Patrick Webster

When Patrick Webster was 5 years old, he visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium, getting a peek at the sea otter exhibit where he saw furry marine mammals float, twirl and dive. It made him want to swim in the ocean himself. But something more happened. A seed was planted: He realized he wanted to grow up to be a marine biologist and eventually work at the aquarium. While studying marine biology at UC Santa Cruz, he worked for four years at Seymour Marine Discovery Center, where he learned to translate the complicated biology he was learning and help others better understand it.

To get a closer look at marine life, Webster also became an avid diver and underwater photographer. He has spent 465 hours diving and has explored underwater everywhere from the Channel Islands in Southern California to the Sea of Cortez in Baja. Some of his memorable marine life experiences include spying a flamboyant cuttlefish, swimming with a blue-ringed octopus in Indonesia and documenting a dramatic pelagic red crab invasion in Monterey Bay.

Webster’s young dream came true in 2011 when he started working in the Monterey Bay Aquarium, leading tours. Now 27, he is the aquarium’s social media content creator.

Webster spoke to the Weekly about his love of diving and the use of new technology at the aquarium.

Weekly: What is so interesting about being underwater?

Webster: It’s a completely different world on our same planet. We have this entire world right here on Earth that very few people ever get to see. The other thing is there aren’t any humans around.

Lastly, you are weightless and you get to see a lot of cool animals. It resets your brain in a way, sort of like going to a national park where you come back and feel refreshed.

How did you get into underwater photography?

From my scientific diving class at UCSC. After I graduated, I wanted a reason to keep diving, and bringing a camera seemed like fun. I didn’t know what to do with all the photos, which then turned into a website for species identification and then led to winning photo and video contests. The rest was history.

What is one of the coolest experiences you have had underwater?

Thankfully, there are so many. The most recent is seeing a local harbor seal in Monterey Bay eat an octopus that was hunting a crab. I shot a video of it and it went viral.

What is some of the new and interesting technology that you’re working with at the aquarium?

The latest is live broadcasting underwater, where we can mix the video with the live audio feed from the diver’s face mask. It was revolutionary in the early days at the aquarium. It’s another step in bringing the kelp forest feedings online. We’re also working to live-stream 360-degree video underwater.

How does technology change the way visitors experience the aquarium?

The great thing about social media and where the technology is going is that we are able to share what we do inside the building with everyone, live in real time. We can answer their questions, no matter where they are in the world. We are fortunate that we have really cool animals next to internet access.

The reason the aquarium was built was to build a personal connection with the amazing wildlife in the Monterey Bay. Lucile Packard, wife of David Packard [whose foundation and personal gift launched the Monterey Bay Aquarium], said in her life she was never able to see what was underwater, but now we are all able. There are certain experiences [many people] can only really get by having it delivered virtually. You can see it in the exhibit, but you can’t come diving with me if you’re not certified. Now, we are able to share experiences.

What’s your favorite exhibit at the moment?

I think the most significant one for me is the sea otters, which set me on my career. My favorite overall is the kelp forest, because that is where I spend as much free time as I can – diving in the wild Monterey Bay. The exhibit does a great job at replicating the real thing, but the wild kelp forest can be more colorful and diverse, simply because there is more natural turnover in the water.