Spring in the Sea

Spring in the Sea

Spring means the letter S! 

Spring has sprung on the Central Coast!  With new friends I took an amazing hike through these hillside oaks in the new Palo Corona Park up to Inspiration Pt. overlooking Monterey Bay.  So lush, green, light.

Below the ocean surface it’s spring also, likewise lush, green and light.  Winter storms “pruned” the kelp beds and canopy, meaning more sunlight shines down deep into the kelp forest now than in any other time of year. 

This “scimitar” blade forms in the spring at the very top tip of the 80 ft giant kelp.  With no roots, the kelp is fed by upwelled nutrient-rich water, and grows from its tip, forming tiny new blades (leaves) and floats.  In this bright spring light the kelp grows more than a foot a day!  (Looks sort of like a scimitar sword.)

Spring on the land, spring in the sea.

Scimitar blade, like a sword, slicing through the salty sea.

Shoots from seeds, sprouts and surprises.

Season of springing up, spreading, surfacing.

Storms severed the dark.

Sunlight streams and succors.

Sanctuaries safeguard – secure parks, set apart National Marine Sanctuary, sustainable settings.

Science shows sense and sensibility.

So far, no Silent Spring (thanks, Rachel Carson.)

Sweet smells.

Simply stunning and serene scenes.

Stewardship and Spirituality of the Sea – my calling.

Seasons go in sequence – Summer is next!

See, I am doing a new thing.

Seasonsinthesea.com – check it out!

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Bluetheology.com – come and sea!  I post these ocean devotionals every Wednesday here and on Facebook.  Kelp photo: NOAA. (I first posted this reflection a year ago when Palo Corona first opened, an old golf course and wild hills resurrected as a regional park.  Today I walked in again with an old friend, to get out of our houses and funks, and to see the wildflowers.  There is still lots of life out there in the midst of all this death.  If you feel safe, come walk with me 6 feet apart and see this new life.)