Blue Water Hunter

The California Coastal Commission approved Ocean Rainforest’s plan for a 2,000-acre kelp farm about 6 miles off Ventura Harbor, 16 off Santa Barbara’s in federal waters roughly 115 feet deep over open mud flats. Anchored cultivation lines would grow giant kelp, harvested and processed onshore in Ventura, with output potentially reaching 6,000 wet tons a year at full build-out.

This isn’t displacing reef or wreck spots. Could be a fish magnet 🧲!!!! The commission’s review focused on entanglement risk for whales and sea turtles from the lines and anchors, added boat traffic in the area.

The commercial fishing will be displaced from parts of the cultivation footprint.

It will be built out in phases, building on data from Ocean Rainforest’s smaller demonstration farm off Santa Barbara, that btw was located directly in the path of returning from Santa Cruz West End ….. duh 🙄!

CaliforniaCoast Aquaculture OceanRainforest

This is a painting by John Comer of the Southwest Anchorage on Santa Rosa Island, right below Skunk Point, truly one of my favorite spots. It’s tucked on the side of the island that’s protected from the northwest wind and doesn’t get much weather, and the view is just spectacular. On a good day you can see the whole Santa Barbara coastline, the West End of Santa Cruz Island, and you’re looking right out over the beach at Skunk Point. I’ve spent countless hours taking in that view, the coast off in the distance, exploring the underwater world below. One of my favorite memories from this spot: three families of ours went camping out at Waterman Canyon, and me and another gentleman (Greg Peterson) cast off to go find dinner for the evening. We we spent the next couple hours steadily grinding through the terrain, coming back with a kayak full of Lobster. Our campsite was all the way at the end of the valley, so as we trudged in hauling our catch, we walked through the entire camp holding our bounty, we were the envy of all. Ended up with an incredible meal of lobster linguine paired with gin and tonics. Delicious 😋
My aunt & my mom have all been hanging out with John for years, they’re old, old friends. John has always been an incredible painter, and being older than me, I was profoundly impressed by his talent for as long as I can remember. Watching his talent as an artist has always been something special to see. Thank you John for this beautiful piece.

The framing is its own work of art too, done by Skip Saenger, another family friend, out of cherrywood. Thank you Skip for the incredible craftsmanship. 🙏

His quote of the day: “An algorithm has no ethics, only an appetite.”

If you had the luxury of starting spearfishing at a young age, there was nothing more magical than setting off with your pole spear into the mystery of the ocean. And coming back a successful hunter to feed your tribe with some major props on the 🏖️. Later…the meal shares the ultimate reward.

Bodhi making it happen right here in SB, taking down a healthy sargo with a pole spear. Awesome.