Did you know our national parks include millions of acres of submerged lands, much of which can be explored by adventurous travelers? Here are five ways you can discover our underwater resources.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin)
Visitors appreciate the remote and untamed nature of the area, located in Northern Wisconsin within the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe people, and look forward to exploring beaches, sea caves, island camping and snorkeling during the warmer months. Make your way to the 22 islands via sea kayak or guided boat tours. Scuba divers can reserve a dive boat or plunge from their own sea kayaks. Expect to be amazed by the 19th-century lighthouses that provide present-day wreck-diving possibilities in the clear, cold waters of Lake Superior. Permits are required for diving and island camping. Visitors are also reminded that weather and lake conditions can change rapidly.
Buck Island Reef National Monument (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Head to the warm waters of the Caribbean to investigate an 880-acre reserve that includes a small island, barrier reefs and an interior lagoon. With more than 18,000 acres of submerged land, the resource has been called “one of the finest marine gardens in the Caribbean Sea” and remains one of few places in the Virgin Islands where brown pelicans and threatened least terns nest. Snorkelers can follow a marked underwater trail in an area home to more than 250 fish species and a variety of other marine life. Be on the lookout for green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, lemon sharks and juvenile reef sharks. Guided tours are possible.
For more: www.nps.gov/submerged/Parks/BUIS.html
National Park of American Samoa
Spanning sections of three volcanic islands, the park is located approximately 2,000 miles southwest of Hawaii, making it one of the most remote in the system. With 4,000 acres underwater, visitors can expect pristine coral reefs, abundant sea life and a diverse marine environment during a South Pacific aquatic adventure. An extraordinary 950 species of fish and 250 species of colorful coral are present in the park. Look for vibrant parrotfish, angel fish, sea turtles, manta rays and sharks. Ask about humpback whale migrations when planning your trip. The scuba diving infrastructure is limited, so planning is critical, but the payoffs include pristine conditions, rich marine biodiversity and minimal crowding.
