Family Fun
Our future star diver posing with one of our instructors with proud mom looking on. Diving is an activity a family can enjoy together.
Beautiful Underwater Forest
At San Clemente Island we enjoyed diving among the young giant kelp forest. The crew on Horizon dive boat told us much of the kelp had died out in the last few years, but the kelp forest is finally coming back and looking healthy. Looking forward to a thicker and even more luscious kelp forest when we go back there next time (our next planned trip to San Clemente is 7/30/17 aboard Westerly).
Fuzzy Kelp
We saw colonies of Bugula netitina (brown bryozoan) on many of the giant kelp blades at San Clemente Island. They are called moss animals. Yep, they are invertebrate animals.
Guided Nature Hike - Led by biologist Haruka Ito
Start your day off right with healthy breakfast and exercise in the mountains!
Tuesday, June 27, 2017 from 6:00am to 9:00am
Call Ocean Safari for details and to sign up!
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life present in an ecosystem. For example, a rainforest has high biodiversity with its abundance of trees, vines, birds, mammals, and insects. You may not think about a concrete jungle such as Los Angeles as having high biodiversity. However, our San Gabriel Mountains are part of the California Floristic Province, which is one of the 35 biodiversity hotspots of the world. To be considered a hotspot, the area must contain more than 1500 plant species found nowhere else on earth (endemic species) and have lost more than 70% of the original habitat. The California Floristic Province has over 2000 endemic plant species, 17 endemic animal species that are threatened, and only 25% of the original wilderness remaining. We live at the foothills of such an important ecosystem, so unique that only 34 other places in the world can claim the same title.
It’s time that YOU come out and learn about the numerous native plants and animals that inhabit our mountains. We will even forage and eat some of the plants, and discuss their medicinal uses. You will have a guided, educational hike with light breakfast and drink included. The healthy meal may feature seasonal wild edible plants.
Objectives:
Identify plants and animals of the San Gabriel mountains
Find local edible plants
Establish sustainable and safe practices for wild-harvesting
Discuss medicinal and cultural uses of plants
Discover the health benefits of spending time in nature
Start the day off fresh with a nature walk, light learning, and healthy breakfast!
We Provide:
Expert nature guide
Light Sack Breakfast, featuring seasonal and wild foods
Tea/Infused Water/Lemonade featuring wild edible plants
Please Bring Your Own:
Empty Canteen (for the provided drink/tea)
Water Bottle (if you also want water)
Day Pack/Back pack (to put your sack food and drink)
Light jacket/sweater for cool mornings
Sturdy shoes
Optional Items to Bring:
Hiking pole
Camera
Cost:
Suggested donation of $10
Kelp Forest is Back!
Diving into a forest of young giant kelp. This is what you want to see when you dive in Southern California. The kelp is coming back and looking healthy! This is at 80 feet of water at San Clemente Island last weekend. We expect to see beautiful canopy of giant kelp when we go back to San Clemente in July.
