Happy Lei Day! “Love is worn like a wreath through the summers and the winters.” Love is everlasting. Aloha. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #LeiDay

Nearly half of commercial container and bulk vessels operating off the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas are exceeding seasonal speed limits created to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #WhaleWednesday #VesselStrikes #RightWhales

Sea turtles are also ingesting ocean plastic. 52% of sea turtles have ingested plastic. 22% die after ingesting just one piece of plastic, and the mortality rate jumps to 50% when reaching 14 plastic items. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #TurtleTuesday #PlasticsTreaty

No other species on earth evokes so much human fascination and empathy as whales and dolphins, which have become tragic symbols of our deteriorating relationship with the ocean. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #WhaleWednesday

Wetlands have not been a focus of as much mainstream awareness regarding plastic pollution as beaches and the ocean. However, we have found seagrass acts as a sink for microplastics, and critical habitat for holistic research, recovery, and restoration. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean

Shipping, cruise, and fishing vessels fatally strike an estimated 20,000 whales around the world. More than a third of all Atlantic right whale deaths along the US east coast can be attributed to ship collisions. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #WhaleWednesday #VesselStrikes

Agricultural runoff has been identified as a major contributor of pollutants, including microplastics, to the environment. The primary contaminants include sewage sludge, plastic-coated fertilizers, and other agrochemicals in irrigation/stormwater. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean

A wet porch, or as we prefer, ‘moon pool’, is a feature of research ships and underwater habitats with direct access to the water - allowing divers and equipment easy entry into the ocean. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #MoonPoolMonday #ScubaDiving #Research

Remember when coral had color? Do not normalize bleaching. This was considered ‘degraded’ 50 years ago - Florida has lost over 90% of their corals since. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #ThrowbackThursday #Retro #Diving #Coral #Coral Bleaching #WaterQuality

The role of a scientific or research diver is that of an observer and data gatherer – which includes visual observations of living organisms, underwater habitat surveys, photography and video, biological samples, and placement of scientific equipment. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean

“The sea, all water, yet receives rain still, and in abundance add to its store; so, thou, being rich in will, add to thy will, one will of mine.” -William Shakespeare #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #ShakespeareSunday #SundayMorning #Surfing #Raining

Sea turtle nesting season officially runs from May 1 through Oct 31, but the first sea turtle nests of the season have already been marked in Venice and Destin FL, on the Texas Gulf Coast, and in Garden City, SC. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #TurtleTuesday #Nesting

Whales subsisting primarily on fish ingest an estimated 200,000 pieces of microplastic per day, while those eating krill ingest at least 1 million pieces. Whales that feed on both ingest 3-10 million microplastic pieces per day. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #WhaleWednesday

Wetlands are not only critical habitats, but they also play an important role in reducing climate change. Current studies suggest that mangroves and coastal wetlands annually sequester carbon at a rate ten times greater than mature tropical forests. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean

We said, “On Sundays we surf,” and they said, “but it’s storming, you’ll get wet!” We just nodded. They don’t call us Wet Tribe for nothing… #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #SundayMorning #Surfing

Remember the rules: Don’t disturb the nests! Stay on the walkways, don’t dig holes on the beach, pick up your belongings and trash, keep it dark and quiet at night, and give turtles the space and privacy they need. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #TurtleTuesday #NestingSeason

Dawn and dusk we go out on foot to keep coastlines clean – this time of year we also patrol the beach for nesting spots to be documented, marked, and preserved. Clean, dark, and flat is what the turtles like, and we’re keeping it that way. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #Cleanup

Removing marine debris from barrier islands and surrounding seagrass beds not only increases sea turtle nesting frequency, it also potentially reduces the chance of sea turtles ingesting debris or becoming entangled. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #FridayFieldUpdate

While we surf in the rain, we don’t recommend surfing AFTER the rain. Avoid the ocean 24-72 hours after rainfall. It is a global issue that sewage and stormwater runoff poses severe health risks. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #SundayMorning #Surfing #Raining #Runoff #Pollution

A group of manatees is called a herd or an aggregation. The major threats to manatees are loss of habitat, starvation, and collisions with boats. So, as manatees aggregate, slow down, and give the herd the time and space they need to live. #WetTribe #TidetotheOcean #ManateeMonday