I'm Hungry...
The sea lions at Santa Barbara Island are more playful and friendly compared to those at other Channel Islands. This cute little guy looked at me with sort of a “I’m hungry…” look and then proceeded to chase after his dinner in front of me.
Dramatic Shot
Photo by our resident nudibranch expert (geek) and instructor Megumi Itoh from 6/1/19 dive trip aboard the Peace Dive Boat to the west end of Santa Cruz Island. Spanish shawl (Flabellinopis iodinea) is one of the common nudibranchs you see in Southern California so some divers just brush them off as a common sight, but there are many of us who love their flamboyant appearance. When the lighting is just right, you can get a very dramatic photograph.
Kelp Forest Dreaming
Though not to the former glory, the kelp forest is coming back in Southern California. One of the places where you see the luscious kelp forest is Santa Barbara Island.
Harnessing the Energy!
Beautiful giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) absorbing the abundant sunlight of Southern California. The gas-filled bladder at the base of the leaf-like blade holds the kelp upright, and the kelp fronds grow straight up to the surface. Kelp is a type of algae. Thus it does not have a root system to absorb water and nutrients. It harvests the sun’s energy through photosynthesis. The growing season for the giant kelp starts in spring and peaks in fall.
Beautiful Santa Barbara Island
Our last trip to the Santa Barbara Island was amazing. We had good conditions both above and below the water. Nice, sunny day and clear blue water with 60+ feet visibility! This is the sight that greeted us underwater - morning light filtering in through the canopy of the beautiful amber forest. As we swam through the kelp forest, an inquisitive male California sheephead approached to check us out. A sheephead can live for up to 20 years in favorable conditions, and can grow to 91cm (3ft) and weigh up to 16kn (35lbs).
