A privately funded ocean survey is adding 50,000 underwater panoramic images to Google Maps.

 

Google Maps just unveiled a new ocean-level street view, which we'll call Snorkel View, allowing anyone with an Internet connection to virtually dive with sea turtles other creatures in some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs. You can use the Street View tool in several tropical locales to zoom in and swim with the fishes.

 

“Now, anyone can become the next virtual Jacques Cousteau and dive with sea turtles, fish and manta rays in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii,” Brian McClendon, vice president of Google Maps and Earth and a self-described snorkeling enthusiast, wrote on the Google blog.