Best Pacific

Pyropia yezoensis is a marine red alga cultivated widely in East Asia, especially Japan and Korea, for the dried seaweed product known as nori. It grows in coastal intertidal and subtidal waters and is farmed by seeding spores onto nets, which are then tended in sheltered bays and harvested during c...

Saccharina japonica, formerly classified as Laminaria japonica, is a brown kelp cultivated extensively in the northwest Pacific for the edible sea vegetable kombu. It grows in cold coastal waters and is farmed on ropes or nets, then harvested and dried into dark fronds or strips. Kombu is a core ing...

The Hawaiian Bobtail Squid, *Euprymna scolopes*, is a small squid species found in the Pacific Ocean. It’s notable for its remarkable symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria, *Vibrio fischeri*. This partnership generates light along the squid's mantle, providing camouflage at night. Rese...

The Heceta Head Light stands on a dramatic Oregon Coast headland, marking a treacherous stretch of Pacific shoreline. Constructed in 1894, this lighthouse’s powerful beam provided vital navigation for mariners over twenty-one nautical miles. It remains an important historical landmark and is frequen...

Mesocentrotus franciscanus, commonly known as the red sea urchin, is a regular echinoderm belonging to the Strongylocentrotidae family. It inhabits kelp forests along the Pacific coast of North America. This species is notable for its size and commercially harvested roe, which is consumed globally....

The crystal jelly, Aequorea victoria, is a transparent hydrozoan medusa found along the Pacific coast of North America. Its bell margin bears light-producing organs, and its bioluminescence involves the protein aequorin interacting with green fluorescent protein, or GFP. Research on proteins isolate...

The Palau Barrier Reef is a significant tropical coral reef system located in Micronesia’s western Pacific Ocean. It forms a protective barrier around a rich lagoon and is recognized globally for its exceptional biodiversity. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the reef supports numerous mar...

The Gulf of California, also called the Sea of Cortez, is a narrow body of water separating Mexico's Baja California Peninsula from the mainland. It extends for roughly 1,100 kilometers and connects with the Pacific Ocean at its southern end. The gulf contains islands, deep basins, productive marine...

Yamato was an Imperial Japanese Navy battleship commissioned during the Second World War and the lead ship of its class. Along with its sister Musashi, it carried 46-centimeter main guns and ranks among the largest and most heavily armed battleships constructed. On 7 April 1945, United States carrie...

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese navigator who entered Spanish service and commanded an expedition that departed in 1519 seeking a westward route to the Spice Islands. His fleet discovered the passage now called the Strait of Magellan and completed the first recorded European crossing of the Paci...

USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy that saw extensive service during World War II. In July 1945, the ship completed a top-secret mission to deliver components for the first atomic bomb to Tinian island. On July 30, 1945, the vessel was torpedoed by...

Nereocystis luetkeana, or bull kelp, is an annual brown kelp found along the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to California. It has a long, whip-like stipe and a hollow gas-filled float from which ribbon-like blades extend, and it can reach about 36 m in length. The species forms dense sur...

Pyropia tenera, formerly known as Porphyra tenera, is a species of edible red algae belonging to the Bangiaceae family. It grows naturally in the cold, shallow intertidal waters of the Pacific Ocean, primarily around Japan, China, and Korea. The species is characterized by its thin, flat, and transl...

Corcovado National Park is a conservation area established in 1975 on the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica. The park spans approximately 424 square kilometers, encompassing varied ecosystems including lowland tropical rainforest, mangrove swamps, and cloud forests. It serves as a crucial hab...

Marshall Sahlins was an American cultural anthropologist associated with the University of Chicago and later the University of Michigan. In 'Stone Age Economics' (1972), he challenged Western assumptions about scarcity, arguing that foraging societies represented the "original affluent society" due...

The Bora Bora Lagoon is a stunning tropical lagoon within the Pacific Ocean’s Tuamotu Archipelago. It's notable for its exceptional clarity, biodiversity, and the unique geological formation of Mount Otemanu beneath it – an extinct volcano creating a dramatic backdrop. The lagoon supports diverse ma...

The spot shrimp, Pandalus platyceros, is a large marine shrimp native to the northeastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Alaska to California and occurring in rocky habitats at substantial depths. It is recognizable by the white spots on its reddish body and by its long antennae. Like several pandalid...

The firefly squid is a small, deep-sea cephalopod found in the waters off Japan, most famous for its brilliant bioluminescence. Each spring, millions of these squid gather in Toyama Bay to spawn, creating a spectacular blue glowing display along the coastline. The species possesses specialized light...

The Pu'u Loa Petroglyphs are an extensive field of ancient rock carvings located within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. Recognized as the largest petroglyph site in Hawaii, the field consists of over 23,000 individual images carved into hardened basalt lava flows. The engravings pr...

The Pacific cleaner shrimp, Lysmata amboinensis, is a marine shrimp distributed across tropical parts of the Indo-Pacific. It advertises at reef cleaning stations with conspicuous red and white coloration and long white antennae, then removes ectoparasites, dead tissue, and debris from visiting fish...

The Aitutaki Lagoon is a stunning tropical lagoon located within the Cook Islands’ Pacific archipelago. It's notable for its exceptionally clear, turquoise waters and unique formation as an atoll. The lagoon supports diverse marine life and provides exceptional conditions for tourism and recreation....

Akagi was an Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carrier converted from an Amagi-class battlecruiser hull after the Washington Naval Treaty altered Japanese construction plans. It served as the flagship of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's carrier striking force during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December...

The Palau Blue Corner Reef is a renowned outer barrier reef location within the Pacific Ocean. Its significance lies in exceptionally strong tidal currents which create unique conditions for abundant marine life. This site consistently draws large numbers of grey reef sharks alongside rays and diver...

Dosidicus gigas, commonly known as the Humboldt squid or jumbo flying squid, is a large, predatory marine cephalopod found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is a dominant species in the Humboldt Current, where it supports significant commercial fisheries, particularly off the coasts of Peru, Chile, a...

The Humboldt squid is a large, predatory marine cephalopod native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, particularly the waters of the Humboldt Current. Capable of exceeding two meters in length, it is a highly adaptable predator that feeds on fish, crustaceans, and other squids. This species is known for i...

USS Yorktown (CV-5) was a United States Navy aircraft carrier commissioned in 1937 and the lead ship of the Yorktown class. After participating in the Battle of the Coral Sea, it was rapidly repaired and returned to action for the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Japanese aircraft inflicted severe dam...

Sipadan Reef is a protected marine conservation area located off the coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It’s notable for its exceptionally rich biodiversity including significant populations of green and hawksbill turtles alongside sharks, rays, and vibrant coral formations. The reef thrives on an extinct vo...

Millennium Atoll Lagoon is a remote coral atoll lagoon within Kiribati’s Pacific Ocean. It's notable for its exceptional biodiversity and serves as a vital marine reserve. The lagoon supports diverse wildlife populations including seabirds, sharks, and various fish species. Researchers, conservation...

James Cook was an English cartographer and explorer active in the 18th century. His detailed surveys of the Pacific Ocean, particularly during voyages to New Zealand and Hawaii, significantly advanced geographical understanding. These maps provided crucial navigational data for maritime trade and ex...