Oh, The Places You'll Go...: Big Sur

The Big Creek Reserve...how do I even begin to tell you about this wonderful place? This reserve is strictly research use, so no random visitors and campers, it is solely for scientific purposes. As a result the reserve is one of the most pristine sites you will ever encounter. I was lucky enough to have a two week field course there. We camped at a site aptly named redwood camp. I became part of a little fourplex and we all ditched our tents and slept in the redwood duff next to the fire pit. It was amazing.

Our home, I slept in the redwood duff (most comfortable thing EVER) to the right

One of the first things we did was hike up to the fire break. This was the summer of 2008 when Big Sur was up in major flames. We went to see where they cleared the land and learned a bit more about how exactly the fire prevention works. They clear a road and then set fire to the opposite side, by pre-burning the land they prevent the hotter, stronger fire from gaining more momentum and in turn continuing onto the reserve.

Walking along the fire break

View of whale point and the pacific ocean from fire break

Same view 20 minutes later...crazy marine layer burn off!

During our time at Big Creek we continued 3 ongoing studies. The first was an otter census. Our otter census consists of teams of four teams of two walking a two mile stretches from opposite ends. Two teams did one 2 mile stretch, the other two the other. And then the next day switching stretches. How do you do an otter census you may ask? from a cliff side with binoculars. You sit on the edge of the cliff and look onto the ocean you have to make sure you are actually looking at an otter and not bull kelp which from far away looks a lot like an otter head. Then once you think you have an otter you get your partner to find what you're looking at and get confirmation...this is not so easy. There is a lot of, "okay, see that lighter brown kelp patch with the hole that is kinda shaped like this, look to the right and a little up from there...otter, right?" I was partners with Hana we actually got this down to a science very quickly, but it still gets complicated. And then we had a seal (seal friend) who kept following us and mimicking an otter.

The next part is to mark the otter on a map. Now our maps were hand drawn and not so amazing. So there was a lot of are we sitting here or here? You do not want to count the otters twice once your vantage point changes. After the otters are marked you watch them for a period of time. If you can make it out, which gets easier with a little practice you can see pups on mothers of if the otters are eating, playing, fighting, sleeping and you note that as well. The next step? Move along to another vantage point and try to avoid becoming road kill by a cruise america rv or some insane driver along Highway 1. There you have it, otter census.

Our next project was a plant survey of different ecosystems and ecotones. We did 20 meter transects with 2 meter breaks, so 10 counts. Anything the transect tape touched was counted and the number and species of plants was noted. I had riparian (near stream) and redwoods and the ecotone between the two. An ecotone is the region of transition between two distinct ecosystems and is commonly associated with an elevation gradient, but not always.

After we did our plant surveys we got to hang out in a natural sulfur spring. It is AMAZING. There is also this amazing clay buried in tree roots, we all put it on our faces and had smooth soft skin for days to come. Then, we got a surprise visit from a California Congressman...a very interesting visit. This man starts to crest the water fall in tighty whites and a red bandanna tied very rambo-esque...he proceeds to tell us all to move out of the way and belly flops into this not so large sulfur pond. It was a very interesting encounter but very amusing as well.

CA Congressmen in the red bandanna

The next thing we did is drive down Highway 1 a bit to a place called jade cove.

The very beautiful jade cove and my head.

Jade cove has a string of jade running through it. The wave action breaks off pieces of jade and deposits them on the shore. What else does is deposit? Kelp and rotting things. To get the jade you have to did through the rotting kelp and move rocks, cobble, and gravel until you find the elusive pieces of jade. You have to hold it up to the light and if looks somewhat transparent like glass eureka! you found jade!

The crew digging through the rottingness and finding our jade while avoiding the rising tide.

After we had had enough of digging around we decided to check out some tide pools. Look at the tiny starfish we found!!

definition of cuteness right here

The next stop on our journey was San Simeon to check out some Elephant Seals, Mirounga angustirostris. The species in California is the Northern elephant seal. These seals are awesome, the are members of the family phocidae, which are the true seals (ie no ear flaps, rear propelled, different angle of ilium) but they are the only one in the family that are sexually dimorphic. They are HUGE males can be up to 2000 kg. They are also crazy divers, can go up to1500 meters! The deepest recorded is 1581 meters. We got way closer than we should've, so do what I say not what I do! Obey the Marine Mammal Protection Act folks!

Two big males fighting and me being startled by the sounds they make

Look at that proboscis!

Our next project was a steelhead survey. We split up into three groups and did three surveys in three branches of the creek. How do you do a steelhead survey? You start with a 7mm wetsuit, hood, boots, and snorkle mask. Materials? transect tape and dive slates and a watch. You start by measuring riffles and runs. Riffles are where streams have white water, and runs where the water is flowing rapidly. The stream will also have pools as well. You map all the features and distinguishing markers (like NOAA signs or bridges). When you reach a pool two team members put their masks on and put their heads into the water. You count the different size classes of fish and give the largest fish of each class you see. The class are, YOY (young of the year), 1, 2, 3+. The counters call out to the talliers. After you have counted you measure the length, width, and max depth of the pool. And repeat. After we finished out surveys we decided to go swimmin in the ocean, and climbed down the kelp stalks to check out some pretty sweet marine life.

Hana being awesome

After we completed our stream survey it was play time. We got to go on a backpacking trip. The first day we went up to a place called whale point and had a grand old time for the night. The next day we climbed up to a place called Gamboa point for the night. We got there early but then decided to go down to a set of waterfalls and it was AMAZING. We climbed up two falls before reaching the larger one and getting to go swimming in a pool. As we all start jumping in something fell from the cliff face. I thought it was just a branch or something, but that something was a rattlesnake! Crazy couple of moments. We then went back to Gamboa, which is still one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. It is AMAZING you feel like you are on top of the world.