OSOS Educationl Program Debuted

The American Samoa Department of Education (DOE) requested a second Ocean Swimming/Ocean Science (OSOS) program for the 2012-2013 school year. Based on recommendations from students, the OSOS team created a successful curriculum enabling students to become proficient swimmers and effective ocean stewards. The OSOS program started in August 2012, with an enrollment of 25 students. The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and the American Samoa Department of Commerce sponsor the program, in partnership with the DOE and the American Samoa Aquatic Agency.

Rivers to Reef

The sanctuary has completed its eighth annual Rivers to Reef program: a 6-day, 270-mile "boot camp"-style immersion in watershed science for Georgia teachers. Rivers to Reef begins at a creek just outside Atlanta, then follows the Altamaha River as it winds its way to the Georgia coast. The experience culminates with a visit to a Gullah-Geechee community on Sapelo Island, followed by a trip to the sanctuary itself, where the ice-cold waters of the trickling North Georgia stream connect people to our shared marine environment.

Visit Midway Atoll Via Google Streetview

Thanks to a unique partnership between Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) and Google, the world can now tour the historic streets of Midway Atoll on Google Streetview. More than 9,200 panoramic images of 60 different natural and historic sites from Midway Atoll's three islands are now accessible on Google Maps and Google Earth, enabling people around the world to 'virtually' visit this unique remote wilderness. PMNM and Google staff captured nearly a terabyte of high resolution imagery using custom Google equipment and by peddling over 52 miles on the "Google Trike," which allows for image capture of roadways inaccessible by car.

Outreach Aboard Shipwreck Cruises

Last year, thousands of visitors explored the shipwrecks of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary first-hand without getting wet. On the 65-foot glass bottom boat Lady Michigan, sanctuary staff and volunteers accompanied the daily cruises and provided information about the sanctuary's maritime landscape. The sanctuary continues to work closely with Alpena Shipwreck Tours to make visitor's experiences a meaningful and entertaining part of their visit to the region.