Marine Life

Giant Kelp
(Macrocystis pyrifera)
Courtesy of Tom Haight

(Feather boa)

(Holdfast)

Found in cool water along the western shores of the Pacific Ocean, this brown algae can grow to a length over 100 feet. In water not much deeper than 60 feet, it spreads along the surface to form a canopy. It's held down on the rocky bottom with a structure called a holdfast. This kelp is heavily harvested along the California coast for a derivative called algin that is used in a multitude of products.