Adaptive scuba diving is a growing sport. This growth is propelled by the dedication of highly motivated advocate/divers like Cody Unser.

A year after she became paralyzed due to Transverse Myelitis - a rare inflammation of the spinal cord thought to be caused by infections or immune system disorders - Cody took up scuba diving as a way to keep up with her active family. She was thirteen years old at the time. Now, sixteen years later, she and her mother Shelley Unser head the Cody Unser First Step Foundation and its subsidiary dive programs Cody’s Great Scuba Adventures and Operation Deep Down.

Imagine that you have a sponge. Really, go ahead! In fact, imagine that you have one of those fancy scrubby sponges that is green on one side and yellow on the other. This sounds silly, but sponges absorb water similarly to how scuba divers absorb nitrogen. The sponge analogy will help you to understand the fundamentals of nitrogen absorption while diving.

Normally when people think of the word slug, they think of something slimy and undesirable, but that’s not the case when it comes to the underwater world. Nudibranchs, kind of like a sea slug, come in virtually every color and combination of colors and are extremely beautiful. Although most of the time they are quite small, they are so awesome that this makes up for what they lack in size. Here are 10 pretty cool things you might not know about nudibranchs.

Scientists have created highly detailed maps charting the seasonal movements and population densities of 35 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises -- many of them threatened or endangered -- in the crowded waters of the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.

the crystal coast, N.C. – Feb. 22, 2016 –The Crystal Coast of North Carolina – home to America’s Coolest Small Town, the No. 4 Best Spring Break Destination in the U.S. and some of the state’s Top 10 Beaches – is once again in the running for a major destination accolade. USA Today 10Best has nominated Cape Lookout National Seashore as one of the Nation’s Top 20 National Park Beaches, with the potential for this Coastal gem to be named the No. 1 favorite, Friday, March 18.

            Reminiscent of times past where wild horses roam freely on deserted beaches, Cape Lookout National Seashore, with its famed lighthouse, offers escapists a 56-mile stretch of underdeveloped shimmering beaches accessible only by boat.

            “Those who love and live in the Crystal Coast cherish Cape Lookout as one of the Southern Outer Bank’s most treasured gems,” said Carol Lohr, The Crystal Coast Tourism Authority executive director. “The beaches are unspoiled and stunning, and nothing beats the view of the Spanish Mustang horses running on Shackleford Banks.”

            “What an honor it is for Cape Lookout to be recognized in 2016 when the park is celebrating its 50^th anniversary and the National Park Service is celebrating its 100^th anniversary,” said Patrick Kenney, superintendent of Cape Lookout National Seashore. “We hope those who have experienced this special place will take the time to vote.”

Fans of Cape Lookout National Seashore may vote once a day at http://www.10best/awards/travel/best-national-park-beach/. Voting concludes Monday, March 14, at 11:59 am EDT.