Fall 2023

C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 3 151 as I did in the '80s.” Then that heat wave hit. “We saw urchins change their behavior. They started eating more and more kelp.” In April 2021, he recruited divers to manually remove urchins from the biota.They set up a two-and- one-half-acre grid on a section of seafloor off Sand City known as Tanker’s Reef (so called because oil tankers anchored there while awaiting the loading of crude oil piped in from Coalinga via what is now Monterey’s Wharf #2) and started harvesting the spiny animals.To qualify for participation, divers must possess an Open Water Level Certification, have at least 20 cold-water dives under their weight belts and pass a kelp restoration specialty course through certification agencies PADI or NAUI. This course is administered through local dive businesses such as Aquarius Dive Shop. Many times, the dives are done at night, because the urchins tend to hide during day- light.“Since the program’s inception, 214 volun- teer divers have collectively made nearly 1,377 dives for a total of 1,014 hours underwater.To date, harvesting 637,000 urchins from the reef.” The goal is to clear 2,000 acres by 2030, allow- ing the kelp to flourish once again. “This is not a temporary problem,” Rootsaert says. “We have to keep going back.” For more information or to get involved, visit www.g2kr.com or call 408/206-0721. Even though not a plant, kelp uses the sun’s energy through photosyn- thesis and thereby is one of the Earth atmosphere’s most efficient scrubbers of carbon dioxide. te apS tiSa R o c k a n d T i l e H o t T u b s Visit our website to see more of our unique spa designs, or call for more information about our hot tubs and swim spas. www.siestaspas.com CL#92703SP 831-809-0498 BENNETT S C U L P T U R E C A R M E L Bennett Sculpture Carmel is a family owned and operated gallery featuring over 800 designs created by Tom, Bob, Terrie Bennett, Ashley Bennett-Stoddard and Keith Shannon.