By Kara Ladd, Goodhouse Keeping
The ocean covers more than 70% of the planet's surface, and we have only explored a mere 5% of that. There's so much more to learn about these mysterious waters, and World Oceans Day is the perfect opportunity to reflect upon the wildlife and spectacular reefs that live within them.
World Oceans Day occurs on June 8th every year, and we're celebrating its beauty with these gorgeous under-the-sea moments. See below for some of our favorite ocean pictures - they might even inspire your next family vacation!
Zanzibar
Zanzibar's coral reefs and crystal-clear waters are making us want to dive in (with our snorkels, of course).
Thailand
A giant whale shark finds some followers in the North Andaman sea in Thailand (scuba diver included for scale).
Queensland
The epic Great Barrier Reef is known for its colorful coral in the appropriately-named Coral Sea, and it's located just off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
Sri Lanka
Just below the surface, you can see this group of fish in a photo taken in Sri Lanka's Hikkaduwa coral reef.
Red Sea
A school of spinner dolphins journey through the Red Sea, a seawater inlet in the Middle East.
Maui
These brightly colored fish are called yellow tangs, and they're shown swimming through coral reefs in Maui, Hawaii.
Cabo San Lucas
A school of jack fish swim near a boat in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Bali
Striking orange clownfish hide in blue sea anemone in Bali, Indonesia.
Seychelles
A coral garden in the bay of Beau Vallon, Seychelles. If you look close enough, you can see a little yellow friend hanging out in a maze of coral.
Curacao
Known as one of the best dive sites in the world, the tugboat wreck sits 20 feet below water in Curacao and acts as a home base for thousands of fish and other sea life.
Wolfe Island
A school of approximately 20 eagle rays swim along the edge of the reef at Wolfe Island, Canada.
French Polynesia
The Pacific Double-saddle Butterflyfish swim along as hungry birds search for lunch in French Polynesia.
Tonga
A humpback whale guides her calf through the open water in Vavaʻu, Tonga.
Maldives
This is one happy turtle! This sea animal was caught on camera smiling and laughing in the Maldives.
Iceland
The freshwater valley called Nesgja is located in Northern Iceland just outside the town of Husavik - otherwise known as the Silfra of the North.
South Komodo
Soft corals in cannibal rock set in South Komodo, Indonesia.
Mauritius
A pod of sperm whale calves and juveniles huddle together near Mauritius, East Africa in the Indian Ocean.
Indo-Pacific
A close-up shot of Star Coral (also known as Galaxea) from a reef in the Indo-Pacific.
Hawaii
An under-water view of a wave breaking in Hawaii.
Philippines
A school of fish creates an under-water tornado in the Philippines.
