Around the reef

By Michelle Riley

Communications & Public Outreach Coordinator

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

This is a great way to make your voice heard and to represent your constituency, whether it’s the sportfishing community, divers, or folks in your neighborhood. Rarely does Gray’s Reef have this many seats open at once, including recreational fishing, recreational diving, and citizen-at-large. You do not need to boat out to Gray’s Reef to be considered for the position, nor must you live in Georgia or South Carolina. Gray’s Reef is a national marine sanctuary and belongs to all Americans.

Applications are due by close of business on Wednesday, November 3.

Here is the official announcement: 

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants to serve on its volunteer advisory council.  The council provides NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries with advice and recommendations on the management of the sanctuary.

The Gray’s Reef Sanctuary Advisory council is composed of 19 members who represent a variety of community interests, including fishing, diving, conservation, science, education, state agencies, federal agencies, and the public-at-large. The sanctuary is currently seeking applicants for the following seats and terms:

• Sport Fishing, 3-year term

• Citizen-At-Large, 2-year term

• Sport Diving, 3-year term

• Conservation, 3-year term

• Research (non-living resources), 3-year term

Applicants do not necessarily need prior first-hand experience within the sanctuary, but they should be very familiar with their constituents' regional interests and how they relate to, or benefit, the management of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary. Anyone with the desire and ability to effectively represent their respective community’s interest in the management of the sanctuary is encouraged to apply, regardless of the applicant's geographic location within the region.  

Applications are due by Nov 3, 2021. Applications received or postmarked after Nov. 3, 2021, will not be considered. For more information, including a copy of the application, please visit the Gray’s Reef Sanctuary Advisory Council recruitment webpage at graysreef.noaa.gov/management/sac/council_news.html,  or contact Scott Kathey, Advisory Council Coordinator at scott.kathey@noaa.gov or (912) 598-2381. 

The Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council actively recruits for new members when positions are available. Check our website frequently for updates on how you can help manage your underwater treasures at Gray's Reef.

Thank you for considering Gray’s Reef!  We know your time and experience are valuable.

By Rebecca Munday

Communications Intern

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Picture an adult loggerhead sea turtle sleeping on the sandy sea floor under a four-foot tall ledge made of sandstone rock, with jagged edges and lots of nooks and crannies. The sea turtle’s tail cannot be seen outside the shell, so she must be female. 

She rests under the ledge, conserving her energy before she swims to the surface of the ocean again to breathe. Like other loggerheads and all other species of sea turtles, she’s a reptile and can’t breathe underwater. Yet, if she rests under this rock a while, she won’t have to swim to the surface every half hour. Instead, she can slow her metabolism down and wait a few hours to breathe.

She weighs about 250 pounds and has a massive head, because she has to support the powerful jaw she uses to crush the shells of mollusks and horseshoe crabs she eats while foraging the sandy sea floor.

Sometimes when she looks for crabs, whelks, or mollusks to eat, she finds one that doesn’t taste or feel quite right in her jaw, but she eats it anyway, because food is food. But the oddly textured and strange tasting shells are not food after all, they are bits of plastic and trash that invade the sea turtles’ habitat. 

Consequences of eating plastic and other trash are dire for this loggerhead. She may die after ingesting fishing line, plastic bags, floating tar or oil, and other discarded materials that she mistakes for food. Luckily, many boaters, fishers, and beachgoers have begun to take action to protect marine life, and the status of loggerhead sea turtles recently improved from an endangered species to a threatened species. Still, there is work to be done. 

The more researchers know about the life stages and habits of the sea turtles at the sanctuary, the better they can protect the turtles and their habit from further decline. On Gray’s Reef’s eight-day expedition on board the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster in August, research divers and ship crew saw a total of 11 loggerhead sea turtles across 58 sites. Sightings like these help scientists learn more about the loggerheads’ growth, population size, nesting patterns, migration patterns, and foraging habits.

You can learn about loggerheads and other sea turtles that use the sanctuary by visiting graysreef.noaa.gov/science/research/sea-turtles.html to see a new collection of articles and maps that tell the story of all the turtle sighting recorded at Gray’s Reef in the last 27 years, and find out how you can help protect sea turtles.  

By Portia Miller

Communications Intern

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Who doesn’t enjoy summer out at sea? After a missed year, scientists from Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and beyond are ready to embark again on the annual Nancy Foster Research Expedition. However, this isn’t a leisurely cruise. The scientists will work day and night running new experiments along with ongoing projects to learn more about Gray’s Reef and its creatures. This year, the expedition runs from Aug. 7 to Aug. 18. Let’s dive in!

The journey begins at a port in Charleston, SC, where scientists from Gray’s Reef, other NOAA offices, research organizations, and universities board the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster to conduct the expedition. With nearly 200 feet of space, the ship can house multiple scientists and their tools. The ship has its own set of equipment too, which makes it shine – especially in its mapping abilities. The main method used on the Nancy Foster for mapping, which creates a 3D picture of the ocean floor, is the multibeam sonar system. Under careful use by trained NOAA crew members, the sonar system sends out multiple sound waves below the boat in a fan-like pattern. The time it takes for the beams to hit the bottom of the ocean and return to the sensors determines seafloor depth and reveals the seabed’s shape. 

Another important component, called backscatter, measures how strong the returning sound waves are. Backscatter can determine what the seafloor is made of since some materials, like rocks, reflect more sound than sand reflects. The expedition’s Chief Scientist is Kimberly Roberson, the sanctuary’s research coordinator and ecologist. She and Gray’s Reef’s geospatial data analyst, Alison Soss, will be working with NOAA survey technicians and NOAA Corps officers to create a detailed habitat map of the reef using the ship’s mapping technology. The map will help them visualize and understand the reef’s hard bottom environment and assist in identifying similar areas nearby.

Some of the more hands-on excitement comes from studying the sanctuary’s marine life, which means scientists must get their feet wet! Roberson and Soss will experience this firsthand. The pair will put on their heavy scuba gear and dive underwater to observe some of the animals that call the reef home. With a water-proof clipboard in hand, they’ll survey the number of fish and spineless creatures, known as invertebrates, found in selected areas of the sanctuary. While much of their work revolves around Gray’s Reef’s designated Research Area (RA), this year’s survey takes them outside of RA bounds, where they’ll analyze fish distribution and habitat characteristics throughout the waters. Other projects, such as Georgia Southern University professors Dr. Craig Aumack and Dr. Risa Cohen’s assessment of algae, require divers to carefully collect samples from the bottom of the reef. Once divers get a chance to dry off, they’ll send their specimens to the boat’s laboratories to investigate and document what they’ve found. These projects are vital to understanding the ecology of Gray’s Reef and help sanctuary managers make informed decisions.

Discovering new information about the reef can be fascinating, but monitoring threats is also a focus of the missions. These threats come from many sources, including other creatures of the sea. Divers and researchers aboard the Nancy Foster work each year to catch, examine, and remove the invasive lionfish. These fish, originally from the Indo-Pacific Ocean, are expert survivors with almost no natural predators. Lionfish can out-compete native species for food and space. To control their population, divers led by the sanctuary’s Georgia Sea Grant Fellow, Alexi Archer, will search for lionfish that are near Gray’s Reef and collect them. Archer will compile written records of their findings to help scientists better understand these invasive animals’ habits. 

Some potential threats are a bit more subtle. This year, Master’s student Savannah Geiger from Savannah State University is studying the distribution of microplastics in the reef, which are bits of plastic, five millimeters long or less. Microplastics can come from all sorts of places, such as larger ocean debris or beauty products like bath gels. Little is currently known about the dangers of microplastics, but understanding their abundance and structure can give scientists a leg up in the future.  

The Nancy Foster Research Expedition scientists are excited to get back to the reef, and their hard work is showing in this year’s round of experiments. We look forward to their findings, which guide us in protecting the wonders of Gray’s Reef for the future. To learn more about this year’s expedition, visit the Gray’s Reef website at graysreef.noaa.gov and check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/graysreefsanctuary. 

By Portia Miller

Communications Intern

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Are you looking for a summer adventure close to home? Eager to learn more about Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and Georgia’s waterways? Look no further! You’ll find fun, education, and even prizes in Science for Georgia’s 2021 Scavenger Hunt to The Sea. 

As you may know, water keeps our planet alive and is one of our most important natural resources. Unfortunately, it often isn’t given enough appreciation. Science for Georgia’s scavenger hunt explores the connected water systems that begin in our state’s 52 watersheds. No matter where you are in Georgia, you’re in a watershed! Imagine them almost like a bowl made of land. The rim of the “bowl” includes areas like hills, mountains, or higher ground that create the watershed’s boundaries. When rainwater falls or snow melts, gravity pulls the water downward. It eventually drains into bodies of water at the bottom of the watershed, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans, which benefit humans and animals alike. For example, lakes provide spaces for recreation, rivers help supply water for farming, and oceans provide homes and travel routes for marine animals like the fish found at Gray’s Reef. 

Now, you know how watersheds play a key role in the stars of the scavenger hunt: our waterways.

This scavenger hunt takes inspiration from a past Gray’s Reef communications intern, Taylor O’Neill. You might remember her virtual “Voyage Around Savannah” scavenger hunt from last October, where participants learned about Gray’s Reef by looking for clues in downtown Savannah. Science for Georgia’s hunt expands on this idea, adds almost a dozen new partners, and takes you through 14 of Georgia’s most important water systems, including Gray’s Reef. Other stops include iconic spots like Lake Herrick, the Okefenokee Swamp, and Skidaway Island State Park. You can complete all the stops virtually, and some have optional in-person activities. 

After visiting the other exciting stops, you’re in for a treat at the end - Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is stop 14 in the hunt. Gray’s Reef is part of the Altamaha River watershed, which is the largest in Georgia. The reef itself is 19 miles offshore, so many of Georgia’s other watersheds drain into it. Our stop focuses on telling the story of the reef and explains why it is so important to Georgia’s waterways. 

So, without giving too much information away, what can you expect? The stop provides interesting facts and pictures about our variety of marine life like dolphins and sea turtles. Of course, you’ll learn about Sam Gray and how his name became attached to the reef. You’ll also learn what exactly a national marine sanctuary is and how they are vital to our planet’s health. If you’re interested in learning more about the science side of Gray’s Reef, the stop has information about research, experiments, and more.

You can participate from your home, boat, or even across the coast! All you need to complete the hunt is a Google account and a phone, tablet, or computer. Each stop works through a Google form. You’ll watch videos, read interesting facts, and learn about the resources at each stop. Then, you’ll be asked questions to quiz your knowledge. Don’t worry, they aren’t tests; they’re fun! Those who complete all 14 stops will be entered in a chance to win a goody bag. To participate in the hunt, visit Science for Georgia’s official website at scienceforgeorgia.org or go directly to the passport at scienceforgeorgia.org/ga-scavenger-hunt-21-passport/. The hunt runs until Oct. 31, 2021. There’s plenty of time left to learn and get a chance to win some awesome prizes. Get out and take pride in your water systems and local marine sanctuary!

By Portia Miller

Communications Intern

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Although June 8 has been named World Ocean Day, we need not limit our opportunities to reflect on one of our greatest natural resources to just one day. Given that this year’s theme was “The Ocean: Lives and Livelihoods,” let’s take a step back and look at how the ocean truly impacts us and dive into our local example at Gray’s Reef.

The ocean doesn’t just provide us with scenic views and beautiful vacation spots. It actually helps keep us alive. Most importantly, the ocean provides at least half of the air we breathe – somewhere between 50 and 80%. But how does this happen? Small creatures that live in the ocean, like algae, bacteria, and drifting plants, absorb sunlight and use it to make their own food, releasing oxygen as a result. These creatures are known scientifically as oceanic plankton. While plankton can be tiny, they have the potential to create more oxygen than all our tropical rainforests combined!

Aside from providing us oxygen, the ocean also affects our livelihoods. We don’t just use it for fishing, swimming, and diving; we use the ocean’s resources to grow our economy and create jobs around the world. According to the World Bank, there are many parts to this “Blue Economy,” including catching seafood, creating energy from the ocean, and trading goods across the sea. People who work in the tourism industry, like on our well-loved Tybee Island, bring in over 50 billion dollars each year combined. Clearly, thousands of jobs revolve around the ocean - in fact, NOAA estimates that our Blue Economy will double by 2030, bringing its value to 3 trillion dollars!

We now know the ocean contributes to our lives and livelihoods - but why “Ocean Day” and not “Oceans Day”? Why do we hear both words so often? While our global body of water is formally known as the Ocean, it’s actually divided up into five different ocean basins, which are giant valleys on the seafloor. The Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Antarctic, and Arctic basins make up the geographically divided areas. Within these basins, there are over 15,000 protected ocean areas, with 1,000 of them being in United States waters, according to the Pew Trusts. These areas protect habitats, animals, and natural wonders such as reefs, as well as making sure that our Blue Economy stays strong with positive impacts on the environment. This brings us to our treasured protected area close to home: Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.

Gray’s Reef is one of only 14 National Marine Sanctuaries in the United States. Known as a “live-bottom” sandstone reef, it’s a perfect example of the ocean’s own life, beauty and strength. Thousands of spineless animals such as sponges and coral cover the rocky ledges of the reef, making the sea floor come alive with color and movement. These plentiful ledges provide shelter and food for larger marine life, many of which are endangered or threatened. For example, the threatened loggerhead sea turtle – one of the sanctuary’s most recognized creatures – can often be found resting and hunting for food in and around the reef. And remember those important creatures called oceanic plankton that provide us with nearly 50-80% of our oxygen? Gray’s Reef is also home to an abundance of them. Larger versions, such as red algae and seaweed, can also be seen floating and covering the hard bottom of Gray’s Reef.

They not only provide oxygen for us, but also provide food for turtles, fish, and crabs, along with helping some corals remove the waste they produce. 

Protecting, learning, and caring for Gray’s Reef also creates tons of jobs – part of the Blue Economy. Gray’s Reef employs researchers, data analysts, and resource protection specialists, just to name a few. Without these jobs, we wouldn’t understand what’s going on beneath our waters. Researchers and analysts provide much needed information about the reef’s ecosystem, including what types of animals live there permanently and which ones move back and forth between other waterways. Collecting data also allows us to understand how to take care of the reef. Knowing that the reef has a live bottom, for example, informs resource managers as they make decisions that protect living resources. The regulation that prohibits anchoring at Gray’s Reef is to prevent harm to the delicate animals on the bottom.

Being aware of the ocean’s biological and economic impacts is important, and to make sure we continue to see these benefits in the future, we must practice careful conservation here at home and around the globe. Explore and learn more about your local marine sanctuary!

By Michelle Riley

Communications & Public Outreach Coordinator

Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Mayor Van Johnson of Savannah has proclaimed January 16 “Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Day,” in recognition of the sanctuary’s 40th anniversary. The proclamation reads, in part: “…in Savannah, in honor of 40 years as the only protected natural reef in the Atlantic Ocean between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and Cape Canaveral, Florida, I call upon all citizens to conserve and protect this special ocean treasure, and to fish and dive responsibly in the sanctuary.”

On January 16, 1981, President Jimmy Carter designated Gray’s Reef as a national marine sanctuary, primarily because of the great abundance of marine life and diversity of species found at the reef. It is teeming with life -- more than 200 species of fish and more than 900 species of invertebrates. Gray’s Reef exemplifies the “live-bottom, hard-bottom” reefs found off the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and North Florida.

In addition to the mayor’s proclamation, former President Carter has written a letter of remembrance to the director of the National Marine Sanctuary System. President Carter writes of the importance of national marine sanctuaries, and his pleasure in designating Gray’s Reef and three other sites.

Gray’s Reef is one of only 14 national marine sanctuaries and is managed by the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. The sanctuary is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), within the Department of Commerce. Like our national parks, national marine sanctuaries are open to visitors and belong to the people of the United States of America. The sanctuaries seek to preserve the extraordinary beauty, biodiversity, cultural history, and economic productivity of our most precious underwater sites. A healthy ocean is the basis for thriving recreation, tourism, and commercial activities that drive coastal economies.

Gray’s Reef is located 19 miles due east of Sapelo Island. It’s a great place for recreational fishing and diving. Black sea bass, amberjack, cobia, gag and scamp grouper, whitebone porgy, king mackerel, and gray triggerfish attract fishers to the sanctuary. There are some regulations that sanctuary users abide by to protect the reef. Generally, two of the most widely known regulations are that only rod and reel and handline fishing gear can be used at Gray’s Reef, and anchoring is not allowed anywhere inside the sanctuary. Anglers must use descending devices to return unwanted or prohibited fish back to depth.

Many divers have never seen a natural live-bottom reef before and are awestruck by the panoramic views and vivid colors. Advanced divers that visit Gray’s Reef regularly swim with blue angelfish, cocoa damselfish, painted wrasse, seaweed blenny, spotfin butterflyfish, and other colorful inhabitants. The bottom of the reef is a divers’ delight. There, tiny seahorses wrap around sea fans, loggerhead sea turtles rub against the rocky ledges to scratch their backs and nurse sharks lie almost motionless under the outcroppings. At every turn, something new comes into focus. Divers have been knows to get caught up in “fish tornadoes,” with thousands of small fish swimming all around them. Divers know to “look, but don’t touch,” which preserves the reef and protects its inhabitants.

As the sanctuary marks its 40th year, it continues to provide essential habitat to thousands of ocean creatures. Human visitors to Gray’s Reef are valuable stewards that help keep the sanctuary vibrant and healthy for future generations.

By Taylor O'Neill

Communications Intern

Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuaries

With big boats come big responsibilities. Safety being the most important responsibility. Each day working at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary is filled with an exciting mix of new tasks and experiences. For Vessel Operations Coordinator Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Justin Miyano, days vary from research tasks to administrative management to safety training.  

Justin plays an essential role in the small boat operations at Gray’s Reef. At the same time, he serves as an officer in the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps, usually referred to as NOAA Corps. To date, he has served one year in a three-year assignment at Gray’s Reef. Justin uses his NOAA Corps background to bring a “big ship and operations” perspective, while integrating his military training structure and status into Gray’s Reef, a small but mighty organization. Being born and raised in Japan, Justin brings a fresh point of view, creative thinking and out-of-the-box problem solving to the job. 

Justin is in charge of the sanctuary’s boats and works directly with the boat captain on operations. Gray’s Reef uses two state-of-the-art research vessels for research and diving; a 36-foot rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) named R/V Sam Gray and a 41-foot catamaran, R/V Joe Ferguson. While the captain is in charge of the vessel and the passengers on board, Justin’s role is more administrative. He ensures the vessel is safe and available for missions. Justin works as a support to the captain by ensuring the boats are meeting all the rules and regulations set by NOAA and serving as a liaison between the small boat program and site operations. Other administrative duties Justin is responsible for are documenting correct maintenance, scheduling, and reporting required inspections and equipment malfunctions on all the vessels.  

With Justin’s main responsibility being safety, he has the authority to take boats out of service that require repairs, conduct safety training, and make sure all diving equipment is working properly.  Now and then the sanctuary needs special modifications on its boats, and Justin is the main person designated to work with marine engineers to modify the boat to maintain NOAA standards. 

Justin feels that any day spent working ashore or offshore at the sanctuary is a day filled with constant learning and interactive experiences, but the best part is that Gray’s Reef offers the opportunity to work underwater. Research days go from dawn to dusk to ensure maximum productivity. Many research days are spent at Gray’s Reef, with Justin’s main role being deckhand or first mate to the captain, but Justin also is a divemaster and often participates in science dives with Kim Roberson, the research coordinator and unit diving supervisor for Gray’s Reef. 

“Some of the coolest things I’ve seen down there are the large outcroppings that are bigger than people!” Justin went on to explain. “Some of the largest fish that I have ever seen have been at Gray’s Reef. That’s saying something, being from Japan. At fish markets in Japan, we regularly see the world’s largest and most valuable fish. Gray’s Reef really is an underwater paradise to me.”