Just getting started

  

 Juvenile Winged Kelp (Alaria marginata), photographed on 2 Jannuary 2022.

Wings and ribs

 

After our surveys in northern Sonoma County yesterday, we did a little exploring in the low rocky intertidal zone.  In this photo there are two species of kelp — can you see the differences?  Look around at the golden-brown individuals.

One of the kelps is relatively smooth with one central mid-rib.  The other kelp is puckered and has several ribs running the length of the blade.

The first species is Winged Kelp (Alaria marginata) and the second is Five-ribbed Kelp (Costaria costata).  Note that these are juveniles and are quite small — only ~6 inches long or so.

Interestingly, although I haven't seen Five-ribbed Kelp on Bodega Head, there are herbarium records for it from Bodega Head in the 1960s.  Has something changed?  Is it just patchy?  Or variable?  Have you seen Five-ribbed Kelp in Sonoma County?  I'd be interested in hearing about recent local records.

Catching some Al-air-ia

 

Inspired by Andy Goldsworthy?  

We noticed a very long Winged Kelp (Alaria marginata) blade on the beach tonight.  Eric pulled it into the air so I could try to document how long it was.  I liked how it rippled and flowed while airborne, and there was nice light along different parts of the blade.

Every time he pulled it into the air, the shape and effect was different:

 

For the record, this blade was a little over 4.5 meters (15 feet) long.  According to the Marine Algae of California, most Alaria blades are 2.5-4 meters (8-13 feet) long, but they can reach lengths up to 6 meters (19.5 feet)!

 

Winging it

 

Another beautiful view of dense kelp in the low intertidal zone on the Mendocino coast — this one is Winged Kelp (Alaria marginata).