2020 Get Into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest results

Below are the winners and entries for the Sanctuary Recreation category. Thank you to all those who participated! Click each photograph to see the full version.

Sanctuaries at Home

While it’s important to get outside, experience nature, and recreate responsibly, we know that many of us are spending more time at home this year. Show us how you’re staying in touch with your national marine sanctuary through art, stewardship activities from your home or neighborhood, and responsible water-based recreation in your local communities.

sea turtle chalk drawing — **1st Place: Jill Brown.** Sea turtles and tropical fish inspired by Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary make a big splash as delightful works of sidewalk art.

two people laying down with ray paintings laughing — **2nd Place: Tiffany Duong.** Bringing Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary indoors during the pandemic with paintings of spotted eagle rays (*Aetobatus narinari*).

Large rock formation on a beach with people around it — **3rd Place: Kristine Ellefson.** Adventure seekers recreate responsibly at Salt Creek Recreation Area in Port Angeles, located roughly 50 miles from Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

Back to category winners

All submitted photos

Heron and egret by power plant — A blue heron (*Ardea herodias*) and Snowy Egret (*Egretta thula*) fish at sunset in the Salinas River estuary, Salinas River State Beach. Photo: Meg McWhinney

Bird standing on one leg — American avocet (*Recurvirostra americana*) taken in an estuary in Central California with a Sony 6300 and a 100 to 400 lens. Photo: Jerry Loomis

View of someones feet over the ocean — “Blue” Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Osprey over skyscrapers — A peregrine falcon (*Falco peregrinus,*) lands on a balcony near Cambridge, MA. Photo: Peter Sugrue

Coral Fan in front of ocean — “Through a Fan” Coral Bay, St. John USVI Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Person holding up a lionfish over cat — “My cat, Mr. WhistlePig, sniffs a juvenile invasive lionfish (*Pterois miles*) I harvested out of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.” Photo: Rachel Lynn Bowman

Dog on a beach at sunset — “The Dog” Grand Turk, Caribbean Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Bird flying over ocean at sunset — "I grew up in Cambridge moved to Hull. I love to see the beauty of nature in both worlds." Photo: Peter Sugrue

Rocky beach at sunset — "I grew up in Cambridge moved to Hull. I love to see the beauty of nature in both worlds." Photo: Peter Sugrue

Barnacles on a rock — “My Favorite Rock” Hull Bay, Massachusetts Photo: Lisa Sugrue

halloween sky over water — “Halloween Sky” Hull Bay, Massachusetts Photo: Lisa Sugrue

sunset over water — “Kaisers Sunset” Hull Bay, Massachusetts Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Sunset with dog — “Sunset with Kaiser” Hull Bay, Massachusetts Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Kayaks at sunset — “Kayaks at Dusk” Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Kelp near surface from below — Drifting kelp, Matlahuayl SMR, La Jolla, CA Photo: Lindsay Bauman

Looking through a collapsing wave — Playing in the waves at Matlahuayl SMR in La Jolla, CA Photo: Lindsay Bauman

Reddish egret — Reddish Egret (*Egretta rufescens*) dance Loreto Baja, Mexico Photo: Jerry Loomis

Pier — “Skeleton” Oak Bluffs Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts Photo: Lisa Sugrue

Boat on a river — It was sun rising time and there was rain, this boat was going to it's destination this photo is showing beauty of nature. Golachipa, Patuakhali, Bangladesh Photo: Md. Jahin khandakar

Boat on a lake from shore — An evening on the pond. Fryeburg, ME Photo: Robin Micu

Sailboat on a lake — Sailing in Maine. Fryeburg, ME Photo: Robin Micu

Nahant Beach Reservation in Massachusetts, Early Morning Photo: Robin Micu

sunset over ocean — Key West Sunset Photo: Robin Micu

Person on beach with dog — Waiting for Bioluminescence - San Diego-Scripps Coastal State Marine Conservation Area Photo: Andrea Sanchez Davidson

Sunset panorama of a beach — Sunset Walk to the Tidepools - San Diego-Scripps Coastal State Marine Conservation Area Photo: Andrea Sanchez Davidson

Sunset over lake with boat — This picture is of our 2020 Regency Tri-toon boat resting easily on the beautiful banks of Canyon Ferry Lake in Montana on a serene summer evening. Photo: Cori Watson

Please note that we may use any of the photos we received for this contest on our website, on social media, and in other NOAA and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation publications. We will provide credit to photographers whenever we use any of the photos. Organizations other than NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation may use photographs submitted in this contest to promote sustainable and responsible recreation in the National Marine Sanctuary System. These photos are not for sale and are not for commercial use unless prior permission is arranged.