#spring upwelling

The ocean is waving a big hello this afternoon, as strong winds make for dramatic waves off our back deck!

These winds are the first step in an important natural process that makes the bay bloom with life in the summer, where strong wind causes upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water from hundreds of feet deep. The upwelled water is rich in nutrients that stimulate the growth of large seaweeds and microscopic phytoplankton. Those blooms of tiny organisms feed larger organisms which feed krill, which in turn feed squid and salmon and blue whales and much more!