OBSERVATIONS FROM THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA
- No whales seen today
- 41 harbor seals
- two adult ravens tending to four growing and hungry chicks which seem just about ready to fledge from their nest
- one adult bald eagle, quickly and efficiently escorted out of the area by the two adult ravens
- one great blue heron
- 8 pelicans flying north
- 1 charismatic raccoon
- still extremely windy, blowing northwest at 28-35 mph with 9-10 foot seas
Although these strong winds greatly reduce our visibility for spotting whales and their blows, it does serve a valuable purpose in the ocean. According to NOAA Fisheries:
Upwelling can occur year-round off the northern and central California coast. The winds transport surface waters (upper 15 m) offshore, which are replaced by the upwelling of deep (100-125 m), cold (8°C), and nutrient-rich waters from the shelf break region.
The upwelled water fuels high phytoplankton production and subsequent high biomass of copepods, euphausiids, and other zooplankton during the summer.
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