Catalina Island Underwater World
As a collective society, we spend the majority of our time on land. Our daily lives are above water, even though our Earth is more than 70% water! Gus and I have made it a goal to spend more time in the water this year. As we near the end of the year, I wanted to share about a special trip we took in October to celebrate Gus’s 28th birthday. But first, take a moment, what comes to mind when you think of water?
Stepping into a full body 3mm wetsuit takes strength, persistence, and makes you look like a seal. However, I would highly recommend it if you are considering diving or snorkeling in Catalina Island. Catalina Island, about 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles and the most southern island of California’s Channel Islands, boasts superb scuba and snorkeling experiences making this the perfect spot to celebrate Gus!
Our first snorkel spot was Casino Point, just to mention it’s not actually a casino but rather a “gathering place”. My first time going underwater had me flabbergasted! I felt like I was in an aquarium! The clarity of the water was unlike anything I have experienced. There were plenty of fish but the real stars were the giant kelp forests. Kelp is the tallest underwater algae and roots itself to the sea floor. I recently learned kelp can grow up to 2 feet a day in ideal conditions! Kelp forests thrive in cold, nutrient rich ocean waters and aside from being food and shelter for marine species they also reduce ocean acidification and wave energy. We love the ocean environments! They are so important and need our attention!
We truly recommend adding Catalina Island to your bucket list. Take about an hour ferry from southern California and enjoy the ride! We saw hundreds of dolphins and even a whale on our journey over to the island! The island has a charming and lively downtown where you can enjoy a beverage after a successful day of exploring the waters. Gus’s birthday trip was complete with great friends and an unforgettable time under the sea!
