Eric Wahl

Area of Residence: Monterey, CA

Eric Wahl is an ocean educator who currently trains and supports the volunteer Guides at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, occasionally feeding the fish in the kelp forest on SCUBA and surface-supplied diving but primarily focusing on developing curriculum and coaching science communication. Outside of work, he loves to explore our bay and bring back images that will hopefully inspire others to be as excited about the ocean as he is!

Growing up in Monterey, he’s been diving in and around the peninsula since high school, mentored by some of the old guard who witnessed Monterey’s dive scene grow and blossom. While he always loved the sea, he was instilled with a passion for its conservation through volunteer work at the Aquarium as a highschooler and undergraduate studies in Marine Biology at UC Santa Cruz. The COVID-19 pandemic gave him the chance to get into underwater photography, and for the last 5 years he’s been exponentially expanding his skills, equipment, and experience. He’s been fortunate to dive in Mexico, the Philippines, Hawaii, and Australia, but his favorite place to photograph will always be the majestic kelp forests of Monterey Bay. He thinks showing the public what lies just a few feet underwater is one of the best ways to build empathy for the ocean and its critters, and the deep & well-documented history of this area’s decline, conservation, and recovery fills him with hope that we can build to a healthier relationship with the natural world.

His work has been recognized in the Kelp Forest Alliance rewards and the 2025 Monterey Shootout, as well as featured in presentations for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Western Society of Naturalists.

He’s currently based in Monterey and always excited to welcome new converts to the kelp forest cult, so don’t hesitate to reach out for some diving or discussion!