When the wind and current are right, you might find this rare visitor to Northern California.
The Ocean
Bay Nature stories about the Pacific Ocean.
What Lurks Beneath
February 8, 2016 •
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
December 16, 2015 •
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 it to happen.
‘Unprecedented’ Toxin Spread That Delayed Crab Season Shines Light on Mysterious Algae
November 11, 2015 •
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 funding has been scarce.
Ask the Naturalist: Sea Foam – How Much is Too Much?
October 22, 2015 •
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 oceanographer Raphael Kudela.
Ask the Naturalist: Seabird Feeding Frenzy at Point Montara
September 25, 2015 •
Why are large numbers of seabirds congregating off Point Montara?
Basking Sharks Appear, Briefly, In Monterey Bay — But Don’t Call It a Comeback
September 4, 2015 •
Enormous basking sharks were once common off Monterey, but it’s now very rare to see as many sharks in one place as were reported in July.
Tomales Bay Revival: The Ripple Effects of Restoration
June 21, 2015 •
When the “heart of the estuary” was restored in 2008, scientists expected to see wildlife return. But Tomales Bay’s remarkable renewal in just seven years has exceeded expectations.
A Pretty Pink Nudibranch Moves North, and It’s a ‘Canary in the Tidepool’ for Climate Change
May 10, 2015 •
At low tide on the North Coast right now, the tidepools teem with Hopkins’ rose nudibranchs. “This is not normal business as usual,” says scientist Terry Gosliner.
Shaping Ocean Plastic into Awareness
April 23, 2015 •
Engaging kids in art is second nature to renowned environmental artist and mom Lee Lee, whose collaborative art tiles project, DEBRIS, sprung out of her concern for her newborn son Thatcher’s future in a world overrun by single-use plastics.