A retired teacher found some seahorses off Long Beach. Then he built a secret world for them

Rog Hanson emerges from the coastal waters, pulls a diving regulator out of his mouth and pushes a scuba mask down around his neck. “She’s our supermodel.” If you get Hanson talking about his seahorses, he’ll tell you exactly how many times he’s seen them, who is dating whom, and describe their personalities with intimate familiarity. “Bathsheba” was inspired by a Bible story, and her mate, Deep Blue, named after a dive shop that has helped sponsor Hanson’s work since he launched his seahorse study. Rog Hanson, 68, teamed up with dive instructor Ashley Arnold two years ago to keep watch over a small colony of Pacific seahorses. Rog Hanson, 68, left, teamed up with dive instructor Ashley Arnold two years ago to keep watch over a small colony of Pacific seahorses.