The water was clear and the sky was cloudless, so illumination was good underwater. The ocean was warm: 71F, too warm for kelp. El Niño is having an effect.

I learned to dive at Refugio Beach. It was fun to visit it last week, in August 2026, a little more than 28 years after my first dive there.

Kelp Perch (Brachyistius frenatus) Kelp perch are like little gold coins, glittering as they dart and hover in schools, just below the kelp canopy. They are skittish, and reflect light well; it's tricky to capture their golden color. This kelp perch was enjoying a small stand of kelp off Sea Lion Beach, on the South (or "back") side of Anacapa Island. It seems like just about every group of fish has a species that begins with "kelp": kelp perch, kelp bass, kelp rockfish, kelp

The kelp forest at Landing Cove at Anacapa. This cove became a marine reserve in 1978, with no fishing or hunting allowed, so it has a lot of big lobsters and lush marine life.

This giant kelpfish was particularly friendly and patient as I photographed it off San Clemente Island.

A Norris' Topsnail climbs a gas bladder on giant kelp It might look like this Norris' topsnail is a bubble dancer. But, he or she is doing the unending task of these snails, climbing a giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera), and feeding off the tiny animals that live on its surface. This shot was made looking straight down. These snails usually clamp their shells onto the kelp surface when approached. Perhaps this one was consumed with getting around this particular large kelp bla

A colony of bryozoans (Membranipora membranacea) on a kelp blade Kelp fronds often carry white spots. Darwin mentioned them, on kelp off Chile, in his bestseller Voyage of the Beagle. This white spot is composed of many cells, grouped around a center. Each cell contains an individual bryozoan, a Lacy Crust Bryozoan or Membranipora membranacea. A single individual is known as a zooid (which is a great scrabble word). Here you can see that the zooids are a filter-feeders, sievi

Blades and air bladders of a macrocystis kelp swirl, as waves pass above.

The cool pathways beneath the kelp canopy are among the most calm and relaxing places on Earth.