I need kelp help!

[drbill]

Actually water temperatures in the dive park at 80 fsw have dropped 10 degrees F in the last two weeks. They were 65 two weeks ago and 55 this past weekend. Kelp is doing fine considering the pulse of cold, nutrient rich water.

"Funny" thing is that the garibaldi appear to have stopped mating since the temperatures at moderate depths are now below their minimum reproductive temperature (59 F). I did see one nest with a female laying eggs in it but that was at about 20 fsw in warmer water.

 

[fnfalman]

how warm is the water right now??? We were out last year at this time (August actually) and Catalina kelp was so thick it was hard to swim around without getting caught...
looks pretty healthy and lush to me!

robin

I've been diving the last three weekends both at Catalina (quarry, isthmus) and Anacapa & Santa Cruz. My dive logs have been showing 57-61F and the kelps were pretty much done for at these places. I'm surprised that Casino Point kelps are still healthy.

I'm not surprised that the kelp at Marineland is still good to go because of the consistent low temps out there.

The few that still float were covered with the white rot.

 

[dpbishop]

Dive Connections Scuba Diving San Diego - Dive Boats - Scuba Tours - Daily Boat Dives - Dive Connections Inc. San Diego CA Home Page has trips to the kelp beds almost every day that your sister will be here. You should also try some of the wreck dives; most of them are non-penetration dives so you don't have to be a wreck diver, and the Yukon takes at least two tanks just to cover the outside. The NOSC Tower is one of my favorite dives; you swim through an open structure covered with anemonies.

Here's a link to all the SoCal dive boats: California Dive Boats : The Official Page San Diego is at the bottom.

 

[PCH Scuba - Brett]

The Kelp is remarkably healthy right now. We were at Casino Point this weekend on Catalina and there was all the kelp you could want there, and more!!

 

[robint]

I've been diving the last three weekends both at Catalina (quarry, isthmus) and Anacapa & Santa Cruz. My dive logs have been showing 57-61F and the kelps were pretty much done for at these places. I'm surprised that Casino Point kelps are still healthy.

I'm not surprised that the kelp at Marineland is still good to go because of the consistent low temps out there.

The few that still float were covered with the white rot.

I understand that the kelp may not be as pretty as it was 6 months ago, but your choice of words "kelps were pretty much done" I think is probably a bit of an exaggeration. Yes, kelp does start to show some degrading and die-off during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't come out to dive.
You wanna see bare rock and no fish (well, a couple of goldfish that people have been nice enough to leave us).... come dive here in NM where we dive all the time, just so we can get wet! BLUE HOLE Photos
It is all a matter of perspective!!!! To you, the kelp forests in California are "done".... to me they are lush, beautiful gardens full of fish and interesting creatures!

robin

 

[blue steal]

.... to me they are lush, beautiful gardens full of fish and interesting creatures!

robin

Agreed, a beautiful sight to behold and a complete feeling of serenity while gliding thru the forest.:amazed:
Check out Frankpros post on Honeymoon photos of kelp forest.

 

[drbill]

Likewise I find the Casino Point kelp forests to be pretty healthy. One has to realize that individual kelp blades have lifespans of weeks and entire fronds on the order of 6 months so portions of the kelp are constantly dying off and being replaced. Of course this accelerates as the water temperature increases, with some scientists saying it takes about 2-3 weeks of temps above 68 F to really do it damage.

It isn't so much the temperature as the low nutrients associated with warm water. Pulses of cold water as we're experiencing now renew nutrient levels and maintain kelp growth (along with phytoplankton).

 

[Coll]

Thanks for all the responses everybody! Unfortunately we can't make it out to Catalina because we are trying to have the dives done as early as possible. I'll definitely look into some of the other suggestions made though, thanks so much!