)

When diving in the kelp-forest ecosystem off Washington’s northwest coast, you may find yourself surrounded by large schools of fish, foraging for plankton and other, smaller fish. You’ll all sway together in the waves that pass through this nearshore habitat. (Photo credit: NOAA)

Brightly-colored sea stars attach to bull kelp and hard substrates like rocky reefs using suction-cup-like tube feet. This helps prevent them from getting tossed around by waves and currents. (Photo credit: Janna Nichols)

In addition to giant kelp, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is home to a wide variety of algae, including this iridescent, blue algae, which can be seen attached to rocky surfaces. (Photo credit: Mike Kesl)

Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

Beneath the cool, temperate waters off Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula lie thriving habitats, home to a diverse array of marine organisms. Sea otters hunt sea urchins hidden within gently swaying stalks of kelp; sea stars nestle into rocky reef crevices; and large schools of fish patrol the open water.

Protecting nearly 2,500 square nautical miles of ocean, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is home to one of North America’s most productive ocean ecosystems. Habitats like kelp forests, rocky reefs, open ocean and submarine canyons support over 300 species of fish, 100 species of seabirds, 29 species of marine mammals and an abundance of invertebrates. This region’s rich annual upwelling results in plankton blooms that support populations of orcas, sea lions, albatross, jellyfish, rockfish, sponges, corals and more.

The sanctuary hugs 135 miles of some of the most spectacular undeveloped coastline in the United States, 65 miles of which overlap with the wilderness beaches of Olympic National Park. This remote and rugged coastline is well-known for large, crashing waves throughout most of the year.

While the underwater ecosystems of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary are incredible to explore, only expert divers with advanced skills and exposed, open-water experience should attempt to slip beneath the surface. The area’s extreme weather and ocean conditions, in addition to its remote isolation, can make it a dangerous destination without adequate preparation. Diving with a local dive charter operation can help ensure your safety while diving.

In addition to being absolutely adorable, sea otters are a critical keystone species in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, helping maintain the balance of kelp forest ecosystems. In the early 1900s, sea otters were extinct from the Washington State coastline, but after a few dozen were introduced in 1969 and 1970, sea otters in Washington have made a tremendous comeback. Now, more than 1,000 otters can be found along the coastline. (Photo credit: NOAA)

Discover a variety of fish and invertebrate species at every turn in the rocky reef when you immerse yourself in this dynamic and exciting underwater world. (Photo credit: Janna Nichols)

Winter storms and large, crashing waves contribute to the uniquely rugged beauty of the Olympic Coast landscape. Even in the sunny summer, waves come from the north and northwest, making pounding surf a nearly year-round occurrence. (Photo credit: NOAA)

Sea lions are one of the 29 species of marine mammals found within sanctuary boundaries. Sedimentary rock formations that reach above the water’s surface provide crucial habitat for these pinnipeds. (Photo credit: NOAA)

Diving with an experienced local dive charter operation will ensure your safety in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. While most of the area’s dive sites, like this one, are uniquely beautiful, rocks and waves can prove to be dangerous. (Photo credit: NOAA)

Discover colorful invertebrates like sea urchins tucked in every nook and cranny of Olympic Coast’s rocky reef habitats. Also found in kelp forest habitats, sea urchins are a main food source for sea otters. (Photo credit: Janna Nichols)

If you’re looking to explore the sanctuary’s marine habitats without diving, tide pools along Olympic Coast’s shoreline are easily accessible from shore, and are ideal places to see marine life like sea stars, anemones and hermit crabs. Enjoy the diversity of life in the tide pools with the whole family when you visit during low tide, always making sure to follow good tide pool etiquette.

When diving, help ensure the safety of the marine life by streamlining your equipment as much as possible, and do not touch or remove any wildlife. In this way we can all help preserve this ecologically important and biologically diverse ocean region.

Experience the wonders of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and other national marine sanctuaries via our photos, and see more here.