The Ocean
Naturalist’s Notebook: An Illustrated Guide to Watching for Humpback Whales
What to look for when watching humpbacks.
A Sea Snail’s Ability to Flee From Predators Is Impaired By More Acidic Water, New Paper Suggests
Sea snails flee from predators. A new research paper suggests that ocean acidification impairs that ability.
Whale Resources
Whale Watching: The Oceanic Society has offered naturalist-led whale-watching excursions in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1972. Excursions leave from San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, and Bodega Bay, on...
The Purple Storm Snail, an Unusual Visitor to Northern California
When the wind and current are right, you might find this rare visitor to Northern California.
What Lurks Beneath
A small research team sets out in the search for a potential ocean killer. But in this unusual year, nature is not cooperating with her interrogators.
Neurotoxin That Closed Crab Fisheries Is Declining — But Slowly
The harmful algae bloom that sickened marine mammals and caused the closure of California's crab fishery this winter is slowly dissipating, while researchers are still trying to understand what caused...
‘Unprecedented’ Toxin Spread That Delayed Crab Season Shines Light on Mysterious Algae
Marine ecologists have long been alarmed at the potentially dangerous summertime growth of the single-celled algae Pseudo-nitzschia -- but there are still significant blind spots in our knowledge and research...
Ask the Naturalist: Sea Foam – How Much is Too Much?
How much sea foam along the shore is normal for this time of year? And how can you tell if it's harmful to marine life? We asked UC Santa Cruz...
Ask the Naturalist: Seabird Feeding Frenzy at Point Montara
Why are large numbers of seabirds congregating off Point Montara?
