 "We couldn't think of a better day to release our second film. Because today is a day for stories about people who love this planet enough to fight for it — and Diving for Rays is exactly that kind of story..."
Read More.  Diving for Rays was released on Wild Commons for Earth Day 2026, giving it a new home for the world to see.
Watch the film here.  A spread featuring Nova and their work in the July issue of National Geographic's UK Kids Magazine.
"Nova has always loved art - from drawing and painting to pottery. So when they got the opportunity to combine this artistic passion with their love for nature - by becoming an underwater filmmaker - they took the plunge!" This article is only available in print, but you can learn more about the UK NG Kids Magazine Here.  Co-filmed by Nova West.
"On Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, the surf break at Playa Hermosa is a world-class wave—and the heart of a vibrant ecosystem where endangered sea turtles nest. Recently named a World Surfing Reserve, it’s now the focus of a bold conservation effort, as community members work to restore forests, protect wildlife, and preserve the powerful waves that shape their way of life." Watch the full episode here.  Co-filmed by Nova West.
"Along the rugged Northern California coast, Año Nuevo State Park harbors a thriving colony of elephant seals, where science and nature intertwine. For over 50 years, University of California Santa Cruz researchers, spanning three generations, have worked alongside seven generations of seals to better understand their life cycles and ocean health." Watch the full episode here.  Photos by Nova West.
"Thousands of meters below the surface of the ocean, in complete darkness, exists a world teeming with thick bacterial mats resembling shag carpets and unique animal life found nowhere else on our planet. Here, the scene is mesmerizingly otherworldly. Hydrothermal vents, like chimneys of an underwater city, create oases of life in an otherwise desolate expanse..." Read More.  Photos by Nova West.
"Now in her final year of graduate studies at the University of Victoria, Harris has spent more than 150 days at sea, using submersibles to take samples from hydrothermal vents around the world and in B.C. These are heated geysers on the sea bed, up to 4,000 metres below sea level, located in areas of heavy volcanic activity..." Read More.  "Nova West (They/Them) is an up-and-coming filmmaker, photographer, and visual artist. Nova’s career has been working in the oceanography/marine sciences industry as an expedition documentarian and an independent filmmaker focusing on LGBTQIA representation in science and marine science advocacy topics through beautifully compelling imagery that is sure to inspire..."
Listen Here.  Photos by Nova West.
"During the E Mamana Ou Gataifale I expedition, we were delighted to have Magdalene Augafa-Leauanae, Program Director at the American Samoa Department of Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction, sail as our Guest Educator. We were also thrilled to host three passionate interns from OET NOAA National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa: Talofa Fe’a, Liualevaiosina Le'iato, and Ella Ashford. At the end of the expedition, Communications Lead Marley Parker sat down with these four vibrant women to discuss what they learned, what surprised them, and what memories they will take with them after sailing on Nautilus for the first time..." Read More.  Photos by Nova West.
"During our first expedition in American Samoa this year, we utilized multiple autonomous vehicles to collect valuable data at Vailulu'u Seamount. Over the last three years, the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) has been advancing the integration of multiple exploration technologies aboard E/V Nautilus, but this expedition marked the first time these tools have been directed at an active seamount..." Read More. |
