Dive Into Your Imagination

Kelp Nematocysts, Channel Islands, California

The first time I dived in a kelp forest off the coast of California, I was hooked. I truly felt like I was diving with mermaids. Nematocysts are gas filled bladders responsible for keeping giant kelp afloat. Kelp needs to float towards the surface because it is an algae and needs the sun to create food through photosynthesis. The forest can grow up to three feet a day in good conditions with clean water and sunlight. Many people think kelp is a plant, but it does not have a root system but anchors itself to the ground with a hold fast.

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