The resources listed below are just a sample of the many fantastic ocean-related resources. If I missed a favorite of yours, please let me know via the contact page.
Websites
- Hatfield Visitor Center—Hatfield Marine Science Center
A long time ago, when this place was the Oregon coast’s best-kept secret, my husband and I got to get up close and personal with an octopus here. It remains one of my favorite animal encounters ever. Because the Center is now not-so-secret, that is no longer an option, but the octopus tank and the thrice weekly feeding events are still a big draw. You can even watch them feed the octopus online. - Oceanscape Network—Oregon Coast Aquarium
The Oceanscape Network is the education arm of another fantastic Oregon coast attraction, the Oregon Coast Aquarium. This website features education materials for students and teachers (and parent teachers!). - Whale Times
Whale Times is an ocean education nonprofit. Their website is packed full of educational links and resources. Check out the giant squid footage filmed last summer in the Gulf of Mexico. - DEEPEND Consortium—Outreach
The DEEPEND Consortium was assembled to study the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Check out the resources on their outreach page for videos, photos, educational material and more. - Jelly Cams/Live Cams—Monterey Bay Aquarium
A little mesmerizing meditation for a weird and stressful time. - Argo & Google Earth
Thousands of Argo floats travel the ocean, logging data as they go. Now you can use Google Earth software to track the floats in real time. More details here. - Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)
Learn about the research projects conducted by MBARI. - Windy.com
If you like super-geeky science tools, this website is for you. It tracks wind patterns around the world, but you can also select layers that show currents, ocean surface temperatures, waves, swells, CO2 levels, and more.
Videos
- Nature—Octopus: Making Contact
If you have access to PBS’s Passport program, you should be able to view this amazing program that follows an ocean researcher who brings an octopus into his home for observation. - NOVA—“Decoding the Weather Machine”
This program, particularly the segment about Ruth Gates and her coral research, was one of the initial inspirations for this book. The episode covers weather and climate broadly, but includes detailed information about the ocean’s role in climate and weather. - Chasing Coral
Features the work of Ruth Gates. Explores the beauty and plight of coral reefs around the world.
Books for Students and Adults
- Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of the Ocean, by Loree Griffin Burns (Houghton Mifflin 2007).
- Moby Duck The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea & of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists & Fools Including the Author Who Went in Search of Them, by Donovan Hohn (Penguin Books 2012).
- Plankton: Wonders of the Drifting World, by Christian Sardet (University of Chicago Press 2015).
- Into the Deep: An Exploration of Our Oceans, by Annika Siems and Wolfgang Dreyer (Prestel 2029).
- The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness, by Sy Montgomery (Atria 2015).