Guardians of the Kelp

While waiting for the current to drop down for our final dive of the day, we were sitting with the engines off just floating in a big kelp forest. The water was calm, so the boat was rocking slowly to very minor swell, and we were looking at a couple of eagles on a rock. Then boat captain Sean yelled out that there were otters ahead! Two sea otters had popped up right in front of the boat, a mom with her baby, and they were just watching us as they slowly swam along the surface. Very calm and very curious, we were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time, engines off so not scary or noisy. (Other than us yelling in excitement of course). After getting a good look at us, they gracefully rolled over and descended into the kelp forest. Sea otters are one of the conservation success stories in BC, and as they return to the waters off Vancouver Island, I am really hoping that they help our embattled kelp forests by bringing the out of control sea urchin populations back under control. Because without sea otters and without sunflower stars after sea star wasting disease, kelp forests are being decimated by urchins.