Stunned by widespread ignorance about the Gulfof Mexico following the 2010 Macondo oil spill,underwater photographer Jesse Cancelmo decidedto turn his camera on the marine life of this 600,000square mile international sea that connects fiveUS states, six Mexican states, and the island nationof Cuba. With the goal of countering dismissivedescriptions of a Gulf plagued with dead zones andoverrun by oil rigs, Cancelmo set out to capture aworld rarely acknowledged, let alone seen.

.Between the Gulf ‘s rich shoreline habitats and itsprolific oceanic communities, thriving amid dazzlingcoral reefs, brine seeps, canyons, salt domes, and hardbottom banks, are more than 15,000 species, including an iconiccast of sea animals: sperm whales, manta rays, whale sharks,manatees, spotted dolphins, and more.

Capturing images from locations all around the Gulf, Cancelmoreveals the beauty and glory of these diverse habitats and species. Although this is a book of sensational underwater photography,Cancelmo intends it to be more than a celebration of oceanicbeauty. He also hopes to inspire better understanding andappreciation of the natural marine habitats in the Gulf and tostrengthen support for their protection and sustainment.