This is a collection of images used on the sanctuary's social media pages, that are not otherwise represented on our website. You'll find photos from events, behind-the-scenes activities, special days, memes, and more.
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In October 2024, the MDBC Restoration team offered several live stream opportunities for the public to learn about their work.
Bob's recovery is complete! Our team successfully recovered the cable, instruments, and float that was still attached to the bottom at East Flower Garden Bank. Without the Sofar spotter buoy, Bob, attached to the cabling, no data was being collected. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/NOAA)
Three mooring buoys were installed by sanctuary divers who worked in teams to assess the condition of existing u-bolts on the reef, then attach new mooring lines and buoys. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/NOAA)
Good morning from East Flower Garden Bank! The goal for this trip is to replace mooring lines and buoys that are missing. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/NOAA)
Getting ready for a second week of mooring buoy installations. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/NOAA)
Another successful mission in the books! Over four days, the dive team installed three new moorings, completed four closed-circuit rebreather dives, tagged six fish, and swapped out a soundtrap. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Divers working on the bottom at Stetson Bank were able to send signals to the topside crew by tugging on lines a certain number of times and raising surface buoy markers. A "magic slate" was also useful. It took lots of planning to make sure everyone was fluent in "moorings code." (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Drilling new mooring sites requires a lot of weighty gear that needs to be delivered to the bottom, and it's important that we do it safely. Rather than have the divers carry heavy loads, our team rigged a series of lines that could be used to slide gear from the boat to the mooring site and back again. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Bob is back! In a true Homeward Bound-style saga, Bob the spotter buoy roamed around the Gulf in a counterclockwise loop, starting at East Flower Garden Bank and eventually returned to the sanctuary. When the sanctuary team realized Bob was within reach of their mooring buoy operations at Stetson Bank, they made a late night trek to the buoy's last known location near West Flower Garden Bank. Within 20 minutes of spotting Bob's light blinking off the starboard bow, Bob was hauled on board to the cheers of the Bob Squad. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Our dive team was busy drilling new mooring locations at Stetson Bank in September 2024. Each mooring required multiple dives to drill the holes, set the u-bolt in place, and fill the holes with cement. On this trip they drilled and cemented new moorings for Stetson Buoys #1, #2, and #3. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Our dive team loaded up to head offshore Sunday night to install new moorings and mooring buoys at Stetson Bank. You wouldn't believe the amount of equipment they had to pack! It took five vehicles to transport everything and everyone to the boat. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Bob Update: Bob appears to be looping back around toward the sanctuary. As of 11 a.m. September 16, 2024, he was southwest of Geyer Bank, heading more or less toward Bright Bank. Will he loop all the way back to East Flower Garden Bank where he started? Hard to say, but we're happy he's heading toward the sanctuary where it's more likely someone will spot and retrieve him.
Meet our Staff!
Marissa Nuttall is the new Research Ecologist for the sanctuary although she has been part of the research team for 17 years! In her new role, she will be leading a mesophotic monitoring and fish tracking projects, and assisting with the site resource protection and permitting activities. She is also the FGBNMS unit diving supervisor. (Photo Credit: NOAA)
Sanctuary research divers Ryan and Donavon flew across the country to aid Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in the recovery of moored water quality and acoustic instrumentation. Diving in a different sanctuary brings unique opportunities and challenges. (Photo Credit: Ryan Hannum/NOAA; Kathy Hough/NOAA)
Help us find Bob!
Our Sofar spotter buoy, Bob, floated away from East Flower Garden Bank on September 11, 2024 during Hurricane Francine. The sanctuary sent out a plea for folks to keep an eye out for the buoy and return it to us if found. (Photo Credit: Ryan Hannum/NOAA)
TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More
Here at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, we swap ideas with research partners, community members, across NOAA and with other agencies and organizations to better understand this special place. #NationalSwapIdeasDay (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/NOAA)
Things are cooling down on the reef! The Sofar spotter buoy deployed at East Flower Garden Bank recorded a decline in temperature at the ocean surface (Sensor 1, darker blue) and reef crest (Sensor 2, light blue) from the end of August into September 2024. This is a great reprieve for FGBNMS corals that were experiencing high temperatures this summer. High temperatures can stress corals and cause bleaching.
Had enough of the rain? Here's a little sunshine for your weekend. And, yes, they are actually called sunshinefish! (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/NOAA)
Lionfish Dissection Day (September 3, 2024) at the sanctuary office. The lionfish we dissected came from depths of 62-74 meters at Elvers Bank and Rezak Bank in July and August of 2024. This was the first time analyzing fish from these depths, so we did more than just look at their weight, size, and gut contents. We also took samples for mercury testing, ciguatera testing, and genetic analysis. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
Simple ways to protect the reef. Very cutesy, very mindful, very considerate.
Happy National Dog Day from our sanctuary dogs to yours! These playful canines are there to greet our human staff members at the end of a long work day. (Photo Credit: NOAA)
Due to an overwhelming response and limited spots, we had to close registration for the Explore the Deep try scuba event being held on August 25, 2024. (Photo Credit: Texas Scuba Adventures; Sasha Francis/MDBC; Kelly Drinnen/NOAA)
How do divers communicate? They use speech bubbles!
What are your favorite ocean jokes? #TellAJokeDay (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/NOAA)
We take Seabirds on a boat, leave them underwater for a while and then come collect them later on. You read that correctly. Seabird water quality instruments are installed near the reef at East Flower Garden Bank, West Flower Garden Bank, and Stetson Bank, about 70-80 feet underwater, attached to old railway wheels on the seafloor for stability. The sensors collect salinity, turbidity, temperature and sometimes dissolved oxygen. Once a Seabird is collected, data is downloaded and processed to help us better understand what is happening on the reef. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/NOAA)
Learn more about the SATFADS expedition that took place in and around Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in Notes from the Field (July 31, 2024). (Photo Credit: Erin Spencer/MDBC; NOAA)
Thank you to all the landlubbers who joined us for one (or more!) of the many programs and events this past week. With a sanctuary far from shore, we enjoy bringing the sanctuary directly to those with their feet firmly planted on land. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/NOAA; Moody Gardens)
Oh buoy! Six new mooring buoys have been installed in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and are ready for use. Adding these moorings not only allows boats to enjoy longer visits to the sanctuary, but also provides critical access to those monitoring the health of sanctuary habitats. (Photo Credit: Erin Spencer/MDBC; Josh Harvey/NOAA)
There were two missions happening within the sanctuary at the same time in July 2024. For a brief window of time, their paths crossed at East Flower Garden Bank. Here you see the staff on each ship waving at their counterparts in the distance. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/NOAA; Kelly Martin/NOAA)
An MDBC expedition in the Gulf in July 2024 was helping to restore deep sea habitats, including the removal of lionfish from deep areas of the sanctuary. On board, scientists collected data from these lionfish to answer questions about their genetics, diet, and more. (Photo Credit: Erin Spencer/MDBC; NOAA)
Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) give us an up-close view of hard to reach habitats. This program on July 29 showed how ROVs are helping scientists learn about and restore deep areas of the Gulf during a LIVE discussion at sea.
ROV operators on the MDBC expedition in the sanctuary were trying to complete a soft shackle on a new mooring anchor (u-bolt) at Rezak Bank. It was taking them a while, due to the challenges of working remotely, so those watching on board the ship invented the “soft shackle olympics”! In this "event," a 2-person team simulates being an ROV with chopsticks and a pair of pliers (manipulator arms) and tries to complete a soft shackle around a u-bolt (scissors). The on-board team finished their soft shackles six times before the real ROV got it once, but that once counts. We now have a new mooring at Rezak Bank! (Photo Credit: Marissa Nuttall/FGBNMS)
Moody Gardens hosted a live stream event as part of the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities coral restoration expedition in the Gulf. Guests learned about deep Gulf habitats and wildlife, and connected live with expedition participants in the Moody Gardens giant screen theater.
US Navy Experimental Diving Unit saturation divers were working on the seafloor at Bright Bank and removed a couple of lionfish at a depth of 203 feet. Those are the first lionfish officially removed from the expanded sanctuary and the first removed beyond recreational scuba depths. (Photo Credit: Josh Harvey/FGBNMS)
Visiting Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary just got a little easier, thanks to two newly installed mooring buoys at Geyer Bank. The two buoys, located 255 feet and 148 feet deep, provide unprecedented public access to the sanctuary expansion area established in 2021 while protecting critical habitats on the seafloor. (Photo Credit: Josh Harvey/FGBNMS)
The MDBC Restoration team hosted live stream events that allowed the public to join in on their expedition in the Gulf. Program topics covered lionfish, life at sea, ROVs, deep sea life, benthic landers, and women in science.
Calm seas provided a perfect snorkeling opportunity for Taylor to get her first look at the reefs and the research staff working below. Now, when someone asks Taylor if she's visited the reefs, she can say YES! (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
Each trip ends with a debriefing. What did we learn? What could we change? What can we improve on for next time? The research team always learns something new about this special place on every trip. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Throughout this trip, permitted recreational divers removed lionfish while the research team completed their science tasks at East Flower Garden, West Flower Garden, and Stetson Banks. Over 50 lionfish were removed, measured, bagged, and frozen for later processing. TPWD took fin clip samples for genetic testing. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
On July 17, 2024 the team woke to a lovely sunrise over Stetson Bank. Both dives here focused on capturing invasive lionfish for an acoustic tagging project to better understand how and where these fish move throughout the sanctuary. (Photo Credit: Donavon French/FGBNMS (divers); Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
July 16, 2024 activities ended with a night dive to conduct urchin and lobster surveys, because these creatures are most active at night. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl (lobster); Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
On July 16, 2024 continued monitoring the reef by taking photos along random transects and conducting fish surveys. Underwater scooters enabled the divers to cover greater distances quickly. (Photo Credit: Donavon French/FGBNMS)
On July 16, 2024 divers refurbished pins at some of the repetitive photostations, took photos, and surveyed fish at East Flower Garden Bank. A second dive retrieved the Seabird water quality instrument at this bank and deployed a fresh one for continued data collection. (Photo Credit: Donavon French/FGBNMS (diver); Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
On July 15, 2024 the last dive of the day took place at the East Flower Garden Bank study site, where divers setup the study site boundaries and searched for pins. Once a pin was found, a white floating chain was set at the site. The day ended with a debrief on the upper deck. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS (reef); Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
On July 15, 2024 the third dive took place at the HI-A-389-A platform at East Flower Garden Bank. Divers installed a new mooring buoy at the platform with the TPWD Artificial Reef Program divers on hand to help the team and learn the process. Once the buoy was installed, the boat tied off to the buoy and the rest of the divers jumped in to attach an acoustic receiver to the platform. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
On July 15, 2024 divers focused on photographing photostation 708 where a line of disease was seen across several corals two weeks before. On a second dive, divers collected the Seabird water quality instrument from West Flower Garden Bank in order to download a year's worth of data. A fresh one was installed in its place. (Photo Credits: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
On July 14, 2024 the team headed offshore for a multi-faceted trip aboard M/V FLING. They loaded all the gear in several trucks, offloaded at the docks, prepped their dive gear for the next day, watched the sun set, and settled in for safety briefings as they headed out to sea. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Hurricane Beryl left the NOAA Galveston Lab without power for over a week. However, FGBNMS staff were resourceful in creating work spaces across Galveston. (Photo Credits: Josh Harvey/FGBNMS, Sasha Francis/MDBC, Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
FGBNMS staff gathered at the NOAA Galveston Lab to assemble deep water moorings to be deployed in expanded sanctuary areas in July and August 2024. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
Mooring buoy assembly day--an outdoor activity since there was still no electricity at the office following Hurricane Beryl. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
FGBNMS staff were still standing after Hurricane Beryl! Our fence sign was found down the street after being blown off by the wind. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
Any time you are at the beach, clean up your little patch of sand to remove any trash already on site. Also be sure to pack up all your own trash and take it with you. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
For the second year in a row, bleaching started as early as July, and the disease identified in 2022 was still making itself known. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
These two creatures are more alike than you might imagine. They are both types of segmented worms called polychaetes. (Photo Credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS, G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
We have temperature sensors at reef depth at East Flower Garden Bank but that doesn't give us actual eyes on the corals. Let us know what you are seeing out there. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
June 19-20, 2024 the Sofar spotter buoy deployed at East Flower Garden Bank recorded a significant drop in temperature as a result of Tropical Storm Alberto. (Image Credit: FGBNMS)
In June 2024 we collaborated with National Park Trust to host a fishing trip for members of the military and their families. (Photo Credits: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS, National Park Trust)
Sea turtle species can be identified by the pattern of scutes (scales) on the top of their shells and their heads. This is the typical scute pattern on the head of a loggerhead sea turtle. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
Mooring buoys are installed and maintained by sanctuary staff to prevent anchor damage to the coral below. Anchoring is not allowed within the sanctuary boundaries. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
In 1953, Henry Stetson, from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), was the first to note the presence of corals at the locations now known as the Flower Garden Banks. (Photo Credit: WHOI)
This thin, metal post used to mark the northeast corner of one of the long-term monitoring study sites at East or West Flower Garden Bank, but has since been replaced with something sturdier. (Photo Credit: NOAA)
Since 2012, this Mohawk ROV has become a regional asset, deployed across agencies, across the Gulf, and occasionally in the Caribbean. Over the years it has also been greatly modified. (Photo Credit: NOAA)
This poster traveled to the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster with NOAA Corps officer LTJG Desda Sisson (2nd from right). Holding the poster are two other NOAA Corps officers who previously worked with FGBNMS and are now stationed aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. (Photo Credit: NOAA)
One of the cool features of our ROV is the pair of laser lights, set 10 cm apart, that help us better understand the size of things we see on camera. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS/UNCW-UVPS)
A star coral growing in the middle of a brain coral--just another example of how corals take advantage of whatever space they can find to settle on and grow. (Photo Credit: Marissa Nuttall/FGBNMS)
Click A Coral: People can volunteer to help NOAA scientists and partners build a training dataset to help AI automatically recognize coral found in these images, and significantly speed up the process of labeling and identifying coral in future videos. (Photo Credit: NOAA)
Flower Garden Banks bookmarks are a great addition to any book you are reading. Pick one up the next time you see us at a community event. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Desda Sisson is a NOAA Corps Officer assigned to the sanctuary. Her job is to oversee all operations pertaining to R/V MANTA, the sanctuary's research vessel. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
Rhodoliths, also referred to as algal nodules, are rocks made of hard, crustose forms of algae. These are found at mesophotic depths within the sanctuary. (Photo Credit: Sarah Olmstead/University of Alabama)
The deadline to apply for seven open seats on the Sanctuary Advisory Council was Monday, April 15, 2024. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
Taylor speaking about invasive lionfish to Aquatic Science students at Dickinson High School. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
Partially thawed lionfish await dissection at Dickinson High School. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
Lionfish dissections were part of the learning at Dickinson High School. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
An adult damselfish and a large red night shrimp were two of the species found in the stomachs of dissected lionfish at Dickinson High School. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
Lionfish dissections provide valuable data on lionfish populations in the Gulf. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
This coral has been gnawed on by hungry parrotfish, scraping their beak-like teeth across the surface. They can't digest the hard skeleton, so it comes back out the other end as sand! (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
When Easter fever strikes, it alters the colors of reef fish, making them look like pastel-hued Easter eggs bobbing about the reef. April Fools! (Original Photo Credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS)
Next thing you know, fish will be sprouting rabbit ears, as well. April Fools! (Original Photo Credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS)
FGBNMS sought applicants for seven seats on its advisory council. Applications were due April 15, 2024. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
Marine Science Thru Art, a webinar to explore a variety of sanctuary-inspired art projects, was held March 20, 2024. (Photo Credit: NOAA Central Library)
Flower Garden Banks is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. (Photo Credit: Emma Hickerson/FGBNMS)
In 2023, five white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) were detected in FGBNMS. This is the first confirmation of this species within sanctuary boundaries. (Credit: FGBNMS)
Four white sharks, detected on Bright, Geyer, Sidner, and Alderice Banks, were initially tagged off Cape Cod, MA, and Hilton Head, SC. A fifth white shark, tagged off Nova Scotia, Canada, was detected at Alderdice and McGrail Banks. (Photo Credit: Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries)
We're leaping into Daylight Savings Time and the beginning of our field season. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
FGBNMS accepted applications for a VSFS virtual internship to develop web content for the sanctuary. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Don't be this boat! Anchoring in the sanctuary is against the law. Mooring buoys are provided at East and West Flower Garden Banks, and Stetson Bank for this purpose.(Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
ABCs of Fish ID classes were offered 3/26/24 and 5/14/24, for people interested in learning to identify 40-50 sanctuary reef fish species. (Credit: FGBNMS)
Cocoa Damselfish and associated pixel art. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
Scrawled Filefish and associated pixel art. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
Flamefish (Flame Cardinalfish) and associated pixel art. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
Spanish Hogfish and associated pixel art. (Photo Credit: G.P. Schmahl/FGBNMS)
Pixel Art - Use the colors, pattern, and the following clue to identify the correct fish: Would you like some marshmallows with your hot drink, my lady? (Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Pixel Art - Use the colors, pattern, and the following clue to identify the correct fish: Your penmanship is horrendous, maybe you should put away these documents. (Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Pixel Art - Use the colors, pattern, and the following clue to identify the correct fish: Always cheering for that one team from St. Louis. (Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Pixel Art - Use the colors, pattern, and the following clue to identify the correct fish: Algo en español sobre un cerdo. (Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
FGBNMS booth at Dive into the Gulf: An Exposition at Moody Gardens on February 24, 2024. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
Miss Supreme America stopped by the FGBNMS booth at Dive Expo. (Photo Credit: Kelly Drinnen/FGBNMS)
Marissa Nuttall was one of the presenters at Dive Expo. (Photo Credit: Michelle Johnston/FGBNMS)
Marissa Nuttall and Sasha Francis demonstrated long-term monitoring techniques in front of the South Pacific exhibit in the Moody Gardens Aquarium, as aquarium divers demonstrated from inside the exhibit. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Josh Harvey operated a small ROV in the South Pacific exhibit at the Moody Gardens Aquarium during a special session at Dive Expo. (Photo Credit: Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
Seaside Chats 2024:A tagged lionfish swims near an acoustic receiver (in the background), which will record its movements around the reef. (Photo Credit: Marissa Nuttall/FGBNMS)
Seaside Chats 2024: Divers inserted tags into lionfish and other species for a study to learn more about fish movement on the reefs. The tagging occurred under a sanctuary permit. (Photo Credit: Jesse Cancelmo)
There is a lot to love about our sanctuary, even beyond the depths most divers can explore! Happy Valentines Day! (Photo Credit: Elijah Hall/NOAA)
The Powell Arch, in downtown Galveston, would be the perfect place to showcase the sanctuary's Mardi Gras Wrasse. (Photo Credit:Taylor Galaviz/FGBNMS)
The Reef Fish Identification books that Paul Humann and co-author Ned DeLoach created are important references for our long-term monitoring surveys, and our REEF Fish ID classes. (Photo Credit: REEF)
Seaside Chats 2024: Climate monitoring helps us understand impacts to our sanctuary reefs. (Photo Credit: Anderson Mayfield)
Seaside Chats 2024: Monitoring efforts on the reefs at the Flower Garden Banks, as well as the Florida Keys, helped us understand the 2023 mass coral bleaching event. (Photo Credit: Kevin Davidson)
Our research vessel (R/V MANTA) goes into dry dock once a year to have the hull and jets cleaned, and take care of anything else that can be more easily addressed when the boat is out of the water. (Photo Credit: Desda Sisson/FGBNMS)
A little fishy told us that something new is coming soon to a cooler near us. It looks suspiciously drinkable and aims to support our conservation efforts with Moody Gardens. (Photo Credit: Galveston Island Brewing; Artwork: Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee)
FGBNMS game show style trivia about coral spawning. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
FGBNMS game show style trivia about Tom Bright. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
FGBNMS game show style trivia about a spotter buoy. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
FGBNMS game show style trivia about orange cup coral. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)
FGBNMS game show style trivia about Elvers Bank. (Photo Credit: FGBNMS)