April is the peak month for gray whales passing by the San Francisco Bay Area, drawing spectators to the coast to scan the ocean’s surface for a heart-shaped spout or the flick of a gray-speckled tail. But while the abundance … Read more
The Ocean
Bay Nature stories about the Pacific Ocean.
Packed at Pillar Point
January 12, 2021 •
Huge crowds are harvesting mussels and other invertebrates. Could this damage the much-beloved reef?
Volunteer Divers Hope to Restore Kelp from the Ground Up
January 7, 2021 •
Can volunteer scuba divers start a turnaround for Northern California kelp forests?
A Seasonal Whale Finder for California
January 3, 2021 •
When to find and how to identify the three whales that regularly visit the California coast.
How Do Wildfires Affect Ocean Ecosystems?
January 3, 2021 •
How does wildfire ash affect the organisms in our waterways? Since plankton form the foundation of our coastal ecosystems, what happens if their equilibrium is disrupted?
Encountering an Alien on a Point Reyes Beach
December 15, 2020 •
Its face might have inspired the monster Alien Queen. Phronima lives like it.
Op-Ed: A Fisherman’s Perspective on Whales and Crab Gear
November 9, 2020 •
“Ropeless” gear won’t work, a second-generation crab fisherman says.
Postcard from Bodega Bay: “I Don’t Want to See These Whales Go Away”
September 27, 2020 •
In Bodega Bay, crabbers struggle to protect whales frequenting their waters–while still making a living.
Do Sea Anemones Live Forever?
September 27, 2020 •
As long as they aren’t poisoned or eaten, sea anemones just keep on keeping on. But how?
A Salmon Shark Strands Under the Orange Sky
September 17, 2020 •
A North Bay birder on a field trip to the coast on September 9 found a four-foot salmon shark washed up dead at Doran Beach, in Bodega Bay. It’s the second stranding of a salmon shark in the last month … Read more