ANESTI VEGA

I wish everyone an educational and fulfilling #WorldOceansDay today, from the bottom of one! It's never been more important than now to protect our oceans and finding out what your role can be is just a Google search away. (at Monterey, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByeGjM_DbJQ/?igshid=16hcchm3q35b9

Shot by one of my underwater photography students in the pool during my Advanced Open Water course training! Hope everyone is ready for all this summer diving! https://www.instagram.com/p/ByYl7fVJjCU/?igshid=uy9ejsom86zr

On Memorial Day, we remember and honor service members who never made it back home to their family and friends. This shirt I received from the @greenberetfoundation lists the names of all my Special Forces family that lost their lives since 2001, a few of whom I served with at 7th SF Group. I also want to honor my brothers and sisters lost to suicide and drug/alcohol addiction because of how unsupported and under-served we are after service. As a veteran with PTSD, I know the struggles first hand and continue to stay strong and stay the course as best I can. While it means something quite different to me now, I've never lost sight of our motto, "De Oppresso Liber", through my community work and with @teamusx. Today also happens to be my birthday and I'm thankful to spend it with my family. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx_RFdOj13w/?igshid=19lh7xy0q25tj

The SFO Dive Show is in full swing! I'm giving a talk tomorrow at 4PM on @teamusx veterans utilizing their unique traits to help positively impact STEM field research while continuing their powerful sense of purpose after military service. (at Santa Clara Convention Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwut4-gH0_8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pwipjsexfua3

A little twist on an old classic. Listen to the REAL scientists and don't touch the sharks, folks. Observe, but don't touch. (at Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs9ZLx-Addf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rppyiq9osdql

Throwback to Devil's Den in Florida, March 2013. (at Devil's Den Prehistoric Spring) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsWNmv2AtJM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kqls9olzdzi5

Happy New Year, everyone! 2019 is an opportunity to get hungry and make it happen! https://www.instagram.com/p/BsHodxpgvL_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1t8l5hrh6dyrn

My best posts of 2018 and they are all ocean and shark related. Stay tuned for what 2019 has to offer! (at Monterey, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsCHsDQAo2k/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u0s99tx309hs

Do you ever feel like a decorator crab (Loxorhynchus crispatus) holding on to a giant kelp stalk for dear life through a major surge? Thank goodness the week, and this whole year, is almost over. 📸: @anestivega (at San Carlos Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrV7vEHA3xw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u42a4azno42d

Ready for the #DEMAShow Black & White Party... let's do this Las Vegas! (at Las Vegas, Nevada) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqRJoA7gniV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k3jyo06e7k8y

DEMA Show is in full swing! It's been hectic with back to back seminars yesterday, but I've got some free time to walk the exhibit floor today. I'll be featuring some amazing organizations doing conservation and field research for our oceans, so look out for that on my Stories later today! (at Las Vegas Convention Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqNeIcoAzea/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19lzv0gdl9cw1

San Francisco may not be burning, but we sure are feeling the effects in the air. Shout out to all the firefighters and first responders on the front lines throughout California, including and especially the incarcerated women, men, and CHILDREN in the prison system forced into labor to battle these fires. (at Alcatraz Federal Prison) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqF4TEzA4tB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1uwfsjkeim2s9

Happy Friday, everyone! I wish for your weekend to be filled with adventure and learning! 📷: Nikole Heath @scuba.nikole (at Copenhagen Wreck) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp-1hkSgMZR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ith8hy5hvaoo

The ocean is no place to be sea-monkeying around! Happy Halloween, everyone! (at San Carlos Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpkGh0plm__/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2pf8rurfy3k9

It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as Expedition Leader for @teamusx very first scuba expedition. I hand picked a team of 6 military veteran/active duty soldiers that underwent training in a globally standardized scientific protocol, and conducted transect-based survey dives to monitor the health of coral reefs along the coast of Pompano Beach, Florida. The research data that was gathered will be analyzed by @reefcheckfoundation and used locally by marine park managers, nationally by fisheries and environment managers, and internationally by organizations including United Nations agencies to help monitor and preserve coral reefs worldwide. Thank you so much to @teamusx, @reefcheckfoundation, @diveforcee, @scuba.nikole for your parts in making this happen and a special thank you to my team members for making my job so easy and memorable! 📷: @scuba.nikole (at Pompano Beach, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpfU3GFlRJL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16fcaskn6srmj

Diving in Florida again after all these years has been amazing so far! I'm the Expedition Leader with @teamusx and partnered with @reefcheckfoundation to conduct transect-based surveys to monitor the health of coral reefs along the Atlantic coast. It's been so much fun, I thought I'd bring along my @nativesoutdoors hat to get an epic shot where no Natives Outdoors hat has gone before! (at Pompano Beach, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpLKiysFDXP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=b8zi07uoxjvl

An egg case, commonly called a mermaid's purse, most likely from a swell shark, found at Breakwater at around Marker 9 along the wall yesterday. The enchantingly named structures are the egg cases of skates and some sharks. While some sharks bear live young, some sharks (and all skates) release their embryos in leathery egg cases that have horns and sometimes long tendrils at each corner. The tendrils allow them to anchor to seaweed, kelp, or other substrates. Each egg case contains one embryo. The case is made up of a material that is a combination of collagen and keratin, so a dried egg case feels similar to a fingernail.  (at San Carlos Beach) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpDUI1wnntl/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1cpf57veed84u