Blue Coast

[create_destiny]

During my recent road trip with my folks to the Big Sur area I was plagued by the question: "Why is the water so blue along the central California coast whereas on the northern California coast the water often appears to be gray or brown?"

The short answer: calmer water that doesn't stir up a lot of sediment + low phytoplankton + low chlorophyll = very clear, thus very blue water.

Vista point south of Carmel




This is the Carmel River State Beach.

Comments

[gracegiver]

goodness. that last photo looks more like the SOUTH pacific, not our pacific. Gorgeous emerald colors.

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

It looks like Hawaii water to me.

[si-anenome.livejournal.com]

I have that vista point shot hanging on my wall. I love the color of the water.

Blue water

[lcurtis.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thanks for figuring that out for us! Great pictures, great vacation, great daughter! Love you lots, Mom

Re: Blue water

[createdestiny.livejournal.com]

The question is now - "Why is there less phytoplankton in the water along the central coast?"

I could research it but my brain hurts.