hawaiian islands humpback whale national marine sanctuary,
hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov, (808) 879-2818
actually five marine protected areas, often with their own
distinctive wildlife, this sanctuary includes the islands of maui,
lanai, kauai, molokai, oahu, and hawaii. the recreational
opportunities are myriad -
kayaking, diving, snorkeling,
sportfishing, and parasailing - but it's the humpback whales who
steal the show, wintering amongst the islands (they journey down
from alaska) to mate and give birth. the best places to spot
humpbacks are around the islands of maui, molokai, hawaii, and
lanai from roughly october through may; the babies start appearing
beside their mothers in january.
monterey bay national marine sanctuary,
montereybay.noaa.gov, (831) 647-4201
the largest of the sanctuaries - 5,300 square miles, including 276
miles of shoreline stretching from north of
san francisco to south
of san simeon - monterey bay boasts one of the highest
concentrations of marine mammals in the world. it's easy to play
here: just drive along famed coastal highway 1 and pull over
wherever. diving,
surfing, boating, kayaking, fishing, whale
watching, tide pooling (try point pinos lighthouse and point lobos
reserve) - it's right at your fingertips.
olympic coast national marine sanctuary,
olympiccoast.noaa
.gov, (360) 457-6622
the sanctuary encompasses the waters and much of the shore along
washington's rugged olympic peninsula. sportfishing charters abound
(salmon, halibut, ling cod) - try neah bay and la push - and the
beaches are stunning. there's also great tide pooling, and in the
fall, winter, and spring, you can (with a license) dig up razor
clams at low tide. the rocky reefs and lush kelp forests offer some
of the best cold-water (expect an average temperature of 53
degrees) diving in the united states. bird watching is first-rate,
thanks to hundreds of offshore islands where seabirds such as
puffins and common murres nest.