The Magic of Our La Jolla Kelp Forrest

    One of the most highly productive underwater environments that supports marine biodiversity is located  just offshore from La Jolla’s coast. The giant kelp forests here are dominated by two large brown algae species, the giant kelp and the bull kelp.

  The kelp is attached to the rocky sea floor and rises up to form a broad canopy allowing a rich habitat below its’ surface.  Giant kelp thrives in clear water that receives a lot of sunlight, which makes Southern California a perfect environment.

  Kelp is also one of the quickest growing organisms on earth, growing up to 2 feet per day. The mass amount of canopy provides a home for many fish and invertebrates that depend on the productivity of the forest for food, shelter and survival. Harbor seals and sea lions use the mysterious tall forests as a refuge from predators; gray whales have even been spotted within the kelp forest, feeding. Other animals may seek out kelp forests during storms because kelp helps dissipate the energy from waves, thus making a more stable environment.

  On the surface of the ocean, kelp looks like a spread of murky debris, but beneath the surface there exists a magical underwater world populated by many cryptic and fascinating creatures. Some of which include, giant black sea bass, yellow rockfish, moray eels, giant kelpfish, garibaldi, barracuda, yellowtail, bat ray, leopard sharks, and the list goes on. You can see all of this from Hike Bike Kayak‘s La Jolla Cove and Sea Cave Snorkel Tour, andLa Jolla Cove Kayak and Snorkel Tour.