Tideline

Diver mid-descent holding a bundle of tangled fishing line underwater

Gloved fingers carefully tagging a loggerhead sea turtle flipper on a sandy beach

Child's hand pressing a juvenile crab gently back into wet sand at the shoreline

Marine biologist with muddy boots standing on a mangrove boardwalk at dawn

Volunteer holding a rescued sea turtle with both hands, smiling at camera

Underwater shot of coral reef with colorful fish and clear blue water

Team of divers at sunrise preparing equipment on a research vessel deck

Close-up of seagrass being replanted by hand in shallow coastal water

Est. 2014 · Three Estuaries Restored

Every tide brings work. Every hand matters.

Marine biologists, volunteer divers, and coastal educators working the reefs and shorelines of the Gulf Coast — together.

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1,400lbs

Ghost Net Removed

this season

Estuaries Restored

since 2014

47k+

Seagrass Shoots

replanted by hand

312

Volunteer Divers

active this year

5:45 AMBoat Prep · Equipment Check

Research vessel silhouetted against pre-dawn sky, crew loading dive equipment on deck

Pre-dawn load-out, Perdido Bay

6divers

On This Survey

3 certified, 3 in training

"You're tying knots in the dark half the time. That's when you know it's real work."

Darnell Okafor

Volunteer Diver, 4 seasons

Gear check before every dive

Equipment

Net-cutting shears ×12
Lift bags (50 lb) ×6
Mesh collection bags ×20
Underwater slates
Seagrass plugs — 800 pcs

Muddy rubber boots on a weathered mangrove boardwalk at dawn with fog

8:00 AMUnderwater Reef Survey

Diver photographing coral reef formation underwater with school of tropical fish

Live Reef Survey

1,400lbs

Ghost Net Removed This Season

across 14 survey dives

Diver underwater holding bundle of tangled ghost fishing net being removed from coral

Net section #7 — approx. 80 lbs

"The reef doesn't care what your resume says. It just needs the net off it."

Priya Menon

Marine Biologist, Lead Diver

Survey Log — 08:42

Coral cover

34%+6% vs. last yr

Net fragments

12 pcssector B-4

Visibility

18 ftmoderate

Water temp

74°Fseasonal avg

Marine biologist holding rescued sea turtle with both hands on boat deck smiling

Loggerhead #TL-2847 — released healthy

12:00 PMGunwale Lunch · Field Notes

Sandwiches and water bottles on boat gunwale with ocean in background at noon

Lunch on the water — best office view

"We eat fast. The tide doesn't wait and neither does the seagrass."

Tomás Reyes

Seagrass Planting Lead

Field Notes — Day 2

Sector B-4 cleared. Spotted 3 juvenile grouper near the staghorn. Net weight heavier than expected — estimate 120 lbs this section alone. Planting window 2:30–4:30 if wind holds.

— P. Menon, 11:58 AM

Close-up of seagrass blades underwater in shallow coastal water

Volunteer Spotlight

Keiko Yamamoto

Retired marine science teacher · 3 seasons

"I spent 28 years teaching kids about tidal ecosystems from a classroom. Tideline finally put me in the water."

Who Shows Up

Marine Biology Graduates38%

Retired Educators24%

Recreational Divers22%

Coastal Residents16%

47k+

Seagrass Shoots Replanted

by volunteer hands, 2014–2026

3:00 PMSeagrass Planting · Sample Lab

Volunteer hands pressing juvenile crab into wet sand during shoreline restoration

Seagrass Bed B-7

"Planting seagrass feels like gardening in slow motion. You won't see results for three years. That's the whole point."

Dr. Amara Osei

Research Coordinator, Tideline

3 beds

Estuaries Restored to Health

Perdido, Pensacola, Choctawhatchee

Marine biologist examining water sample under microscope in field laboratory

Sample processing, 3:15 PM

Collected Today

Halodule wrightii

shoalgrass, 200 plugs

Syringodium filiforme

manatee grass, 150 plugs

Thalassia testudinum

turtle grass, 450 plugs

Water samples

pH, turbidity, DO

Young student in wetsuit learning to identify intertidal species during school field program

School program, Escambia Bay

6:30 PMGolden Hour · Gear Rinse · End of Day

Research vessel crew hosing down dive equipment on dock at golden hour with warm sunset light

End of day. Everyone home safe.

Today's tally

A full day on the water.

~180 lbs

Ghost net hauled

800

Seagrass plugs set

1.2 mi

Reef transect

Crew members

"I drove four hours each way. I'd do it again next weekend."

Marcus Webb

Volunteer Diver, first season

Next survey: March 8–9

Gulf Coast Reef · 6 spots remaining

Sasha Okonkwo

Graduate Researcher, FSU

"Three years ago I was grading marine biology papers. Now I'm writing them. Tideline changed the direction of my career."

Robert Lindqvist

Lindqvist Family Foundation

"My foundation has funded a lot of organizations. Tideline is the only one where I've ever held a net cutter."

Claudette Moreau

Retired Teacher, Weekend Monitor

"I'm 67. I've been diving since I was 19. I've never done anything that mattered more than this."

Join the Crew

The next survey is a week away. There's a spot with your name on it.

Whether you're a certified diver, a retired teacher who knows every species in the estuary, or someone who just needs to be near the water — we have a role for you. Show up once. See what it does to you.

Gulf Coast, FL

Perdido Bay and surrounding reef systems

March 8–9, 2026

5:30 AM departure · back by 7 PM

All experience levels

Certified divers and surface monitors both needed

Reserve your spot

Tideline

Estuary
ID Guide

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32 pages of hand-drawn species maps, tide charts, and field notes from ten years of monitoring the Gulf Coast. Yours for just an email.

Next survey window: March 8–9, Gulf Coast Reef · 6 spots left

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