Sunflower Stars Return To Monterey Bay with @SunflowerStarLab !! | THE DIVEVLOG - EP06

Witness the first-ever tubefootsteps of a lab-raised sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) on a wild California reef! I was honored to be able to tag along with the Sunflower Star Laboratory on this monumental day for the recovery of California's kelp forests. This was a very emotional day for me. I remember seeing these stars vanish before our eyes, before really understanding what the impact was going to be. I saw the reefs get run over, run down, and ruined. Since then, I've been involved with documenting kelp declines, restoration efforts, documentaries, awareness campaigns, from the state level to local coffee shops. At the end of the day, I'm still diving because I miss those groves I learned to blow bubbles in. Working alongside Sunflower Star Laboratory has been a life-affirming partnership. I'm getting see my good friend Andrew Kim and his aquaculturing genius come to life in these stars. I'm getting to witness the future being rebuilt in each little increment, and learning to not take anything I get to see beneath the waves for granted. And I'm humbled to be a part of a community of caretakers for the water world that gives me meaning. Thank you SSL for letting me tag along. I wish my dang audio recorder hadn't decided to be so starstruck. Thanks to all the SSL partners who made that day possible: @reefcheckfoundation , @MontereyBayAquarium , @hopkinsmarinestation , @csumb , @MossLandingMarineLab and Phil Sammet's Underwater Company Music: @WhiteBatAudio !! ___ Make shore to like and sub-scribe and comment for the algal rhythm! Kelp me kelp you: https://patreon.com/underwaterpat Get your DiveMola stickers and merch: https://divemola.com Want to license some video or order photo prints? underwaterpat at gmail dot com Pat’s peripheral posting places: https://linktr.ee/underwaterpat Special thanks to: @SCUBAPRO @backscatteruw @SunflowerStarLab YouTube Chapters: 00:00 Introdoceans 00:41 FIRST STAR 00:54 SECOND STAR / FIRST WALKABOUT 05:22 THIRD STAR / URCHIN HUNT 08:50 Conclusions Sunflower stars return to Monterey Bay! #sunflowerseastar #montereybay #kelpforest