Black Cormorant

Macrocystis Blades

These blades of macrocystis kelp were floating near the surface just west of Bluebanks, on the south side of Santa Cruz within sight of the radar towers above Yellowbanks. The water's surface divides sunlight onto the blades. I'm not sure of the role of the jagged edges of the blades, but evolution must have decided that this is the best shape for a kelp leaf! A field of macrocystis can absorb nearly as much carbon dioxide as a field of alfalfa in Puerto Rico. Perhaps that alfalfa field holds the record; it seems to be the standard. Stop global warming, go kelp!

New Macrocystis

Macrocystis kelp at Cathedral Cove, Anacapa. Macrocystis develops new bladders by splitting old blades; each piece develops a new bladder, and becomes a blade in turn. Sizes of the blades are related by some ratio; I wonder what that ratio is! The bladders are usually said to be full of air or gas, but it's hard for me to believe that they aren't full of oxygen, the product of plant metabolism.

Charles Darwin wrote, in Voyage of the Beagle: "There is one marine production which, from its importance, is worthy of a particular history. It is the kelp, or Macrocystis pyrifera. ... I know few things more surprising than to see this plant growing and flourishing amidst those great breakers of the western ocean, which no mass of rock, let it be ever so hard, can long resist."

Sheepsheaad

Female Sheepshead at Channels, on the south side of Anacapa. Usually sheepshead tend to be slightly wary: perhaps because they have been spearfished s heavily. This one circled me a couple of times, after her lunch of crab was briefly interrupted. The teeth are useful for chomping sea urchins to bits.

Coonstripe Shrimp, Side View

Coonstripe shrimp at Underwater Island, Anacapa. These shrimp are usually quite shy, but this one was willing to sit still for a few photos by the paparazzi. He was 2 inches long. Apparently they also live much further north, in Alaska and the Arctic, where they can beomce much larger. I don't know where the name "coonstripe" comes from, unless it's from the striped legs. The spots on the back remind me of fancy hard candy.

Coonstripe Shrimp

Coonstripe shrimp at Underwater Island, Anacapa. This shrimp remained still for a whole series of photos. I wonder how their eyes work?

Curling Wave

Island Packer's jet-cat, the Island Adventure, waits just off the pier at Becher's Bay on Santa Rosa Island. They were waiting for campers to gather so that they could embark for the mainland. The surf was high and climbing down the ladder onto the heaving deck of the catamaran was tricky.  Campers and day-hikers seemed to manage it well, and the crew assisted them with aplomb.

Lichens at Becher's Bay

Lichens in a small canyon among the torrey pines near Becher's Bay, Santa Rosa Island.

Spanish Moss, Santa Rosa

Oak tree with spanish moss, near the head of Lobo Canyon, Santa Rosa Island. The climate changes dramatically with elevation and with distance from the ocean.

Lobo Canyon, Santa Rosa Island

Sandstone formation in Lobo Canyon, on the north side of Santa Rosa Island.  Actually this was a small tributary canyon of Lobo Canyon.  Like the other Channel Islands, Santa Rosa seems to be even more of a geological mishmash than the rest of California, but this fragment is pretty heavily sandstone.  Something about this particular place is especially lovely.

Lion's Mane Nudibranch

Lion's mane nudibranch, crawling beneath a blade of kelp at the East End of Santa Rosa. The "mane" is actually an "oral hood". This nudibranch was throwing its "mane" onto the kelp blade, and presumably scarfing down the life forms thus enveloped. The water was full of life on this day.