Posted by Brad on March 23, 2002 at 12:00:48:
Those gale winds that we had last week really turned the waters over. Two weeks ago, the waters all the way to Nic were 59 degrees, now they are 56. That cooler water brought nutrients to the surface that have been yearning for sunlight, now they are all in splendid bloom! Unfortunately that turns the water to a yellow/green tinge and brought the vis down to about 15ft. Nicolas had very low vis everywhere east yesterday as did Santa Barbara Island. I heard that SCI and Catalina also have dirty water.
There is a good side though... The new spring 'life' is starting to show. For the first time this year, i have seen schools of jack smelt on the surface at Nicolas. They are generally the first to show up in the beginning of spring. I also saw two mother sea lions with newborn pups! They both got out of the water together. They were the only newborns that is saw at the island, which makes me think that they sought eachother out as new mothers and are staying close to one another~
I can't believe that the sea lion is so maligned.....
Right now, the tip of the sandspit is home to hundreds of newly weened pups. They are all the same size and have separated themselves into two groups. When the swell is down, the break at the sandspit is coming in from all directions. The pups love to play and frolic in that surf. They flip out of the water in poses that can only be discribed as youthful exuberence!
Spring is here...