create_destiny: (statue head)
create_destiny ([personal profile] create_destiny) wrote2007-10-28 05:43 pm

Blue Coast

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
vista pt2



This is the Carmel River State Beach.
carmel river beach
gracegiver: (Default)

[personal profile] gracegiver 2007-10-29 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
goodness. that last photo looks more like the SOUTH pacific, not our pacific. Gorgeous emerald colors.

[identity profile] si-anenome.livejournal.com 2007-10-29 06:11 am (UTC)(link)
I have that vista point shot hanging on my wall. I love the color of the water.

Blue water

[identity profile] lcurtis.livejournal.com 2007-10-30 01:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow! Thanks for figuring that out for us! Great pictures, great vacation, great daughter! Love you lots, Mom