Kids experience the fun of body boarding in the surf of the Sanctuary. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

An american avocet poses in the view of a birdwatcher's spotting scope. Birdwatching opportunities abound in the Sanctuary. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

A humpback whale surfaces near a whale watch boat, much to the delight of the onlookers. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

Discovering treasures in the tidepools at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve in Moss Beach. (photo: Joe Heath)

Kayaking the Estero de San Antonio is a rare opportunity for accessing one of the most remote reaches of the Sanctuary. (photo: Maria Brown)

A recreational fisherman surveys his catch of halibut in Tomales Bay (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

Sailing the wild waters beyond the Golden Gate. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

An urchin diver braves the shark-infested waters around the Farallon Islands to harvest the bounty in the baskets to his left. (photo: Karina Racz)

The seasonal catch of herring in Tomales Bay (photo: Richard Allen)

Ship traffic abounds at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, with vessels passing through the Sanctuaries beyond the Golden Gate. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

Fishermen stand in the surf at Ocean Beach in San Francisco to bring home the bounty. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

The Gulf of the Farallones has over 100 dedicated volunteers for the Beach Watch program. Beach Watch volnteers survey their designated sanctuary beaches once a month, and receive 80 hours of classroom and field training. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

A beach volunteer records the numbers and species of birds present at his designated beach watch. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

Beach Watch volunteers document the live and dead animals of the Sanctuary. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

Volunteers for the SEALS program conduct research and interpretation on the harbor seals of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. SEALS volunteers are provided with extensive field and classroom training as part of the program. (photo: Jan Roletto)

Haul out sites, like this one on Tomales Bay, are critical to harbor seals' rest and reproductive success. (photo: Mike Falzone)

Thanks to the SEALS program, both clammers and seals can share the sand bars at low tide. (photo: Maria Brown)

Biologists from US Fish and Wildlife work to reestablish a colony of Common Murres in a nearshore area of the Sanctuary. This colony of Murres was wiped out by an oil spill but recovery efforts are showing positive results. (photo: Mike Parker)

Sanctuary staff and scientists routinely survey rocky intertidal sites on the Farallones to keep track of the health of the Sanctuary from its most accessible points. (photo: Gulf of the Farallones NMS)

Scientists tow a manta net to get a sample of organisms at the surface of the Sanctuary. (photo: Jamie Hall)

Kids' activities and special events and programs help to bring the Sanctuary to the public. (photo: Sandy Howard)

Curious kids and adults peer through the microscope exhibit in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center in San Francisco while grasping the importance of Sanctuary science. (photo: Karina Racz)

Interpretive programs like nature walks guide visitors in discovering more of the wonders of the Sanctuary. (photo: Maria Brown)